The American Wisdom Series

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Pamphlet 1745 Eccles kc 13-1

Or ever the silver cord be loosed!

In today's study of chapter 9 in this Book of Ecclesiastes we are going to learn what happens to us when we die, and in knowing that we are going to die, what action we should take while we are alive.

So let's jump right in and continue with the wisdom from the wisest man ever to "walk under the sun".

Eccles. 9:1
For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
God is in complete control over man (even more so if you are one of the just, the zadok, i.e. God's elect).

It is just that man doesn't really know what lies in the road ahead of him in his flesh walk, and often times he doesn't recognize that some of those bumps and landmines and things which befall him are really the chastisement of his Father.

[2] All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
God is fair, always.

And there is one thing that happens to everyone, regardless of their status.

Their flesh is going to perish.

[3] This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
"It seems so unfair, that one fate comes to all." (Living Bible)
[4] For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
How many times have you heard people say after a natural disaster or a close call with death, "I'm just thankful to be alive?"

If you are still alive then you still have something to live for, you still have hope even if you are not the noble king of the jungle.

[5] For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Of course everyone knows for certain that sooner or later they are going to die.

In the years to come "taxes" would be added to this inevitability and today we have the saying "There are two things in life you can count on, death and taxes."

And even though the "dead know not anything" they too are quickly at taxed death before the memory of them is forgotten!

Now, all jesting aside, this is a very serious verse, because the misunderstanding of it has spawned a false doctrine called "soul sleeping", whereby it is taught that when you die you remain in ground, unconscious, until the return of Christ.

However, as we have learned and emphasized so many times, this Book of Ecclesiastes is written to  "the man who walks under the sun" and so Solomon is just talking about the flesh man, not the spiritual man within.

When the flesh dies and assumes room temperature it's gone, it's history, and along with it the ability to say, do, or feel anything.

The next verse will document it:

[6] Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
We get only one opportunity to be born into flesh bodies and take our "walk under the sun".

It is those flesh bodies that allow us to experience this earth age, including the love, hatred, and envy mentioned in this verse as well as joy, pain and suffering, etc.

And when that flesh body perishes we can no longer experience "anything that is done under the sun", because we are no longer a "portion" of it.

Our flesh was our portion, our vehicle, that allowed us to walk in this physical dimension and gave us the ability to experience it, as part of it.

When it is gone, perished, we "have no more portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun".

Further documentation that Solomon is simply talking about the "flesh man" is the fact that he knew man's spirit departed the flesh that housed it and returned to the Father who sent it in the first place.

He even put in writing in the 12th chapter of this same book:

Eccles. 12:6
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
These are figures of speech in Hebrew that mean "when you die".

They loose a little in the translation into English.

We have some of our own figures of speech for dying like "When you kick the bucket", etc.

Translate that into another language, French for example, where that expression is not used and you can watch the Frenchmen struggle to understand what you are talking about.

So while you say "what's it mean 'the wheel broken at the cistern'?", the French are saying "what's it mean he 'kicked the bucket'?"

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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