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AUGUST 27
who is married cares about the things of the but for what is proper, and that you may serve
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world—how he may please his wife. There is the Lord without distraction.
a difference between a wife and a virgin. The 36 But if any man thinks he is behaving improp-
unmarried woman cares about the things of erly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of
the Lord, that she may be holy both in body youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he
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and in spirit. But she who is married cares wishes. He does not sin; let them marry. Nev-
about the things of the world—how she may ertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart,
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please her husband. And this I say for your having no necessity, but has power over his own
own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, will, and has so determined in his heart that he
will keep his virgin, does well. So then he who
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gives her in marriage does well, but he who
does not give her in marriage does better.
39 A wife is bound by law as long as her hus-
7:33,34 how he may please his wife…hus- band lives; but if her husband dies, she is at
band. Here is a basic and expected principle liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only
for a good marriage—each seeking to please in the Lord. But she is happier if she remains
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the other.
as she is, according to my judgment—and I
think I also have the Spirit of God.
DAY 26: How does the author’s declaration that “all is vanity”relate
to the message of Ecclesiastes?
By stating one of his conclusions in the opening lines, the author of Ecclesiastes challenges
readers to pay attention.The word translated “vanity”is used in at least three ways throughout the
book. In each case, the term refers to the nature and value of human activity “under the sun”:
1.“Vanity”refers to the “fleeting”nature of human accomplishments that James later described
as like a vapor (James 4:14).
2.“Vanity”can mean “futile”or “meaningless,”which points to the cursed condition of the uni-
verse and the debilitating effects it has on human earthly experience.
3.“Vanity”can represent “incomprehensible”or “enigmatic,”which gives consideration to life’s
unanswerable questions. Solomon found that the word applied to his entire experiment.
While the context in each of the 37 appearances of “vanity” helps determine the particular
meaning Solomon had in mind, his most frequent usage conveyed the idea of “incomprehensible”
or “unknowable.”He was expressing the human limits when faced with the mysteries of God’s pur-
poses. Solomon’s final conclusion to “fear God and keep His commandments”(12:13,14) represents
more than the book’s summary; it states the only hope of the good life and the only reasonable
response of faith and obedience to the sovereign God. God precisely superintends all activities
under the sun,each in its time according to His perfect plan,while He discloses only as much as His
perfect wisdom dictates. All people remain accountable. Those who refuse to take God and His
Word seriously are doomed to lives of the severest vanity.

And a time to build up;
AUGUST 27 4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
Ecclesiastes 3:1–22 And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
3 To everything there is a season, And a time to gather stones;
A time for every purpose
under heaven: A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from
A time to be born, embracing;
2
And a time to die; 6 A time to gain,
A time to plant, And a time to lose;
And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to keep,
3 A time to kill, And a time to throw away;
And a time to heal; 7 A time to tear,
A time to break down, And a time to sew;

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