Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

Rachel Workman: ¹³ It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. ¹⁴ Such a youth could rise from poverty and succeed. He might even become king, though he has been in prison. ¹⁵ But then everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth^[a] who replaces him. ¹⁶ Endless crowds stand around him,^[b] but then another generation grows up and rejects him, too. So it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind

The overall subjects of these four verses are a subtle warning about pride, and more obviously, the instability of political power and the fickleness of popularity. He makes the point in the last part of verse 16 that the younger man who replaced the original king will in turn discover history repeating itself, and his career will run much the same course as the man who preceded him.

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John Burnett:  ¹³ Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. ¹⁴ The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. ¹⁶ There was no end to all the people who were before them.  However, those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.  I can only assume Solomon is referencing his father David as the wise youth and Saul as the old foolish king.  Power and wealth here on earth are meaningless and chasing after the wind and is usually a barrier, to those who have it, for them to come to Christ.  Those striving to advance, like the rich young ruler in Matthew 19, usually trust their money and what they do with it to declare themselves righteous.

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Tomorrow’s reading for Ecclesiastes 5:1-3

5 ^[a]As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. ^2 [b]Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.

³ Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.