Lesson 23
Ecclesiastes
The Things That Don't
Work!
Chapter 7 intro:
Solomon shifts his
style from the narrative that he has generally used to a proverbial style very
much like he used in Proverbs.
In these proverbs he
presents brief, insightful principles for living life.
Most proverbs are
given in the form of couplets, two phrases linked by a conjunction which
establishes what type of couplet it is.
Examples:
1. Contrastive couplets -- but or
nevertheless
Prov 13:1 A wise son accepts his
father's discipline,
But a scoffer
does not listen to rebuke.
2. Completive couplets -- and or
so.
Prov
So that one may sleep
satisfied, untouched by evil.
3. Comparative couplets -- better,
than, like
Prov
Than great treasure and
turmoil with it.
Here in the context
we will see the comparative couplet used 7x – so 7x's he will take a specific
thing or situation and say it is better than its counterpart.
We have seen from
Solomon many proofs and illustrations of the emptiness and futility of life
lived under the sun - apart from God in a fallen, sin cursed world.
During the course of
life, the allotment that we are given we will face both adversity and
prosperity and in both there will be many temptations to abandon a wise course
of action and become the fool by attempting to deal with the situation with
your own solutions.
7:1 A good name is better than a good ointment,
**
Character is internal and exudes a permanent fragrance - if based on the
character of Christ it will exude a fragrance for eternity, while the sweet
scent of perfume, no matter how expensive, is external and evanescent - its transient.
7:1b And the day of one's
death is better than the day of one's birth.
-
this is true of believers ONLY
-
Paul expressed his own view in 2 Cor 5:8; and the
perspective we all should have in Phil 1:23
Observations
1.
We must spend our lives pursuing
character - a reputation that will honor our Savior.
-
God is more concerned with what's in the real you, your soul, and therefore the
real basis, foundation for your life - the readout presented to others, than
your comfort.
2.
The good name - reputation is based on
the internal qualities and is always better than the external fragrances.
3. Some observations on one's
name and reputation - one's character:
a.
It is built on consistency of performance. 1 Sam 18:30
**
The highest reward that we receive for our toil in life is not what we get for
it, but rather what we become by it.
b.
It is more important than wealth. (but not to
our gen) - Prov 22:1
c.
As believers it's built on divine approval of one's faith applied.
Heb 11:1-2; followed
by many examples -- by
means of BD applied
d.
One's reputation lives on, has impact even after his
death.
Heb 11:4; this whole
chapter is an example
4. The believer’s death, his ending is better than his birth, his
beginning.
a.
For the adjusted believer - they have completed their assigned task, the goal
set before them 2
Tim 4:7-8.
b.
It marks the entrance into the presence of God. 2 Cor
5:8
c.
The impact of the adjusted believer lives on after them. 1 Pet 1:14-15
d.
It will be a time of reunion with loved ones who have already been
promoted.
2 Sam 12:22-23
7:2-4 Facing the brevity of life
and the reality of death.
7:2 It is better to
go to a house of mourning (funeral parlor or place where misfortune or sadness
abound) Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man, What is the end of
every man?
-
Death is the destiny of everyone -
And the living takes it to
heart.
** GRIEF forces us to
face life's realities.
**
The wise will prepare for that day – salvation and advancing to maturity.
7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
Summarizes the concept in vs:2-3
7:4 The
mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the
house of pleasure.
OBSERVATIONS
1.
Pleasure (indicated here by feasting -
laughter) teaches us little in life while sorrow especially at the house of
mourning offers us much.
2.
That's what Solomon is saying here - For
some its going to take that great pressure - sorrowful situation - a
time of grief to get them focused spiritually to draw us away from the empty,
futile things of the kosmos and set our focus on the things above.
3.
The type of happiness - laughter in view
here is not that which comes from a capacity from BDRS but is the superficial type
that is experienced like the sun peeping thru dark clouds but soon vanishes and
leaves one as empty as they were before.
4.
Solomon is not saying that you cannot
enjoy happiness or pleasure in life but he is focusing on a very real problem
in life that must be dealt with where the tendency is to pursue pleasure to
evade facing reality. (form of sublimation)
5. Pleasure like anything else
must be experienced in moderation.
6.
Principle: Any pleasure, no matter how
good, if it is not kept in balance will distort ones perception of reality or
destroy one's appetite for what is right and good.
7.
We need to follow Moses' exhortation of
Ps 90:12 So
teach us to number our days that we might "gain" a heart of
wisdom.
-
need to keep our perspective on His
truth so that our consciences our quickened - sharpened by His Holiness - His std's, if not we
will be overwhelmed by our present day society which emphasizes
self-centered hedonism – its all self - self - self.
7:5 It
is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the
song of fools.
7:6 For
as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool;
And this too is futility.
- rebuke - ga'arh hr'['G>
- rebuke or reproof; correction for
error often we are quick to react to rebuke - reproof instead of responding and
thinking through the rebuke, does it apply or not; our arrogance often gets in
the way.
**
It is better to listen to the rebuke of
the wise - one who is operating on a spiritually sound foundation then to
listen to the praise of the fool which is empty - has no substance, no lasting
merit - just like the crackling thorn bushes.
7:7 For
oppression makes a wise man mad, And a bribe corrupts the heart.
-
In a world marked by many wrongs and
injustices - consequences of sin, we must be very careful, work harder to
maintain control of our emotions. That
is not to let them take over and rule, become dominate.
Mad = halal indicates an
irrational mindset and behavior. (totally looses it
emotionally - tantamount to a tantrum)
For the individual
the consequence is a destroyed heart - the N&S, the conscience. The bribe taker corrupts his understanding
and blinds his sense of justice.