How does Ecclesiastes 6:2 illustrate the futility of wealth without God's blessing? The Text in View “God gives a man wealth, possessions, and honor so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy them; instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous evil.” (Ecclesiastes 6:2) God Grants, God Restrains • God is clearly portrayed as the ultimate Source of every good gift (James 1:17). • The same God who gives “wealth, possessions, and honor” can withhold the capacity to enjoy them. • This sovereign control exposes human dependence: riches themselves are powerless to secure satisfaction. Why Wealth Without Enjoyment Is Futile 1. The heart’s longing remains unmet. – Riches satisfy outward needs but cannot touch the inner void (Psalm 106:15). 2. Strangers consume what the owner cannot. – Wealth ultimately passes to others (Proverbs 23:5; 27:24). 3. The disconnection of gift and Giver breeds “grievous evil.” – Pursuits divorced from God lead to vexation, not fulfillment (Matthew 16:26). Echoes Throughout Scripture • Deuteronomy 8:18 – God gives the power to produce wealth; forgetting Him invites ruin. • Psalm 127:1–2 – Labor without the Lord is “in vain…eating bread of sorrows.” • Luke 12:16–21 – The rich fool’s barns are full, yet his soul is bankrupt before God. • 1 Timothy 6:17 – Hope must rest in God “who richly provides…for our enjoyment,” not in riches. Takeaway Truths for Today • Possessions are gifts; enjoyment is also a gift. Both come from God’s hand. • Prosperity minus God equals emptiness; partnership with Him turns blessings into joy. • True wealth is measured by eternal relationship, not temporal accumulation (Matthew 6:19–21). |
    |