Some General Observations from Chapter 7
At face value Ch. 7 looks like a disconnected set of Proverbs. But upon closer inspectionr we see that there is a coherent theme.Words are repeatedly used - wisdom and foolishness.
The way of the wise and the foolish is contrasted. Wisdom is better than foolishness. There are some unusual perspectives contained here, and since this chapter contains so many gems, I want to slow down and use this chapter to provide us with some ‘home truths’.
OUTLINE
- 7:1-10 Wisdom and foolishness with particular application to the matter of the facing of our life and death.
- 7:14 The wisdom of maintaining our joy in adversity and prosperity.
- 7:15-18 That enigmatic text in v. 16
- 7:19-29 Living between wisdom and foolishness
Ecclesiastes 7:1-10
There is a theme running through the first 10 verses. Here we find a series of contrasts in which the phrase ‘better than ’ is frequently used.
(i)
A good name is better
than precious ointment (v.1a)
(ii)
The day of death
is better than the day of birth
(v.1b)
(iii)
The house of
mourning is s better than a house of feasting (v.2)
(iv)
Sorrow is better
than laughter (v.3)
(v)
A wise man’s
rebuke is better than a fool’s song (v.5)
(vi)
The end of a
thing is better than its
beginning (v. 8a)
(vii)
Patience is better
than pride (v.8b)
(viii)
Former days are
not necessarily better than these days
(v.10a)
Solomon confronts us here with some unusual logic. We will focus on the first four verses.
“For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? This statement proceeds from what Solomon had said earlier in 6:12.
What is good? Is there any good? Yes there is, and now Solomon will tell us what is good[1] or what is better (more good). Now remember, that his great concern is to show us that wisdom is better than foolishness. Be prepared to have your conventional logic challenged! I have already drawn your attention to the series of contrasts found in the first 10 verses in terms of what is better. And now, in verses 1-4 there are two things mentioned which are good, or better, and which require wisdom and mature reflection.
1. A good name is better than precious ointment
2. the day of death (is better) than the day of birth
1. A Good Name is better than Eau de Cologne
Fine perfume was a real status symbol in the ancient east, and very
expensive2]. This is also true today. Many
spend a fortune on designer perfumes (or designer clothes), but do not
necessarily give the same amount of attention
to the developing of a good name,
or good character. It is generally considered more important to ‘look good’ than to be ‘be good’. But what is it that will be remembered and appreciated when we are dead and gone? The fact
that we regularly used an expensive perfume? Or is our good
name more significant after all?
At the beginning of our lives we receive a name, but at the end of our
lives we are left with the legacy of a good or a bad name. In fact, one’s name has the potential of being
more valuable at death than at birth.
The good in this case comes therefore at
death. How will people remember you?
2.
A Death day
is better than a Birthday
With that in mind, take note of what follows in 7:1b- 4:
“…the day of death (is better than) the day of birth.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for by
sadness of face the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house
of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”
“…the day of death (is better) than the day of birth…”. How is this for perspective? When we are born into this world under the sun, filled with so much vanity, and often with so much suffering, we are reminded that we enter into a temporal state of existence. After we have lived for a little while, perhaps 70 or even 80 years, then comes death.[3]
How is
that better? This must be understood with the entire testimony of Scripture in
mind. Living life in a fallen world is
very challenging for most people. There are very few people in
this world who are living their dream, and even if they do, there is always something guaranteed to upset
them.But for the believer
in Christ, death is not the end. For
them death is the beginning of a better life. It is
the beginning of Life and of real glory for all eternity! With this in mind you will also begin
to appreciate and understand what the
apostle Paul meant when he wrote
to the Philippians
in Ch.1:22-23,
“If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”
Let us be clear on this. Life in this fallen
world was not meaningless for Paul. He had no death wish. He had no thoughts of
suicide. On the contrary, he regarded his
life as an opportunity for fruitful labour. However, if he had to choose where he would rather be, then he would prefer
to die, to lay aside this earthly
tent and to be clothed with immortality
and live in the presence of the Lord, in heaven and in eternity!
Biblical logic
and perspective had taken hold of Paul.
Death was better in order to gain true Life. When you meet Jesus, and when you have spent
time with Him your whole
perspective changes from an earthly
mindedness to a heavenly
mindedness. When you have become a Christian and when
you have seen and tasted what is
before you, this life begins to hold very limited attractions for you. And
death holds no fear. In fact you know that the day of your death will be your crowning day!
This what David
thinks of when he writes in Psalm
73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides
you.”
This is what
Solomon, the son of David sees, and it is on the basis of this understanding
that he says, “It is better to go to the
house of mourning than to go to the
house of feasting” ; and “sorrow
is better than laughter”.
What good is it that we learn in the house of mourning which we will not learn anywhere else? What good do we learn when we look into a coffin and see the lifeless face of an acquaintance, friend or loved one?
Consider these 6 things:
(i) We learn once again that death is the result of the fall (Gen.3; Rom. 6:23)
(ii) We are made to face the fact that this life is brief and that eternity is long.
(iii) We are led to ask the question, “what
have I done with my life so far? Will mine be a good name after I die?”
(iv) We will ask ultimate
questions about our future state.
Where will I spend eternity?
(v) We have the opportunity to
repent or recommit ourselves in
the face of death and in the light of eternity.
(vi) We prepare to die ourselves. Every funeral anticipates our own.
“…for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” (v.2b).
I regularly
remind the mourners at any given funeral
that the death of a loved one must not fail to have a good effect upon themselves. In that sense no
death must ever be seen as meaningless. Even when the worst and most hardened sinner dies, the living
must take this to heart, and learn from this. If we do this, and regularly
meditate on the reality
of our death and how we should face that day with full confidence in our
Saviour, then our death day will be better than a birth day.
And so, frankly
speaking, there is more reality at an open grave than at a birthday party! There is
more reality in the face of death than
at a feast.
Both happened on the ship, Titanic. Life on board of the Titanic was a party
until an iceberg got in the way! There is a story told in
this regard. A wealthy woman found her
place in a lifeboat which was about to be lowered into the icy North Atlantic. She suddenly thought of
something she needed and so she asked permission to return to her cabin before
they lowered the boats. She was granted three minutes or they would leave
without her. She ran through the gambling room with all the money that had
rolled to one side, ankle deep. She came to her cabin and quickly pushed aside her diamond rings
and expensive bracelets and necklaces as she reached to the shelf above her bed
and grabbed three small oranges as she made her way back to the lifeboat. Now that seems incredible because a few hours
earlier she would not have chosen a
crate of oranges over the smallest diamond in her possession. But, you see, death had boarded the Titanic
and that fact had instantly transformed
all values. Instantaneously, priceless things had become worthless.
Worthless things had become priceless. And in that moment she preferred three
small oranges to a crate of diamonds.[4] The music changed from, “I could have danced all night” to “Abide with me”. Death provides
us with that sort of wisdom.
And now you will remember that wisdom and folly are the themes of this chapter. What will be really important to you when you lie on your deathbed? What will be important to you as you must face ultimate reality? As Solomon surveys life under the sun, he has suddenly lost an interest in the silly side of life. All of a sudden earthly logic is eclipsed by a greater logic! Do you know what he is talking about? And so Solomon’s conclusion here is this,
“The heart of the wise
is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of
mirth.” (4b)
What does this sort of logic teach us?
Two things:
(i) The wise
consider death and prepare for it. They
will prepare to meet their Maker.
(ii) The fools will continue to treat life as one big party. They will also meet their Maker, but they will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Blessed are they that have understood that God in Christ has taken death captive. They do not fear death. They embrace it, and they go through it into eternal life. It is a gift of God. And so the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God, the recognition that we need wisdom from Him. That is the first thing which Solomon teaches us in chapter 7.
[1] Hebr. ‘tov’
[2] Matt 26:6-13
[3] Death is the result of
the fall (Rom 6:23 cf. Genesis
2:17; Chapter 3)
[4] Charles
Swindoll : Living on the ragged edge ,
p. 195
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