Day 197: Ecclesiastes 7-9

(Solomon wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes in his late years. During this time, Solomon was focused on the many wives who drew his heart away from God. Solomon was focused on effects (HAVE/DO) and this led him to believe that everything was vain (unprofitable). A key passage from another book of the Bible that will help us understand the causes for Solomon's circumstances came from the Prophet Ezekiel when he explained the causes for Sodom's judgment:

"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fulness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." (Ezekiel 16:49)

These four causes of judgment against Sodom ran throughout the Book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon actually argued for all four of these causes of judgment. While you read the Book of Ecclesiastes, keep in mind the four causes of judgment against Sodom:
1) pride,
2) fullness of bread,
3) idleness of time (prosperous ease),
4) not strengthening the poor/needy.)

(The previous post covered Solomon's belief that he built on his faulty foundation from the first three chapters: No one could know the profitable solution. The best we could do with God and each other was limit our unprofitability. Solomon thought he was doing his part by not helping the needy.)

Ecclesiastes 7
¹ A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one's birth.

(A good name was better than precious oil if your name was considered good because you lived wisely. Did Solomon do this? Also, Solomon stated that dying was better than being born. Clearly, he continued his perspective that all we could hope for was to limit unprofitability. Was he focused only on the physical life?)

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.
³ Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
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.

(It was better to be confronted by the wise than to hear a song from those who had no understanding. Were Solomon's words in this book the words of a wise man or of a fool? Should we be quoting this book to others as if it represented God's understanding or a man's misunderstanding?)

⁶ For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
⁷ Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

(The end of a thing was the only part that could be "good" because it was only then that we knew if the thing was profitable or not. Things could seem good at the start and end unprofitably, like Solomon's life. Things could begin bad and end profitably, like anyone who has believed in Jesus. People in the flesh tend to focus on the beginning and having as many beginnings as possible because they can deceive themselves that what they are experiencing is "good.")

⁹ Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
¹⁰ Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

(It was better to be looking forward and making your future profitable because that was the only part of our lives that was able to be changed. However, Solomon stated that you should not ask what the cause (why) was of the days in the past being better than the days in the present. We should always desire to know the cause (why) of something. This brings understanding. Did Solomon stop seeking understanding in his life?)

¹¹ Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
¹² For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.

(This stated wisdom and money acted as a defense, as a response to things going bad. Solomon did not see wisdom and money as able to allow the person to become more profitable. He saw wisdom and money as things that limited the damage that could occur. Again, his focus was on limiting unprofitability.)

¹³ Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him.

(When things are good rejoice, when things are bad consider?!? We ought to always consider (think contrastively), even when things are good. Whether your situation is prosperous or adverse, you should find out why. However, this was a continuation of Solomon's perspective: when things were good enjoy them immediately, do not think...when things were bad, figure out the cause so you could limit the damage.)

¹⁵ All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing.
¹⁶ Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

(Solomon was saying that righteous men died in their righteousness, so we should not be too righteous or too wise so we did not destroy ourselves. Solomon, like Job, thought he had found a contradiction and concluded there was no profitability to being righteous or wise. This was short term and focused on effects. Solomon should have looked long term like Job.)

¹⁷ Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

(Wickedness and foolishness could lead to dying before your time. Again, Solomon was focused on limiting unprofitability.)

¹⁸ It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
¹⁹ Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.

(Ten rulers in a city represented physical strength. Wisdom was spiritual strength and therefore, was stronger than the physical strength you saw in a "ruler." However, in the context of this chapter, Solomon may have been saying that wisdom allowed the ruler to be less unprofitable than ten rulers that were in a city.)

²⁰ Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
²¹ Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
²² for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

(Solomon basically stated a conclusion about being too righteous and too wise: no one was able to be completely righteous. Be careful not to judge others for something you do yourself. This led to hypocrisy. Solomon was attempting to help the reader limit their unprofitability.)

²³ All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
²⁴ That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?

(Solomon stated he would be wise but that wisdom was far from him. Solomon was beginning to sound like Job's three "comforters." Solomon acted wise at a point in time. What happened?)

²⁵ I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

(At one point in his life, Solomon was seeking wisdom and understanding.)

²⁶ And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
²⁷ Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account;
²⁸ which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
²⁹ Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

(Man was wicked in his flesh because of man. Man's wickedness was not God's fault. Clearly, Solomon's thought process was getting more negative as these chapters continued. He went from sounding like Job to sounding like Job's three "comforters"...)




Ecclesiastes 8
¹ Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

(A wise man was one who had a right how. A man who knew the interpretation of a thing had a right why. These were wisdom and understanding, both of which came from God.)

² I counsel thee, Keep the king's command, and that in regard of the oath of God.
³ Be not hasty to go out of his presence; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
⁴ For the king's word hath power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
⁵ Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment:

(A wise man's heart discerned time and judgment because a wise man had understanding and therefore, the ability to discern.)

⁶ for to every purpose there is a time and judgment; because the misery of man is great upon him:
⁷ for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?
⁸ There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.
⁹ All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man hath power over another to his hurt.

(Solomon set his heart to every work that was done "under the sun" (physical). Did he focus on the spiritual and the long term?)

¹⁰ So I saw the wicked buried, and they came to the grave; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity.

(Solomon saw that those who did right were forgotten. He called this vain. Who would forget these people? Unjust people? God?)

¹¹ Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

(Solomon was saying that because men had mercy when they did wrong, they had set in their hearts to do evil. This was Solomon's problem, God's mercy on him did not end in his physical life. Solomon was projecting what he did with his life onto other men.)

¹² Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and prolong his days, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him:
¹³ but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

(Solomon could only determine one difference between the good and the wicked: the good feared God, the wicked did not. This was a theme covered in the Book of Job. Because Solomon was not happy, he could not explain the happiness and causes of the profitable man. Solomon did not look long term and did not realize Justice would eventually get equaled out...which would have caused Solomon to do the causes of happiness instead of the four causes of judgment.)

¹⁴ There is a vanity which is done upon the earth, that there are righteous men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
¹⁵ Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.

("Fullness of Bread" - "good for food" (Eve).)

¹⁶ When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes),

(Solomon was saying that no matter how far you looked for wisdom, you would not find it.)

¹⁷ then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

(This was a short term focus. The labor Solomon spoke of was only physical labor. He was focused on the physical effects of this physical labor. This chapter showed Solomon's thought process: the only difference between the good and the wicked was that the good fear God; the wicked did not. He was essentially stating: "Do not bother trying to figure out anything more because you won't be able to...I couldn't. Just focus on eating, drinking, and working a job you enjoy. That is the way to be the least unprofitable.")




Ecclesiastes 9
¹ For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.

(Solomon stated that no man knew love or hate. How can you intentionally love if you do not understand love? How can you recognize when others love you if you do not understand love? Clearly, Solomon's thought process was sinking to a new low. In fact, look at the next verse: All things come alike to All...)

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.
³ This is an evil in all that is 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.
⁴ For to him that is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
⁵ For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

(Solomon said it was better to live than to be dead. The first verse of this post (7:1) stated the day of one's death was better than the day of one's birth. Was he contradicting himself? Also, the reward he spoke of was dependent on whether or not a person was remembered. This was focused on the short term again. Even if people forget you, God will not. In fact, there is more Reward for those who do things and are not remembered than for those who do things and continue to get credit from man after they are dead. Solomon's thought process was contradictory...)

⁶ As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun.

(Solomon was wrong: the dead continued to have a portion in things they caused.)

⁷ Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

("Fullness of Bread" - "good for food" (Eve).)

⁸ Let thy garments be always white; and let not thy head lack oil.
⁹ Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity: for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labor wherein thou laborest under the sun.

(Solomon stated that you should live joyfully with the (one) wife that you loved during your short life.
-First, this was a life he called vain (unprofitable). Basically, you may as well enjoy it while it lasted. This was a focus only on the physical life.
-Second, he said we could not know love.
-Third, Solomon had hundreds of wives, yet he spoke of one wife.)

¹⁰ Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.
¹¹ I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

(Solomon argued for randomness! Did he want understanding at all? Sheol was hell. Solomon knew all went to hell during his time. Did he know that some would be brought out of hell by Jesus? Was he aware of God's plan of eternal paradise?)

¹² For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
¹³ I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:
¹⁴ There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.
¹⁵ Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

(Solomon continued to be focused on a man’s reputation and whether or not he would be remembered. Notice, the man who delivered the city was owed through Justice and he would retain most, if not all of this spiritual Reward because he was not getting earthly recognition. Solomon did not understand this.)

¹⁶ Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

(Wisdom was better than physical strength. However, Solomon's focus was on praise and attention from others. Jesus explained the problem with this in Matthew 6.)

¹⁷ The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.

(One unprofitable person can make a whole community unprofitable. Solomon did not see a profitable benefit for wisdom...again, it was a defense: better than (destructive) weapons of war. However, Solomon was completely aware of the unprofitability of one sinner. Solomon's thought process was completely focused on the physical to the point of being contradictory. It was now time to see what grand conclusion Solomon made from all of this faulty thinking...)

(This post covered Solomon's rationalization of the physical and his attempt to limit the unprofitability of the individual.)

Day 198