Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Back from last week's trip, it's time to dive back into the look at 'heart/hearts' through the Bible, specifically the NIV 84 translation, which is the basis of my Exhaustive Concordance. We're in the book of Ecclesiastes, the account of one who has ALL the resources trying to find meaning and purpose in life in every way but following God's commands and decrees.
I personally think chapter three is the highest point of the whole book, with poetry in the first 8 verses that became a hit song in the 1960's. It certainly contains some of the more...positive...thoughts in the book.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. -- Ecc. 3:11; 'Hearts' is Strong's H 3820 , leb - inner man, mind will, heart, understanding; the most common Hebrew word translated as 'heart/ hearts'.
'He has set eternity in the hearts of men' is one of the most profound concepts you'll find related to the heart, I do believe. That yearning in the heart for the transcendent; to connect to the divine, was put there on purpose. God is, of course, far beyond our ability to understand or comprehend in anything but the smallest glimpses...but God is the only thing that truly can connect to that spiritual USB port.
I thought in my heart, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time fore every activity, a time for every deed." -- Ecc. 3:17; 'heart' is H 3820 again.
There's an interesting thought about judgement in this verse, which is worth pondering, but the focus today is on the heart...as a place of reasoning and insight. It's worth noting that the place of this revelation was in the heart...not the mind, and we know from past study that what is determined in the heart is of utmost importance in God's sight.
Which is probably a good thing to keep in mind while reading the next verse:
Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. -- Ecc. 5:2; 'heart' is, again, H 3820.
Notice that there is a distinction made here about words spoken out loud ('with your mouth') and words that are not ('in your heart')...and that both matter. We are not just cautioned to be careful what we SAY, but also to be careful how we THINK. If that eternal place is in our hearts, then the thoughts/ words we hold in that space will affect that connection.
I am going to list the next two verses in the list, with context, because, you know, there wasn't any kind of division when it was written:
Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work -- this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men: God gives a man wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. Ecc. 5:19 - 6:2 ; the first occurrence of 'heart' is, once more, H 3820; the second is Strong's H 5315, nepes - soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
Looking at the text in my Bible, it seemed kinda contradictory...on the one hand, it was a blessing to have gladness of heart; on the other, it was meaningless to have the heart's desire and not be able to enjoy it, but looking at the Hebrew...it's not quite contradictory. They're not the same words. The first is 'heart', but the second is a more idiomatic translation, going with the English 'heart's desire' when, in actuality, it's not talking about desires of the heart, but desires of the soul or the appetite. And you could also infer that the second man died before he could properly enjoy all his accomplishments, so they passed to someone else, but those accomplishments were still not on the same level. That's worth a ponder...the first guy accepts what he has, and is happy in what he does. The second guy, to me, seems to be someone who has all this stuff but isn't satisfied. He can't enjoy it...because, even though it appears to be everything he could want, he still wants more. He's not content. And, the passage implies, that contentment is a gift from God. But...I'm going to pull on the USP port idea; if a person doesn't desire that connection with God, if the source for satisfaction is the stuff and not the gifts of God, then...yeah, there would be no true enjoyment or contentment.
So...a good introspection question...where is my fulfillment coming from? The stuff I have or influence I've gained...or my connection to God?
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