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Tag Archives: Ecclesiastes
Be Ready
1 A good name is better than precious ointment, And the day of death than the day of one’s birth; 2 Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad countenance the heart is made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise Than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 7:1-6
The author’s attention now turns to the need for wisdom in a futile world. Having firmly established His case for the vanity of life, Solomon now seeks to apply wisdom to the madness so that he might live as he should. Chapter 7 provides wisdom for the day. Let’s see it in total over these next few weeks.
We are reminded in this passage of the eventuality of death. Every person will face death (if Christ doesn’t return in the rapture of the church). The rich and the poor will die. The wise and the fool are headed to the same fate. Solomon mentions death, mourning, sorrow, and sadness in the first 4 verses to drive home this point.
Given the shortness of life, it is imperative that we pursue wisdom. A life lived wisely is far better than a life lived in foolish pursuits. Life is a one-time gift. Use it wisely realizing we will all stand before God in judgment.
Tony French
Filed under Ecclesiastes
Unfulfilled
7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied. 8 For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, Who knows how to walk before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Ecclesiastes 6:7-9
The author revisits a previous theme. Whether we have much or whether we have little, the things of this life don’t truly satisfy. Solomon should know. He tried it all and found it all wanting.
Solomon sought meaning in riches, fame, and building projects. None of them brought satisfaction. He searched for meaning in philosophical pursuits and in relationships with women (He had over a 1000 wives and concubines!-1 Kings 11:3). Even that wasn’t enough.
Our only satisfaction is found in Jesus Christ. Life will not be perfect. But, in Christ, we can find meaning and purpose that will carry us through to heaven.
Tony French
Filed under Ecclesiastes
Unfulfilled
3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he– 4 for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. 5 Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man, 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice–but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place?
Ecclesiastes 6:3-6
We must recall that Solomon’s writing is basically from an earthly perspective. Apart from God, there is no fulfillment in life. It is through our relationship with Christ and Christ alone that we are brought peace, power, and contentment.
Solomon’s book seems true for those who are without God. One could paraphrase these verses in the following way; not being born seems to be superior to an unfulfilled life. If there is no contentment, no peace, and no purpose to life, then why be born in the first place? All die and are forgotten.
I am thankful that there is more to the story. Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose again so that we may have life in abundance. Our lives have meaning and purpose because He lives.
Tony French
Filed under Ecclesiastes
Blessings
18 Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. 19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor–this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
This chapter closes with a simple command to enjoy God’s blessings and be thankful to Him. God is the source of all our wealth and material blessings. Without Him, we would have nothing.
Being content requires us to focus on what God has done for us. We should give thanks each day for the litany of blessings He has bestowed upon us. He is worthy of all our praise. Hear the words of the psalmist.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
Psalm 100:4
Tony French
Filed under Ecclesiastes
Under The Sun #1
1 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. 2 Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, More than the living who are still alive. 3 Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 4:1-3
“Life under the sun” is a phrase that Solomon uses extensively in this book. Some say it simply implies to the earth and all things related to it.
Other scholars also believe that the phrase refers to a purely humanistic perspective of life that precludes the presence of God. In this view, Solomon is examining life purely in human terms with only limited references to God or His working. Both views have interpretive merit. Keep these in mind as we examine the characteristics of life under the sun.
Characteristic 1—Oppression “Under The Sun”
Oppression is abundant in our world. Unfairness and injustice permeate the very fiber of this sinful planet. Injustice in our day and time is overt and systemic.
Yet, there seems to be little that can done to overcome it. While we must fight for justice and help the poor and oppressed, we know that our efforts will never be powerful enough to help everyone. Thanks be to God for His ultimate judgement which will set things right once and for all.
Tony French
Filed under Ecclesiastes
Enjoy
24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I? 26 For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26
Solomon’s counsel here is stark. Due to the meaninglessness of life, we should enjoy God’s blessings. God’s provision is reason enough to give thanks and praise for all that He does.
As we view life from God’s perspective, we find that life is not meaningless. As we trust in Christ and follow Him, our life develops an eternal nature that gives us something the world cannot give.
God is the giver of all blessings (James 1) and all good things. And He is with us every step of the way.
This world’s goods, pleasures, and power can never give us the meaning and significance we so desire. But, when we are adopted into God’s family, our life takes on an entirely new dimension. We receive a hope and purpose that is not of this world.
Don’t get me wrong. The life of the Christian is not perfect and trials and difficulties await us all. Through our Savior, we are able to endure even the most challenging of circumstances and come through them in victory. As a Christian, life is anything but meaningless.
Tony French
Filed under Ecclesiastes
Vanity (2)
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” 3 What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?
Ecclesiastes 1:2-3
After identifying Himself as the author, Solomon relates the main theme of this writing. That theme is this; life apart from God is meaningless. Life lived on our own has no ultimate meaning or purpose.
Life under the sun can provide temporary pleasures. Life on earth does give us some temporal happiness. But, the happiness and contentment are only short-lived. Eventually, our souls long for something deeper. We come to a point where we desire something more than this life can give.
As we walk through this life, let us remember that many folks we encounter are searching for something more. They’ve tried everything the world has to offer and they are as empty as they have ever been. Our goal is to point them to the one who can provide peace and purpose. People need the Lord. For only Jesus can forgive us, cleanse us, and reconcile us to our Creator.
Tony French
Filed under Ecclesiastes
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