The fifth major section of Ecclesiastes begins at this point -- as marked by a final break in the ancient Hebrew text.

Having explored the scheme of things and further principles of personal success and Godly living in the previous section, Solomon now proceeds to Greater Wisdom -- which appear to concern leadership and the importance of corporate or community action, as opposed to individual initiative, in coping with risk and the pressures and perils of life.

Although the management principles explored here will be familiar to modern business consultants, they were already understood and may even have been formally taught by Solomon and trained Levites some three thousand years ago.

People have, of course, always worked together in non-commercial ventures, which is why these principles were not new in Solomon’s day, as they are certainly not new now -- having been practiced in ancient times by wise kings and princes, generals and church leaders. I have little doubt that Solomon, recognizing them as the keys to universal prosperity in an age of individualism, derived and distilled them from a careful study of such leaders and their organizations,

The wise organization, community or country cares for the welfare of its people, and it is interesting that Jesus compared himself and his ministers to shepherds tending a flock of sheep and leading them to pasture. Sheep are economically productive but docile and harmless creatures that are totally unfit to survive on their own and need protection, and it is interesting that their very existence serves to disprove Darwin’s infantile theory of evolution all on its own. Like sheep, however, people also need leaders to shepherdthem and tend their needs.

As we look around our world, it become increasingly obvious that the debased state of many nations, which has persisted for centuries, is due in the main to a lack of community-minded leadership -- resulting in general chaos, corruption, ignorance, superstition, false religion, disease and despair.

As well as proclaiming the good news of the coming Kingdom or government of God that will totally transform the world, Christians are also called to set a pattern of good works in their personal lives, developing their talents and unselfishly applying them for the good of all men, as many have in fact done over the centuries to the great benefit of the citizens of the world’s most prosperous nations in particular.