Advice from the Smartest Man Ever - King Solomon

A funny thing has happened to me as of late and that is - I wanna learn stuff! During my winter break I got to read all sorts of books and I just saw all these other books I wanted to read and learn and make myself more well rounded, cultured, knowledgeable, etc. I also got the desire to explore other fields besides science and thought it would be nice to get a Ph.D in philosophy or a Th.D (doctor of theology). That's not all, I have a desire to learn Hebrew and Greek, dancing, workout more, write a contemporary English version of Jonathan Edwards' "The Freedom of the Will," everything!

Since I'm also getting married I want to travel the world with my wife, go all around the world to share the Gospel, and all sorts of things, than I remembered the advice of the smartest man on Earth (next to Jesus) said - King Solomon. For all of you who don't know King Solomon had all the wisdom, all the riches, all the pleasure (wine, parties, music, food, you name it), and all the most beautiful women in the world (something like a 1,000 women in his harem ). This is an important fact b/c he is not simply rationalizing, but telling from first hand experience what a life of wanton pleasure and having everything your heart desires is like and definitely to an extent very, very, few people, if any, have experienced from the beginning of history till now.

Well, what did he say about all that? Vanity, all is vanity!

I read through Ecclesiastes today and I wrote down all the things that Solomon experienced and found meaninglessness, as good reminder to myself as I often catching myself wanting these things, to experience them, and working toward them:

1. Wealth
2. The Accomplishment of Goals/Work
3. Wisdom and Knowledge
4. The satisfaction of the eyes - actually Solomon says the eyes are not satisfied with seeing (Eccl 1:8) *esp. important for men.
5. The satisfaction of the ears - once again, the ears are not satisfied with hearing (Eccl 1:8)
6. Music
7. Laughter
8. Pleasure/Enjoyment
9. Wine
10. Sex
11. Competition
12. Devotion to Books
13. Writing Books
    

Also, ever wonder why God has put some unbelievers in enviable positions? Or why people who reject him still are altruistic?

Ecclesiastes 2:26 "For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God's sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind."

Here's the good advice:

Ecclesiastes 2:24 "There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God."

Ecclesiastes 12:13 "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person."