Vanity.

From: The New Topical Textbook By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 2 min. read • grade level: 11

A consequence of the fall. Rom. 8:20²⁰For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, (Romans 8:20).

Every man is. Psa. 39:11¹¹When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. (Psalm 39:11).

Every state of man is. Psa. 62:9⁹Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. (Psalm 62:9).

Man at his best estate is. Psa. 39:5⁵Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. (Psalm 39:5).

Man is like to. Psa. 144:4⁴Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. (Psalm 144:4).

The thoughts of man are. Psa. 94:11¹¹The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. (Psalm 94:11).

The days of man are. Job 7:16¹⁶I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity. (Job 7:16). Ecc. 6:12.

Childhood and youth are. Ecc. 11:10.

The beauty of man is. Psa. 39:11¹¹When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. (Psalm 39:11). Prov. 31:30³⁰Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. (Proverbs 31:30).

The help of man is. Psa. 60:11¹¹Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. (Psalm 60:11). Lam. 4:17¹⁷As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us. (Lamentations 4:17).

Man's own righteousness is. Isa. 57:12¹²I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee. (Isaiah 57:12).

Worldly wisdom is. Ecc. 2:15, 21. 1 Cor. 3:20²⁰And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. (1 Corinthians 3:20).

Worldly pleasure is. Ecc. 2:1.

Worldly anxiety is. Psa. 39:6⁶Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. (Psalm 39:6). Psa. 127:2²It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2).

Worldly labor is. Ecc. 2:11. Ecc. 4:4.

Worldly enjoyment is. Ecc. 2:3, 10, 11.

Worldly possessions are. Ecc. 2:4-11.

Treasures of wickedness are. Prov. 10:2²Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. (Proverbs 10:2).

Heaping up riches is. Ecc. 2:26. Ecc. 4:8.

Love of riches is. Ecc. 5:10.

Unblessed riches are. Ecc. 6:2.

Riches gotten by falsehood are. Prov. 21:6⁶The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. (Proverbs 21:6).

All earthly things are. Ecc. 1:2.

Foolish questions, &c. are. 1 Tim. 1:6, 7⁶From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; ⁷Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. (1 Timothy 1:6‑7). 1 Tim. 6:20²⁰O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: (1 Timothy 6:20). 2 Tim. 2:14, 16¹⁴Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. (2 Timothy 2:14)
¹⁶But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. (2 Timothy 2:16). Titus 3:9⁹But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. (Titus 3:9).

The conduct of the ungodly is. 1 Peter 1:18¹⁸Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; (1 Peter 1:18).

The religion of hypocrites is. James 1:26²⁶If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. (James 1:26).

The worship of the wicked is. Isa. 1:13¹³Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. (Isaiah 1:13). Matt. 6:7⁷But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. (Matthew 6:7).

Lying words are. Jer. 7:8⁸Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. (Jeremiah 7:8).

False teaching is but. Jer. 23:32³²Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:32).

Mere external religion is. 1 Tim. 4:8⁸For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. (1 Timothy 4:8). Heb. 13:9⁹Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. (Hebrews 13:9).

Almsgiving without charity is. 1 Cor. 13:3³And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3).

Faith without works is. James 2:14¹⁴What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? (James 2:14).

Idolatry is. 2 Kin. 17:15. Psa. 31:6⁶I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord. (Psalm 31:6). Isa. 44:9, 10⁹They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. ¹⁰Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? (Isaiah 44:9‑10). Jer. 10:8⁸But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities. (Jeremiah 10:8). Jer. 18:15¹⁵Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up; (Jeremiah 18:15).

Wealth gotten by, diminishes. Prov. 13.11.

SAINTS

Hate the thoughts of. Psa. 119:113¹¹³SAMECH. I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. (Psalm 119:113).

Pray to be kept from. Psa. 119:37³⁷Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. (Psalm 119:37). Prov. 30:8⁸Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: (Proverbs 30:8)

Avoid. Psa. 24:4⁴He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. (Psalm 24:4).

Avoid those given to. Psa. 26:4⁴I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. (Psalm 26:4).

THE WICKED

Especially characterized by. Job 11:11¹¹For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it? (Job 11:11).

Though full of, affect to be wise. Job 11:12¹²For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt. (Job 11:12).

Love. Psa. 4:2²O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. (Psalm 4:2).

Imagine. Psa. 2:1¹Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (Psalm 2:1). Acts 4:25²⁵Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? (Acts 4:25). Rom. 1:21²¹Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21).

Devise. Psa. 36:4⁴He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil. (Psalm 36:4). (See marg.) Speak. Psa. 10:7⁷His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. (Psalm 10:7). Psa. 12:2²They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. (Psalm 12:2). Psa. 41:6⁶And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it. (Psalm 41:6).

Count God's service as. Job 21:15¹⁵What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? (Job 21:15). Mal. 3:14¹⁴Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? (Malachi 3:14).

Allure others by words of. 2 Peter 2:18¹⁸For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. (2 Peter 2:18).

Walk after. Jer. 2:5⁵Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? (Jeremiah 2:5).

Walk in. Psa. 39:6⁶Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. (Psalm 39:6). Eph. 4:17¹⁷This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, (Ephesians 4:17).

Inherit. Jer. 16:19¹⁹O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. (Jeremiah 16:19).

Reap. Prov. 22:8⁸He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. (Proverbs 22:8). Jer. 12:13¹³They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the Lord. (Jeremiah 12:13).

Judicially given up to. Psa. 78:33³³Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. (Psalm 78:33). Isa. 57:13¹³When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain; (Isaiah 57:13).

Fools follow those given to. Prov. 12:11¹¹He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding. (Proverbs 12:11).

Following those given to, leads to poverty. Prov. 28:19¹⁹He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. (Proverbs 28:19).

They who trust in, rewarded with. Job 15:31³¹Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence. (Job 15:31).

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