Presents
Pamphlet #1737
Ecclesiastes
Chapter 7
Presents
Pamphlet #1737
Ecclesiastes
Chapter 7
The Book of Ecclesiastes is written to the man who walks under the sun, the flesh man. It is a book full of the wisdom and observations of the wisest man to have ever walked under the sun. It deals with the down-to-earth realities of life, where the rubber meets the road, the things that happen to "real people".
So in this 7th chapter Solomon is going to take some time and make a few comparisons for us between wisdom and folly. Here are the first comparisons:
There is figure of speech in all languages called a paronomasia where rhyming words are used to make cute little sayings. An example in English is our saying "No Pain, No Gain". Paronomasias make sense, they rhyme, and they're fun to say.Eccles. 7:1
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
In verse one which we just read there is a Hebrew paronomasia which is "Shem Shemen" or "Shem Mishshemen" which means a good name smells better, or is more valuable, than good [precious] ointment.
And so it is true personally and even in business. A good name can be priceless. Often when a company is sold that has a good name, the name itself is listed as one of the most valuable assets of the company and is included in the sale as a separate item, sometimes commanding millions of dollars.
What about "the day of death is better than the day of one's birth"? Well, the day of death is graduation day, isn't it? Our tour of duty, the ride through this flesh age is over, please exit to the rear of the car.
When you go to a funeral you can't help but ponder a little bit about the reality of death. It's a good learning experience to witness the "end of all flesh". In contrast, what do you learn at parties? Usually a bunch of juicy gossip.[2] It is 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 lay it to his heart.
Where is there more wisdom and experience gained, in overcoming a trial or grief or in watching Saturday Night Live? The reality of the flesh is that to suffer is to learn, or let's use that common paronomasia we noted earlier: "No pain, No gain".[3] Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Also, the N.E.B. translation reminds us of something important, and that is "... a sad face may go with a cheerful heart (N.E.B.)." We can still have overall peace of mind while enduring grief or a trial.
So a wise person contemplates death and the afterlife, but a fool thinks about nothing but having a good time.[4] The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
The word "song" used here means "praise". And so it is better to be chided or take advice from a wise man than to be "praised" by a bunch of jerks who are just encouraging what ever stupid thing you just did to raise the eyebrows of the wise. Got it?[5] It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
And the way I see it, it is better to take reproof and correction from our Father through His Word and the reality checks He gives us, than to listen to preachers tell us what good Christians we are each week. They will praise us and even mark our perfect attendance chart with gold stars just for showing up each week. Watch your step!
Here we have another paronomasia, i.e. a set of rhyming words, in this verse. In Hebrew it is "Hassirim... Hassir" which can be converted to English by saying "Nettles... Kettles". It means that the derision of fools is like the cracking and popping sound you hear when a fire under a kettle burns with dry thorns in it. You might say the fool is just "popping off".[6] For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Note: If you would like to actually hear what "Nettles... Kettles" sounds like, you can safely simulate it in your own kitchen by pouring milk over a bowl full of Rice Krispies. Place your ear near the bowl and listen and you'll hear Snap, Crackle and Pop! But don't take any advice from your cereal.
A wise man gets angry when he witnesses fraud and extortion and corruption and takes no part in it. An unwise man will accept a bribe which will corrupt his brain. So don't sell your values and principles, which means your chances of being a successful politician today are pretty slim.[7] Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Come to think of it, how much will you take for your soul? When Satan gets here at the sixth trump he'll have plenty of WAM (a political acronym which stands for Walk Around Money).
I'm always glad when a big job or an ordeal or a trial is over, aren't you?[8] Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Don't go flying off the handle! Don't be a hot head! Yeh, yeh, we know![9] Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
But also don't "bottle up" anger, i.e. don't let it rest in your bosom! Learn how to handle it right away, because if one doesn't deal with anger or resentment at the proper time, which is when it occurs and directly with whatever or whomever caused it, then it will hang around in his head and later come out snapping, crackling and popping off at other totally innocent bystanders. Example:
Don't harbor anger and resentments.Your co-worker or your boss says something or does something that really infuriates you and you don't tell him or her how you feel right then and there. So after work you drive home, noticing along the way that every driver in front you drives like an idiot and the guy who passed you is a maniac. You walk in the house and immediately start snapping at your wife, yelling at the kids and maybe even kick the dog because she just placed her wet nose against your hand (figuring of course that a nice person like you might pet her). None of these folks deserved to be treated this way and you didn't really want to treat them that way. Your anger was misdirected because it was left in your bosom. But now you've made your family angry too! (They should all bite you!)
Don't live in the past either, and go around longing for the good old days! It's not only stupid but a waste of time and energy when you could be enjoying today and doing some good here and now. And besides, there really aren't any good old days. Sure, we had some fun in the past, but you see, if we understand God's Word then we know what tomorrow brings and so we can make the most of today and realize that the best, most exciting times in the history of the human race lie just ahead, and even now are! Think about it.[10] Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Wisdom is as good as riches but more valuable than riches to the man who walks under the sun. Here's why:[11] Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
For while both wisdom and money can provide earthly protection, "to them that see the sun", wisdom can lead you to eternal life. All the riches in the world can't do that.[12] For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
We continue with the words of wisdom from Solomon, the Koheleth, in the 7th chapter of one of the books of wisdom, Ecclesiastes. The other books known as books of wisdom are Job, Proverbs, and the Psalms.
However, the Book of Ecclesiastes is specifically written to "the man who walks under the sun", the flesh man, and we are learning that apart from God, there is nothing in this world that can bring us lasting peace of mind. Solomon now poses a question for us to consider.
This verse more accurately should read "Consider the activities of God: for who can set in order that which He has overthrown?" But it makes little difference in that the point is, whether you're talking about either the handiworks or the affairs of God, what man can change anything He does? Answer: No one!Eccles. 7:13
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
So we can't change the rising of the sun, or the way a Robin builds her nest (including Mrs. Robinsky down the street), nor can we change the seasons or times He sets before us. We can but deal with them and perhaps through wisdom, change ourselves. I think we just said the Serenity Prayer:
Yes, God has set the day of prosperity and the day of adversity side by side. We found them listed in 14 sets of 2, side by side, one over against the other, in the 28 times of life in chapter 3.God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.[14] In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
And of course the man who walks under the sun will just never be able to "figure out" God. However, it seems that when everything is going fine in his life, that he doesn't take the time to think nor be thankful and consider the works and the activities of our Father. And so there is at least one good thing about adversity: it causes one to stop and ponder. It stopped Job!
So when the roulette wheel of life spins for us, we never know which of the 28 times will come up. But we learned from chapter 3 that we should expect and not be surprised that both good turns and bad turns happen to us all.
Solomon is now going to give us some more wisdom from his personal experiences.
Sometimes it just doesn't seem fair, does it?[15] All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
If people say either of the following two things about you, it could be you have violated the wisdom of verse 16:[16] Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
The word "foolish" in this verse is sakal and it means "stupid". So don't sin too much and do stupid things like violate God's natural laws. Smoking, drinking alcohol in excess, using drugs, and leaping from tall buildings with a single bound will all result in premature death. Though we all fall short and we all sin, we must learn wisdom from His Word and then exercise it as often as we can.He's a know-it-all.He's too smart for his own good.
[17] Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Just remember this: Success comes from revering God.Eccles. 7:18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
There are two ways to read this verse. "Wisdom is better protection for the wise than 10 mighty princes are for a city", or "Wisdom makes a wise man stronger than the ten rulers who are in the city." Either way wisdom comes out on top.[19] Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Whether Patriarch, Apostle, Founding Father, or Elect of God, we are all going to sin, even while doing good. In other words, all good men and women have had or will have sin in their lives, Christ being the only exception. Furthermore, all men and women of wisdom know it. They don't pretend to be "goody goody two shoes".[20] For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Thank God for repentance and the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ whereby we may be forgiven. Let us therefore continue to do good even though we sin at times.1 John 1:8
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
You really don't want to hear all the things your friends, relatives, and co-workers have said or will say about you behind your back. You really don't! And if you occasionally do overhear them, may God grant you the wisdom to put those words in the perspective of the next verse.Eccles. 7:21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
You really don't want your friends, relatives, and co-workers to hear all things that you have said or will say about them behind their backs. You really don't! Some things we say about others are but for the moment, perhaps said in a fit of anger, frustration, or in a venting mood, and not meant as a permanent characterization of that person.[22] For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
So even with all the wisdom of Solomon, "flesh man", the man who walks under the sun, cannot see behind the veil that separates the dimensions to discover the works of God.[23] All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
In fact, the more we know the more we know we don't know. That in itself is wisdom.[24] That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
Here's a little better translation from the N.E.B.:[25] I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
And here's another discovery of Solomon which he finds worse than death.Eccles. 7:25 I went on to reflect, I set my mind to inquire and search for wisdom and for the reason in things, only to discover that it is folly to be wicked and madness to act like a fool. (N.E.B.)
The "woman" referred to here means "adulteress", or "whore". The sinner who is handcuffed with her devices has big problems, so have no dealings with an harlot.[26] And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
On a deeper level this also holds true for the Great Harlot, Mystery Babylon the Great. If you want to please God, then don't be "taken" by her! And remember, she's a real "looker". Hey, we could make up another paronomasia, which is a rhyming figure of speech we learned about earlier. "She's a looker, but she's a hooker." Oh, well. I tried.
"I investigated everything in my survey 'to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom' (the subject from verse 25), Solomon the Koheleth says, "and here's what I found." Survey says:[27] Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
"But here is what I have found, says the speaker: One true man in a thousand, but never a true woman [harlot]." (Moffat)[28] Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
"One tenth of one percent of the men I interviewed could be said to be wise, but not one woman [adulteress]." (Living Bible)
There aren't too many men who could be considered wise, and certainly not a whore.
Apart from God, man can invent more devices to get in trouble with than you can "shake a stick at". And so we conclude chapter 7 of the Book of Ecclesiastes with a quote from another of the books of wisdom, Proverbs.[29] Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
The main point of this verse concerning revering God is: "It is a choice!"Proverbs 1:29
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
If they don't listen to their Father then they'll suffer the consequences of their own actions! Guaranteed![30] They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
They'll end up eating their own ****, and be up to their necks in... let's be nice and say alligators.[31] Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
As it is written, so shall it be done.
To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.
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