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Daily Devotions

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 
Day 
Day 45

"And look! The tears of the oppressed"

Text: Ecclesiastes 4:1

THE PROBLEM OF OPPRESSION

Many different kinds of problems exist in the world. Solomon continued in his observations of life. His focus was on the problems that many experienced in life. One of them was the problem of oppression.

“Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun:
And look! The tears of the oppressed,
But they have no comforter—
On the side of their oppressors there is power,
But they have no comforter.”
Ecclesiastes 4:1

1. “Then I returned and considered”

a) “Returned”
i) This is a reference to “reviewing”.
ii) Returning to what had been observed.
iii) Reviewing the conclusions made.
b) “Considered”
i) There is further “consideration”.
ii) There is further thought.
iii) New material may have added; new thoughts found.

2. “All the oppression that is done under the sun”

a) The laws of the land would forbid all forms of oppression (e.g. Exodus 22, 23).
b) But as long as sin exists in the heart, the problem of oppression would never cease.
c) There was oppression in foreign lands.
d) But Israel was not free from the problem of oppression.
i) The strong would oppress the weak.
ii) The rich and powerful would oppress the poor and needy.

3. “And look! The tears of the oppressed,

But they have no comforter-“

a) Solomon could not help but notice how the oppressed felt.
b) They had no comforter. This was repeated for effect!
i) No one would plead their cause.
ii) They felt helpless.
iii) Tears seemed the only means to bring some measure of relief.

4. “On the side of their oppressors there is power”

a) The oppressors had all the power.
b) Power often consisted the following:
i) Wealth
ii) Influence
iii) Privileges
c) When power was not utilised properly to uphold justice, oppression would be felt by the poor and needy.