Ecclesiastes 7:15-29
In every generation there are those who want to ‘appear’ holy in the extreme, and there are those who want to appear to be super intellectual, v. 16. Others work for a reputation of being the ‘bad, tough guy,’ v. 17. All of us, to some degree, live as posers, pretenders, and hypocrites; no one is completely free from the evil of this kind of personal facade.
Solomon sets out on a discovery process to, by careful research, discover the headwaters of wisdom, evil, and foolishness. Here is where that journey takes an unexpected turn. We might expect this intellectual savant to finally render a concise, cogent theory and explanation. Instead, we see him delve into a discourse on the misery of bad women. The number 1,000, in verse 28, is no fluke. That was the approximate size of Solomon's harem.
Solomon couldn't treat intellectual endeavors apart from the condition of his own heart. Our intellect and emotions are not two engines that operate separately. The bitterness of the soul always shapes or corrupts our thinking. God gave us the option of being upright, and we wrecked it.
“Lord, help me see how my soul and mind must work together. AMEN.”
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