ECCLESIASTES 4.9-12

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falls, and has not another to lift him up.

11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone?

12 And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord [rope] is not quickly broken.

It is a tough world, and the theme flows on as Solomon encourages us to work in spiritual harmony with others, rather than battling on alone, competing and warring in a spirit of envy – a theme that will be amplified later.

Life is not intended to be an individualistic existence, says Solomon. Although it is vitally important that we learn to think for ourselves, as we have just seen, working in cooperation with other members of the human family affords great mutual benefits in coping with the pressures and problems of life.

Inspirational writer Napoleon Hill stresses, and illustrates from the lives of highly successful businessmen, the importance of what he calls the “mastermind alliance” – which is defines as two or more minds working together in perfect harmony towards the achievement of a common definite goal.

In the same vein, Solomon says that Two are better than one – two individuals possibly possessing different but complementary skills and understandings, and so able work more efficiently and productively in partnership than alone.

If one falls, says Solomon, the other can lift him up -- lend practical assistance and moral support.

Husband and wife, male and female, masculine and feminine, are the divinely designed mastermind alliance unit -- and the physical body warmth provided and preserved one for another in bed is a metaphor for the love and emotional stamina required to endure the rigours of a cold, hard world. When God created Adam he said that it was not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18), and so gave him a wife to be a helper, a counselor and a comforter – and then children and a family.

Likewise, in times of adversity and attack, a partnership is stronger – and in Solomon’s clever metaphor three people can take the strain of adversity and hold on more strongly than one alone, just as a woven three-fold rope is not easily broken.

Perhaps it was with this section of Ecclesiastes in mind that Jesus sent his disciples out to preach to a hostile world in pairs, rather than individually. The importance of working together, rather than alone, in spiritual matters also seems to be stressed by Jesus when he promises that, Quote: “If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:19-20).

Notice also Paul’s exhortation to work together when he says, Quote: “Pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22) – and also, Quote: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25).

Paul also makes the same point in another place, when he says, Quote: “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him” – then continues, in words similar to those of Solomon, saying, Quote: “Carry each other’s burdens” (Galations 6:1-2).

The compulsive loner that Solomon describes in the previous section had no family to love and provide for, but through the Christian Church, God provides the opportunity for any interested individual to join brothers and sisters in a world-wide family, the Family of God, after which all other families are so named (Ephesians 3:15) – both to be supported by them, and also to use his or her abilities to support and encourage them in turn, and, hopefully, to work as part of a mastermind alliance in proclaiming to the world the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God.