Ecclesiastes SevenJuly 19, 1998
Introduction
There is a definite break between the content and style of the first six chapters and much of the seventh. While Koheleth(the preacher) continues to make his observations about “life under the sun,” he changes to the same format as most of the book of Proverbs. He moves quickly from thought to thought. Sometimes he speaks a wise thought(a proverb) sometimes he offers an observation and advice on how to deal with it. But it is much less subject oriented than the previous chapters.
The first question when beginning any new chapter centers on the type of tie to the previous one. He has just completed a series of points regarding wealth, possessions and money (5:10-20; 6:1-12). He has shown the complete futility to placing too much emphasis on possessions and wealth. They bring much more trouble than they solve. But with all that, there doesn’t seem to be a direct tie between these thoughts and those that will now begin.
1. A good name
Before considering a good name, ponder what is involved in a name. Hebrew parents generally gave names from their language that had a meaning. Names generally indicated “a single decisive characteristic,” of the child, “an event or mood” of the parents when the child was born or “a statement about an individual.”
shem 8034, "name; reputation; memory; renown." Cognates of this word appear in Akkadian, Ugaritic, Phoenician, Aramaic, and Arabic. This word appears about 864 times and in all periods of biblical Hebrew.... It is not always true that an individual's "name" reveals his essence. ... Perhaps some names indicated a single decisive characteristic of their bearer. In other cases, a "name" recalls an event or mood which the parent (s) experienced at or shortly before the child's birth and or naming. Other names make a statement about an individual. This sense of a name as an identification appears in Gen. 2:19... "...and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." ... Shem can be a synonym for "reputation" or "fame": To "give a name for one" is to make him famous: ... If a name goes forth for one, his "reputation" of fame is made known:... Shem can connote "renown" and "continuance" ... (Vine's Expository Dictionary)
Abram(exalted father) had his name changed to Abraham(father of a multitude) to more exactly describe him(Gen 17:5-6), while Isaac(to laugh) was named for the joy he brought to his parents(Gen 17:17-19; 21:6) and Moses(to draw forth) because he was drawn out of the water(Ex 2:10). There have been many children named by their parents in hope of what their children would grow into being. Children given names of those in the Bible in hopes that they would grow up to be like them. A good name however is reserved only for those who actually live in such a way that they earn a good reputation. This leads to the second meaning of “reputation,” “memory,” and “renown.” We begin to make a “name” for ourselves as soon as we are introduced to people. Our conduct, attitude, emotions and integrity are all assessed and attached to the feeling and attitude when our name is mentioned. A good name is a name generally stands for all that one has done with their life.
A name can confer sweetness, joy, peace, happiness and love as one ponders the memories shared with the one who holds it. A name can also confer emotions of bitterness, sadness, and even anger, if the person who was given that name has soiled his reputation through acts of unkindness or wickedness. Although it takes a lifetime of effort and toil to create such a name, it is worth every effort to do so. It is a wonderful possession to attain to. Much better than silver and gold which were shown to have no profit in the previous chapters.
is better than precious ointment,
The term “precious” is the defined as “favorable,” “pleasing” “pleasant,” and “delightful.”
tob 2896, "good; favorable; festive; pleasing; pleasant; well; better; right; best." This word appears in Akkadian, Aramaic, Arabic, Ugaritic, and Old South Arabic. Occurring in all periods of biblical Hebrew, it appears about 559 times. ... This adjective denotes "good" in every sense of that word. For example, tob is used in the sense "pleasant" or "delightful": ... "favorable" or "in one's favor"... "delightful" or "festal" ... (Vine's Expository Dictionary)
Hence this is a special kind of ointment. “Ointment” is actually a general term for an “olive” or “olive oil.” But it is used often in a general way either for “perfume,” or “ointment.”
shemen 8081, "(olive) oil; olive; perfume; olivewood." Cognates of this word appear in Ugaritic, Akkadian, Phoenician, Syriac, Arabic, and Aramaic. This word appears about 190 times and in all periods of biblical Hebrew.... Shemen means olive "oil": ... Shemen is used as a preservative on shield-leather... and in baking... and as a medication ... This "oil" is burned for light ... Its many uses made olive oil a valuable trade item... Shemen is "a kind of perfume," or olive oil mixed with certain odors to make a perfume, in passages such as Song of Sol. 1:3: "Because of the savor of thy good ointments [NASB, "oils"] thy name is as ointment poured forth...." (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
Most cultures have viewed the savors of spices and herbs in the proper combinations and mixed with oils of varying thickness as a very precious commodity. Our own culture has placed a high premium on such things. Walk through a higher quality department store and marvel at the price on the tiny bottles of perfume. God here uses this natural feeling of man toward pleasant odors to illustrate things of greater value. He also used it in the holy anointing oil, but forbid them to make anything like it.
“Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred {shekels,} and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty, 24 and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin. 25 And you shall make of these a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture, the work of a perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.” Exod 30:23-25f
31 "And you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'This shall be a holy anointing oil to Me throughout your generations. 32 'It shall not be poured on anyone's body, nor shall you make {any} like it, in the same proportions; it is holy, {and} it shall be holy to you. 33 'Whoever shall mix {any} like it, or whoever puts any of it on a layman, shall be cut off from his people.'" Exod 30:31-33
There is something about the sweet aroma’s of certain spices to gladden the heart and incite the emotions.
9Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man's counsel is sweet to his friend. Pr 27:9
The point of comparison is therefore on both the emotional and intellectual response to the fragrance. When we first smell the odor, it creates feelings of gladness and well-being. This is especially true when the person we already care for is wearing it. This is what God is comparing to the value of a good name. Love songs have been written to the name of a beautiful woman, the names of good men have been placed on monuments and in granite. We remember their birthdays, and name streets after them. We all recognize therefore the truth of this verse. But do we live it ourselves? How important is a good name to us and how hard are we working to make ours a good name?
A {good} name is to be more desired than great riches, favor is better than silver and gold. Pr 22:1
Anyone who carefully ponders this will have to agree that it is true. The mere mention of the name of someone who has consistently helped and cared for another in love, mercy and compassion brings a powerful and pleasing emotional response. It is obvious that it is more important to keep your name good than to put on a pleasant fragrance. But this truism is used as the basis for another truism that is much more difficult:
And the day of death than the day of one's birth.
God here reveals something that may be difficult to understand. Just as a good name is better than precious ointment the day of one’s death is better than the day of their birth. In reality, though, this is really the most logical conclusion to the opening words of the book.
“Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity." Eccl 1:2
I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted. Eccl 1:14-15
If we accept the above, then the most natural conclusion is that the sooner we can leave all that is temporary and futile and move to that which is permanent and established the better. As a matter of fact, our attitude toward this proverb will tell us a great deal about whether or not we have accepted the conclusions of the book. Ecclesiastes reveals the unvarnished truth about “life under the sun.” It is so futile and empty, that God can actually say that the day of our death is better than the day of our birth. Those “under the sun” are constantly forcing God to intervene in punishment. From the curse to the flood, from the tower of Babel to Sodom and Gomorrah and from the ten plague on Egypt to the destruction of Jerusalem under Babylon and Rome, it is clear that God has found it necessary to make life very difficult for man. For this reason, the day we leave this world is actually better than the day we entered it.
For we have been consumed by Thine anger, and by Thy wrath we have been dismayed. 8 Thou hast placed our iniquities before Thee, our secret {sins} in the light of Thy presence. 9 For all our days have declined in Thy fury; we have finished our years like a sigh. 10 As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is {but} labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away. 11 Who understands the power of Thine anger, and Thy fury, according to the fear that is due Thee? 12 So teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom. Ps 90:7-9, 10-12:
If we can read the above with understanding, then we already believe with all our heart the truth that the day of our death is actually better than the day we were born. At death, we once again enter a realm where true service to the Lord is given a full reward. In this world of paradox and shadow the exact opposite can occur(see Heb 11:35-40). Ponder the words of Paul:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this {house} we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven; 2 Cor 4:16-18; 5:1-2
The plain truth is that the day of our death is better than the day of our birth. The day of our death is the day that our spirit returns to God who gave it.
then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. Ecc 12:7
What a wonderful day that will be to those who are prepared for it. Those who have numbered their days and have a heart of wisdom. In my judgement, this is the main point of the next verse. In order for the day of our death to be better than the day of our birth we must be prepared for it, and the only way to prepare for it is to think about it.
2. It is better to go to the house of mourning
The connection between a house where people are mourning and the day of one’s death makes it obvious that he is still speaking along the same lines as verse one. The term “mourning” is defined:
60 'ebel- mourning a) for the dead b) for rites of mourning (metaphorical) c) mourning garb d) period of mourning (BDB)
... to mourn, ... over anything; this is used of the loud wailing customary in the East at the time of burial and for thirty days after, during which they abstained from the ordinary occupations and comforts of life. (Wilson’s p. 280)
Most of the time this term describes the mourning and wailing that accompanies the death of someone we love. It is also used in Scripture to describe the mourning among the Jews after the decree was signed that they were to be destroyed while Esther was queen(Est 4:3), and Job’s sorrow over all his afflictions(Job 30:1). Whenever a terrible calamity occurs to us we mourn. Death is the worst of all calamities, but loss of health, and crushed dreams and plans can also lead to mourning. God has designed the curse to bring man into a state of mourning. For while we live “under the sun.,” we need mourning to give us wisdom. God therefore pronounces it to be “better” for man to enter into a house of mourning. This term is generally translated “good,” (tob 2896), and refers to things that are “favorable,” “pleasant,” “right,” or “best.”
When we “pay our last respects” at a funeral, we are fulfilling this verse as we also are when we visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction(Jas 1:27). In the context of this being the end of all men and the living taking it to heart, this is the main thrust of the passage. Yet there is also benefits to weeping with those who weep(Rom 12:15), visiting the sick(Mt 25:36), for in the broader sense of the term a house of mourning is any home that has suffered tragedy! Immediately after that tragedy, those who are wise come to visit and stay to comfort. (II Cor 1:3-7). It is better, more favorable, good, and best to do all the above:
Than to go to the house of feasting,
A house of feasting is obviously a home where just the opposite of the above is occurring. The term "feast" is defined:
"... a drinking, a banquet, feast..." (Wilson p 160-161)
"4960... mishteh, mish-the; from 8354; drink; by impl. drinking(the act); also (by impl.,) a banquet or (gen.)feast: banquet, drank, drink, feast..." (Strong p 74)
The term is used of people making feasts for: Abraham, on the day that Isaac was weaned(Gen 21:8),. Laban, when he gave Jacob his daughter in marriage(Gen 29:22-23), for Pharaoh's birthday(Gen 40:20), Nabal had a feast in which he was drunk, (1 Sam 25:36). Solomon had a feast after God appeared and gave him wisdom(I Kings 3:15). The Jews feasted and rejoiced after Hamaan’s decree was removed.(Esth 8:17, 9:17-22). Hence a house of feasting is a home whose owner has decided that something wonderful needs to be commemorated, something good needs to be celebrated, or a good time needs to be had by all. Carefully ponder one of the most telling verses that shows the real problem behind it is in Isaiah:
Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink; who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them! 12 And their banquets are {accompanied} by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; but they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, nor do they consider the work of His hands. 13 Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude is parched with thirst. 14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth without measure; and Jerusalem's splendor, her multitude, her din {of revelry,} and the jubilant within her, descend {into it.} Isa 5:11-14
As is obvious from the above, the term “feasting” can refer to drunken bouts or to a legitimate outpouring of joy over God‘s blessings. Does Koheleth refer only to the latter, or is this a general truth having nothing to do with the moral component? Though it is evident that many more wrong things could occur at a feast than at a funeral, this is not the main point. The application here has little to do with the moral side of it. It is better because it is the end of all men and it needs to be pondered.
For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.
All men are going to “end” in death. Life will “come to an end” for all men in death. Each person’s life will “terminate” and they will be “snatch(ed) away.”
5486 cuwph- to cease, come to an end a) (Qal) to come to an end b) (Hiphil) to make an end. (BDB)
5486 cuwph (soof); a primitive root; to snatch away, i.e. terminate: Strongs
God did not create death to be ignored. He created it to be pondered and prepared for. It is therefore better for us to enter into the house of mourning to remind us of where our own life will end. It is good for us to see how easily one can be snatched away. When we see someone we knew lying in a casket, or speak to his loved ones about his death, it is impossible not to take it to heart. There is something about being in the home of another who has suffered a death in their family, or in attending a funeral that brings our own mortality into clearer focus. Death is the great event that more clearly than anything else shows us that all is not right in this world, that all is vanity and a striving after wind. We cannot control it, but we can plan for it. We can take it to heart and be ready when it comes for us. It is the end of all men, and it will be our own end. It is better than the day of our birth and it is therefore where our hearts ought to be.
3. Sorrow is better than laughter,
Again as in v 1 and v 2, a comparison is made in which one thing far surpasses another in value. This time it is sorrow over laughter. God proclaims to those who will listen and be benefitted from it that we should not run from sorrow. It is good to pass through sorrows, grief, tribulations and anguish. No one would personally select to pass through them, but they much are better for the heart. This theme finds many places in the New Testament.
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Rom 5:3-5
Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:10
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have {its} perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4
In each of them the power and goodness of suffering are extolled. It brings patience, steadfastness, approvedness, and hope to the heart. The heart can be made better in many ways.
For by a sad countenance the heart is made better.
The term “countenance” comes from a general Hebrew word for “face.” In more specific applications it refers to the “look on one’s face.” Thus countenance refers to the look one has on his/her face. When one has a sad countenance there is sorrow in their heart.
panim 6440, "face." This noun appears in biblical Hebrew about 2,100 times and in all periods, except when it occurs with the names of persons and places, it always appears in the plural. It is also attested in Ugaritic, Akkadian, Phoenician, Moabite, and Ethiopic. In its most basic meaning, this noun refers to the "face" of something. First, it refers to the "face" of a human being: ... In a more specific application, the word represents the look on one's face, or one's "countenance":... (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
Such a sad face actually makes the heart better. This is a different term for better than those used earlier in the chapter. It also has the meaning of “good” “pleasing,” and “right,” but then also means “to be well for” or “to do good to.”
3190 yatab- to be good, to be pleasing, to be well, to be glad a) (Qal) 1) to be glad, to be joyful 2) to be well placed 3) to be well for, to be well with, to go well with 4) to be pleasing, to be pleasing to b) (Hiphil) 1) to make glad, to rejoice 2) to do good to, to deal well with 3) to do well, to do thoroughly 4) to make a thing good or right or beautiful 5) to do well, to do right (BDB)
A Sad face does good to the heart. It makes a heart “good or right or beautiful.” These are the things we must ponder as we live our lives. We can ignore all the sorrows and sadness of the world, or we can become embittered by them. But the best and the wisest course is to allow these things to do what God designed them for. Things that bring sadness make the heart much better than it ever could have otherwise been. We must therefore learn to see sorrow as better than laughter.
4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
Once again we have a proverb that goes against the “common sense” of man. God proclaims that because of the nature of “life under the sun” those who have true wisdom keep the meditations and thoughts of their heart in the house of mourning. God proclaims the wise to be those who know how to live. Those who know how to make the wisest decisions and the best plans. One of the marks of the wise is here set forth to be that their meditations seldom stray far from the house of mourning. All who are strangers and pilgrims here find it easy to understand exactly what is under consideration here.
While the worldly who only live “under the sun” seek to remove this as far as they can, the wise servant of the LORD uses every opportunity to keep his heart there. This is done in a variety of ways. When brethren lose loved ones, we are there to be with them and help them. When we visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction our hearts cannot stray far from the house of mourning. When we see ourselves as a vapor that appears for a little while then vanishes away we are dwelling in the house of mourning.
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that." 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Jas 4:13-16
This tells us a great deal about our own character and wisdom. By inspiration we are here informed that the truly wise do not allow the mind to stray far from the house of mourning. This world is not the home of a child of God, and at no time can we lose sight of this. The only portal from this world to the next is that of death. Hence the wise do not leave it far from their thoughts.
But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
The fool is the man who “is "insolent" in religion and "stupid or dull" in wise living ... They have knowledge of God but do not properly evaluate or understand what they know.” These are those who only want to live “under the sun.” They want nothing to do with the LORD or His ways.
kecil 3684, "stupid fellow; dull person; fool." This word occurs in the Old Testament 70 times. All of its occurrences are in wisdom literature except 3 in the Psalms. The kecilis "insolent" in religion and "stupid or dull" in wise living ... They have knowledge of God but do not properly evaluate or understand what they know. (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
God’s verdict is that one of the marks of a fool by which they can be identified is that there heart does not dwell in the house of mourning. They simply do not want to think about it. They want to dwell only in the house of mirth. They only want to dwell on and enjoy “joy,” “gladness.,” “gaiety,” and “pleasure.”
8057 simchah- joy, mirth, gladness a) mirth, gladness, joy, gaiety, pleasure b) the joy (of God) c) a glad result, a happy issue(BDB).
Those who wish to live only on joy and gladness are fools! As also are those who only want to hear about things that bring pleasure. God is not seeking to deny us joy and gladness, nor does He forbid pleasure to His people. But the realities of this sin cursed and vain “life under the sun” must be completely ignored to attempt to do it. Jesus warned that those who weep now will then while those who laugh now will weep then.
21 "Blessed {are} you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed {are} you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 "Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. 25 "Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe {to you} who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26 "Woe {to you} when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the false prophets. Luke 6:21-22, 25-26
Those who see the truth about “life under the sun” are weeping now. Those who ignore these truths are laughing now but not making preparation for what is coming. Only a fool does not take into consideration the obstacles before him and do something about them if he can. When one knows a serious threat and concern lies before him, the wise man takes thought for it and prepares. The foolish pushes it aside to enjoy the now and let the future take care of itself. Thus a fool can be known by his total lack of concern or preparation for his upcoming death.
5. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
After speaking of the solemn and sober attitude of the wise and the careless ease and enjoyment of the fool, he speaks of the outcome. The truly wise man who has his heart continually in the house of mourning is going to speak differently that the fool who is in the house of mirth. This wise see the dangers ahead and warn. The fools do not see or recognize danger and only have songs. God warns us here that the wise will rebuke, and we need to listen to them. A rebuke is a strong warning that something should not be done. It is “to reprove as a father his son.” It generally has “severity” and is an attempt to “check,” “curb,” or “chastise.”
"to reprove, as a father his son,... to rebuke with severity either of words or deeds; to check, curb, chastise the insolent and unruly... rebuke, reproof..." (Wilson p 341)
The wise see the dangers that the fools sing about! Foolish children might dare one another to play in the street, climb upon a roof, or engage in multitudes of dangerous activities. A parent will rebuke the child and seek to curb and chastise them. It is not the reproof of anger, but that of great care and concern. When someone is doing something that is deadly, strong words and emotions mean nothing more than love and concern. There is more lasting good and greater returns from such a rebuke than to hear the song of fools.
What is the song of fools? The term song itself does not convey anything negative. It simply means to “sing,” “celebrate,” “concerning anything.”
"... to sing; ... to sing unto any one in his honor, to celebrate in song, also to sing of or concerning anything, ..." (Wilson p 396)
The problem is the author and therefore the content of the song. Even today, there are songs that extol and glorify the things the wise would rebuke. Sex, drugs, wealth and sin are all songs of fools. The fool can extol and celebrate anything in song. They can “sing the praise” of “life under the sun.”
God tells us it is better to hear the rebuke of those who dwell in the house of mourning than it is to listen to the songs of those fools who live in the house of feasting. Flattery and empty praise come easily to the fool, but it has no lasting value and no substance to it.
6. For like the crackling of thorns under a pot,
The term "for" ties us back to the previous thought. It is also translated with “because” “since” and has a “causal connection.”
3588 kiy- that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since a) that; yea, indeed b) when (of time); when, if, though (with a concessive force) c) because, since (causal connection) d) but (after negative) e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if f) but rather, but g) except that h) only, nevertheless I) surely j) that is k) but if l) for though m) forasmuch as, for therefore (BDB)
It offers the reason why it is better to heart the rebuke of the wise than the songs of fools. The songs of fools are like the crackling of thorns under a pot. Thorns have so little substance to them that they burn up to quickly to give any heat. It would be impossible to cook anything in a pot that only had thorns to warm it. But even more than that, they give off the crackling sound that would lead you to believe that they are actually doing some good, but they are not. .
The parallel is simple. When one hears the song of the fool they are often emboldened and strengthened to do things that are wrong. When one hears the crackling of thorns under a pot, they assume that dinner will soon be ready. It sounds like a roaring fire, but there just isn't any substance to it.
So is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
The term “laughter” is the key to this verse. It is used of people when they “smile,” “deride,” “laugh at in scorn,” “mock,” or “jest.”
to laugh,... to laugh or smile upon... to laugh at, deride... especially in contempt to laugh at in scorn, to scorn, especially of powerless threats;... to mock, to rejoice in others calamities; to jest to sport, to play...” (Wilson p. 244)
The fool can “smile,” “deride,” “laugh at in scorn,” “mock,” or “jest.” When he does, people need to realize that it is like the crackling of thorns under a pot. Because he is a fool there is no substance to the things he smiles and laughs at. A fool may find things to laugh at in things God weeps over. He may laugh scornfully at things God holds in reverence. There is no substance to a fools laugh and no one should be affected by it. It is vanity, empty in every way.
Ecclesiastes 7:7-14July 22, 1998
7. Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s reason,
While the NKJ translates this “surely” the NAS uses “for” as it does the previous verse. Since they are the same Hebrew term, the NAS seems to have the better of the argument. The difficulty in the translation highlights the difficulty of the context. Is our writer still elaborating on the “song of fools” in verse 5, or has he left that behind and now is beginning a new point? The translator’s can give little help since it can mean either. As in so many places, we must rely on the context of the passage itself. In this case, this author has to admit that there is something for either view. There have been songs written by fools that seek to address the concept of oppression and it is obvious that there reasoning ability has been destroyed for the song is nonsense. Yet this verse could also stand alone. It is therefore left to the reader to draw his own conclusions.
This is the third and final time that Ecclesiastes addresses the problem of human oppression. He introduced it back in chapter three as something so terrible that he felt the need to congratulate the dead more than the living and better than both the one who had never been born.
Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold {I saw} the tears of the oppressed and {that} they had no one to comfort {them;} and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort {them.} 2 So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. 3 But better {off} than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun. Ecc 4:1-3
This is the real problem. It is so unfair that those made in the image of God should suffer under the oppression of others. If the oppression is severe enough then all the wonderful benefits of life as God created it to be enjoyed are removed. Life becomes so terrible that the Spirit of God reveals that some are better off dead than having to live such a life, and even better are those who have never had to see it. In the Fifth Chapter he returns to it again, reminding us that it should not be something shocking when we see it. The sinful and selfish nature of man makes life “under the sun” more like a jungle as men go further and further from God. Those who refuse to submit to God’s commands become more selfish and less loving. For these reasons, one should not be shocked:
If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight, for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. Ecc 5:8
Yet in spite of what has already been revealed, the Spirit of God returns to this subject one final time to remind us that “oppression destroys a wise man’s reason.” The term “oppression” refers those who are treated “with violence and injustice,” and people whose lives have been loaded down with “hard, injurious usage.”
“to treat with violence and injustice, to load with hard, injurious usage; to bear hard upon a person in opposition to showing mercy... violence and calumny; something taken away by force or fraud, unjust gain; anguish...” (Wilson p 295-296)
The point of this verse is not to address the scope and nature of oppression, but to consider its impact on those who are wise. When it comes to them, or they see terrible examples of it in their lifetime, it can bring about severe emotional and intellectual difficulties. It is so unfair, and out of the ordinary scope of what wise people expect that it destroys the reason. This term ranges in meaning from “to be foolish,” or “puffed up with vain glory,” to “so great a departure from wisdom that the mind, without and control, rushes on with a blind fury.” It would appear from the context that it is the latter meaning that best fits here.
“to shine; to makes oneself shine, to boast of oneself, to be foolish; to be puffed up with vain glory, to vaunt, to rave with foolish conceit; hence to be mad, to rage... madness, implies so great a departure from wisdom, that the mind, without any control, rushes on with a blind fury...” (Wilson - 262)
It was used in this sense of David:
So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard. 1 Sam 21:13
When serious oppression falls across the path of the wise, it takes great strength of character to pass through it safely. It can overthrow the mind and completely destroy reasoning ability. When a serious blow such as the violent death of a loved one, or the taking by force of property which rightfully belongs to another, or the war and subsequent enslavement of a people something very serious happens in the mind. It often rushes on with a blind fury out of control. It loses all bearings and for a time works like an engine which has lost control and runs full force with no way to check it.
This is a warning all ought to take seriously and take steps to avert. No one has control over when and where oppression will strike, nor can we control its severity or power. What can be controlled is its ability to influence our mind. Paul speaks of the value of all tribulation because it works steadfastness, approvedness and hope(Rom 5:3-5). Time needs to be taken in meditation to consider what such events can do to us, and proper preparations made. Job is a good example of what oppression in the hands of the devil is designed to do.
11 “But put forth Thy hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse Thee to Thy face.” ... 4 And Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. Job 1:11, 2:4
Though he endured, there were times when even His great wisdom was stretched to its limit.
And a bribe debases the heart.
Debase or corrupt(NAS) comes from word that means “to vanish, to go astray, to be destroyed.” It can also mean “to be lost, to stray.”
6 ‘abad- 1) to perish, to vanish, to go astray, to be destroyed a) (in the Qal) 1) to perish, to die, to be exterminated 2) to perish, to vanish (figuratively) 3) to be lost, to stray b) (in the Piel) ... c) (in the Hiphil) 1) to destroy, to put to death (sometimes of divine judgment) ...
When one accepts a bribe, all hope of honesty and integrity is forever tainted. The heart is lost, strays and is dispersed when it accepts a bribe. The reason for this is obvious. Once it is accepted, no one, often not even the man who accepted it can be certain the reasons, motives, or integrity of any action. Even if the final decision that must be rendered is a good and proper one, how does one answer the question “Am I doing this because it is right, or because I accepted the bribe.” Even if the person who accepted the bribe knew within himself that it was for the right reasons, it would be difficult to prove it to someone else. Perhaps even worse though, once one bribe is accepted, how does one keep from taking another. The pressure from the first evil, can then be used for further evil. Though this term “gift” does have a good sense, it is not a good gift when it is being used to remove purity and goodness from the heart.
“4979 mattanah, mat-taw-naw; fem. of 4976; a present; spec.(in a good sense) a sacrificial offering, (in a bad sense) a bribe: -gift.” (Strong p. 75)
“And you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just. Ex 23:8
“You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. 20 “Justice, {and only} justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you. Deut 16:19-20
When someone wants to do us any type of a favor, and we suspect that the reason behind it is to get some type of favorable judgment that is opposed to what is good and right, we should not accept it.
8. The end of a thing is better than its beginning,
The “end” of something refers to the “outcome,” “issue”, “latter end,” “what comes afterward,” or “the ultimate outcome,” of it.
‘acharit 319, “hind-part; end; issue; outcome; posterity.” Akkadian, Aramaic, and Ugaritic also attest this word. It occurs about 61 times in biblical Hebrew and in all periods; most of its occurrences are in poetry. Used spatially, the word identifies the “remotest and most distant part of something”: “If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea...” Ps. 139:9. The most frequent emphasis of the word is “end,” “issue,” or “outcome.” This nuance is applied to time in a superlative or final sense: “...the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year” Deut. 11:12. ... In a different nuance, the word can mean “latter” or “what comes afterward”: “O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” Deut. 32:29. In some passages, ‘acharit represents the “ultimate outcome” of a person’s life. Num. 23:10 speaks thus of death: “Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!” ... Both conclusion and result are apparent in passages such as Isa. 41:22, where the word represents the “end” or “result” of a matter: “Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen: let them show the former things what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
There is little ambiguity to this term. As far as “life under the sun” is concerned, the completion and outcome of any thing is better than it’s beginning. This term too has little ambiguity. It refers to things that are just “beginning” or “first.”
re’shiyth 7225, “beginning; first; choicest.” The abstract word re’shiyth corresponds to the temporal and estimative sense of ro’sh. re’shiyth connotes the “beginning” of a fixed period of time: “...the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year” Deut. 11:12. The “beginning” of one’s period of life is intended in Job 42:12: “So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning....” This word can represent a point of departure, as it does in Gen. 1:1 (the first occurrence): “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”(Vine’s Expository Dictionary)
This short proverb takes what God said earlier about death: the day of death is better than the day of one’s birth, and broadens it out to everything else in life. The end and completion of every task, every duty, every pleasure and ever activity is better than it’s beginning. As one ponders and reflects on this statement, the truth of the beginning of the book begins to dawn:
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” Eccl 1:2
“Life under the sun” really must be vanity if God now tells us to accept this as the truth. If the end of everything in this life is better than its beginning, and the day of death is better than the day of birth, then God has already rendered his verdict that there is nothing in “life under the sun” that we can do that really matters. It will be better for us when it is all over! We might then begin to wonder, if end of a vacation is better than it’s beginning, then why go? The answer is that though the end really is better than the beginning, the transient pleasure of doing them and the memories and character building that they accomplish still make them worth doing though their accomplishment is still better than their contemplation.
Some things are more obvious. The end of a meal is better than it’s beginning. We all eat to be filled and then enjoy the pleasant feeling of being comfortably full. The end of a good night’s sleep is better than its beginning, the end of our education is better than its beginning, the end of our job(retirement) is better than its beginning.
Though no one would deny that the anticipation of beginning something is exhilarating, anticipation is often dashed into the rocks of reality. How many times has a man set out to do something wonderful with great anticipation and excitement that only ends in disappointment. When the end of a thing occurs and all has been accomplished, the dangers are passed and one has it in their possession. In the battle for moral mastery the end is certainly better than the beginning. Whether it be the quest for wisdom, patience, self-control or other moral battles, the end of it is better than the beginning. When one reaches a goal, it is much better than when they set that goal. There is no doubt that there are some things in this life that will be more difficult to see the truth about this than others. But if we trust in the Lord with all our heart and do not lean on our own understanding, we will someday fully grasp and be helped by this truth.
And the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
God now joins being patient in spirit to the truth that the end is better than the beginning. It is hard not to see a tie to this. If we accept that the end is better than the beginning, then we have great anticipation to reach the end and must learn patience. The term “patient” is used 15 times in the Old Testament. Twelve of those fifteen are translated “slow to anger” Nine times with reference to God:
Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; Ex 34:6 (Cf. Num 14:18; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nahum 1:3)
Three times with reference to man.
He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly. Pr 14:29
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger pacifies contention. Pr 15:18
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. Pr 16:32
Two of the remaining three are translated “patient” once of God and once for man(here).
Thou who knowest, O LORD, remember me, take notice of me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do {not,} in view of Thy patience, take me away; know that for Thy sake I endure reproach. Jer. 15:15
Thus one who is patient in spirit is one who is slow to allow the stronger emotions of frustration, bitterness, or anticipation to lead to anger. One who has learned to be patient in spirit, is a man who is slow to become angry or depressed(often the dying embers of anger). One who has schooled themselves in such an attitude find that during provocations or oppressions simply do not feel strong emotions stirring. Such a person is much better than the proud. With this fifth use of the term “better” since the beginning of the chapter, God simply continues to compare qualities and pronounce the greater and more lasting benefits of the one over the other. Cultivating patience is much better than allowing onself to become proud. One who is proud is one who has a false sense of their own importance and value. Such a person will be completely unprepared for persecution and oppression. This term is used four times in the OT. Two of them help us see exactly what God is warning against here:
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; no one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure. Ps 101:5
Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished. Prov 16:5
Though many in this world take the self confidence and poise that arrogance and pride give as a virtue, God warns us that it is not a safe substitute for patience and the realization that we have no control over this life of “vanity” “under the sun.”
Being proud and arrogant, gives one a certain attitude which some would view as being good. An arrogant man views himself as capable of dealing with any problem. He has a confidence and sureness in His step which many envy as being a wonderful possession. The patient man on the other hand is more cautious, and less sure for he has passed through many things or applied the many things he has learned in Scripture and knows that life can be a tyrant sometimes. Though he may not be as self assured as the proud, he is on much surer ground. He knows that there are things in life that can completely upset him. The proud man does not think about such things. But they are still there, and pride certainly goes before a great fall. It is much better to seek for sureness of step in humility and patience than it is to seek through the short cut of pride. Pride does not give what it promises, it is a deceitful path.
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; no one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure. Ps 101:5
Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished. Pr 16:5
When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom. Pr 11:2
Pride {goes} before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling. 19It is better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Pr 16:18-19
A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor. Pr 29:23
The temptation to be proud and arrogant must be passed over and the desire to be humble, meek and lowly sought after. It is not so hard once we accept the truth.
I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Jer 10:23
9. Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry,
God now offers some wonderful advice to those who must live “under the sun.” With all the acts of oppression and frustrations, one of the best ways to cultivate the attitude of being patient(slow to anger) is by not allowing ourselves to hasten to become angry. The term hasten is used of those who “hurry,” or “act hastily.”
926 bahal- to disturb, to alarm, to terrify, to hurry, to be disturbed, to be anxious, to be afraid, to be hurried, to be nervous a) (Niphal) 1) to be disturbed, to be dismayed, to be terrified, to be anxious 2) to be in haste, to be hasty b) (Piel) 1) to make haste, to act hastily, to be hurried, to be hastened 2) to dismay, to terrify c) (Pual) 1) to hasten 2) hastened, hastily gained (participle) d) (Hiphil) 1) to hasten, to hurry, to make haste...
There are some people who do not like to be angry and who put up barriers to keep it from happening(slow to anger). There are others who seem to delight in anger and actually hasten it. The slightest provocation is enough to rush some into great anger. They have no control over their emotions and allow themselves to be sent into a rage hastily. Instead of doing all in their power to avoid and avert the anger from springing to life in their hearts, they are hasty to allow it to burn. They take enjoyment from it, they nurse it into a roaring fire. It is an amazing truth that some take pleasure in being “provoked,” “vexed” and “angered.” They then “rage” at others and seem to feel justified in it.
ka’as 3707, “to provoke, vex, make angry.” This word is common throughout the history of Hebrew and is used in modern Hebrew in the sense of “to be angry, to rage.” It occurs some 55 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. (Vine’s Expository Dictionary)
This is the root of the “road rage” phenomena the plagues our roads and highways. There are a lot of people who allow themselves to be easily provoked. The slightest look of frustration or driving too close or a minor mistake and some are immediately ready to harm them through words, actions and even violence. This lead to terrible consequences that would never happen if people would not allow themselves to become quickly angered. God warns against it:
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret, it leads only to evildoing. 9 For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land. Ps 37:8-9
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger pacifies contention. Pr 15:18
Do not associate with a man {given} to anger; or go with a hot-tempered man, Pr 22:24
For the churning of milk produces butter, and pressing the nose brings forth blood; so the churning of anger produces strife. Pr 30:33
For anger rests in the bosom of fools.
After reading the above Scriptures and seeing their truth all around us, what other conclusion could we possibly draw. No matter who you are, when anger is in your heart, you are going to act like a fool. When anger is at the helm, one becomes a “stupid fellow;” and a “dull person.”
Their “knowledge of God” has been distorted by anger and they “do not properly evaluate or understand what they know.”
kecil 3684, “stupid fellow; dull person; fool.” The kecil is “insolent” in religion and “stupid or dull” in wise living They have knowledge of God but do not properly evaluate or understand what they know.
Thus to allow anger into our hearts is to bring in something that will make a fool of us and keep us from doing what even we know is right. True wisdom is always set aside and prudence is thrown to the wind when one acts under the motivation of anger. It is always foolish to hasten to allow anger into the heart, no matter what we do next we will later be ashamed of it.
10. Do not say, Why were the former days better than these? For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
Another problem that God would have his people avoid regarding “life under the sun” is the tendency to look back with a sigh to the past and call them the “good old days.” Some people cannot enjoy the present because they are too busy looking back with longing to times long gone by. Some assume that these “good old days” were better than the present days that we are forced to live in. Too often it is because they have forgotten the bad and remember only the good, thus longing for an illusion that never did exist. This is a foolish notion. Yet the antique trade and those who collect memorabilia are proof of the tendency of man to do this. “They just don’t make things like they used to.” “People just are not as kind or good as they used to be.” “Schools are not as good as they used to be.” These things are often simply the muted memory of those who forget the bad and remember the good.
But Ecclesiastes 3:2-11 makes it very clear that there will be some times in history that are better than others, or things in life that make an earlier period of life better than another. When there are such a variety of times as a time to plant or uproot, heal or kill, tear down or build up, weep or laugh, search or give up as lost, sew together or tear apart, love or hate, war or peace, it is obvious that all of us will find things or hear from others about the past that they liked better than now. Yet even when the times of the past were actually better than the present, God’s warning and advice is still true. What good are we doing to ourselves and others to dwell on how much better it used to be. It only leads to bitterness and frustration or unhappiness and depression. We must live in the time God has given us and use it to the best of our ability. Anything less is not inquiring wisely about the past.
We do ourselves a grave disservice if we do not appreciate and enjoy the life we have been given by the Lord. Regardless of what we like or do not like about any given phase, it has been designed by God for a specific purpose. We must use each moment and strive to get the most out of it. Those who allow their lives to be locked in the past, and whose waking moments only relive memories of long ago are not living wisely. Their lives are already over and they will grow no more. Nor will they be productive in the present.
11. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, And profitable to those who see the sun.
Koheleth now brings wisdom and money into focus. Both parents and children are here counseled on these vital points. Most parents work very hard to give their children the things they need. One of the primary forces that motivate many people to great effort is in striving to make life better for their children than it was for them. Paul also validates this attitude in a spiritual way:
Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for {their} parents, but parents for {their} children. 15 And I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less? 2 Cor 12:14-15
Parents are responsible to save for their children. Both spiritually and materially. It is both natural and good for parents to want to help their children materially. This has been a part of God’s plan at least since the calling of Israel and probably goes all the way back to the beginning.
nachalah 5159, “possession; property; inheritance.” This noun is used frequently (220 times), but mainly in the Pentateuch and Joshua. It is rare in the historical books. The first occurrence of the word is in Gen. 31:14: “And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?” The basic translation of nachalah is “inheritance”: ... The word more appropriately refers to a “possession” to which one has received the legal claim. The usage of nachalah in the Pentateuch and Joshua indicates that the word often denotes that “possession” which all of Israel or a tribe or a clan received as their share in the Promised Land. ... After the Conquest the term “inheritance” is no longer used to refer to newly gained territory by warfare. Once “possession” had been taken of the land, the legal process came into operation by which the hereditary property was supposed to stay within the family. For this reason Naboth could not give his rights over to Ahab 1 Kings 21:3-4.(Vine’s Expository Dictionary)
The inheritance centered first on the land God had given them by lot when they were given the land of Canaan. Not only was the land passed on, but so also were the financial assets. being passed on to his children. God views this as a good and natural thing. There is no stigma at all attached to parents wanting to help their children. Such a thing is good and profitable.
But he links wisdom with it. Although an inheritance is a wonderful legacy that parents can pass on to their children, it is greatly enhanced if they first give them wisdom. God has given parents a great role in giving wisdom to their children:
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline will remove it far from him. Prov 22:15
Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching; 9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head, and ornaments about your neck. Pr 1:8-9
When I was a son to my father, tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, 4 Then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live; 5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Prov 4:3-5
My son, observe the commandment of your father, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother; 21 Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22 When you walk about, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk to you. Pr 6:20-22
These are just a few of the many passages dealing with this great possession that parents can pass on to their children. Since wisdom is good with an inheritance, parents ought to be greatly concerned about giving them both.
An inheritance without wisdom is not a very good gift. Those who are given vast sums of money at a young age, and are not given the wisdom and discretion necessary to live their life, which generally come as the consequence of learning how to gain the money in the first place will generally come to a bad end. They will waste the inheritance, and will often destroy their minds and their hearts with it. Both are necessary, and when both are given, it is good and profitable. Things that are profitable are things that bring “excellence,” “advantage,” “gain,” or “pre-eminence.”
“3148 yowther, excellence; advantage, profit... gain; pre-eminence, advantage... abundance...” (Wilson 329)
If we really want to give our children such profit than we must join wisdom to an inheritance. All the money in the world will not profit them if they lose their own soul. Those parents who have been blessed with the natural affection of wanting to give to their children all that they can must first give them wisdom. If we are going to work hard to give our children an inheritance, God counsels us to be kind and loving enough to also give them wisdom also.
12. For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense,
The reason verse eleven is true is that wisdom is a defense to those who have it. The term defense is used about fifty times in the OT and is translated “shade” or “shadow” most of the time. Since the sun is blocked by the tree(making shade), and in hot climates this is considered protection from the sun it came to have a figurative meaning of “shelter” or “protection.”
6738 tsel (tsale); from 6751; shade, whether literal or figurative:...”
6738 tsel- a shadow, shade a) a shadow (on a sundial) b) a shadow, shade (as a protection) c) a shadow (symbolic of the transitoriness of life)
It is translated defense three times. Twice here and the other time in Numbers as Joshua and Caleb worked to change the hearts of the people after the negative report of the other ten.
“Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they shall be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” Num 14:9
We are giving our children protection from the terrible spiritual and moral powers of “life under the sun” in the same way that shade does from the heat of the sun. Wisdom can keep one out of trouble.
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. (NKJ)Prov 22:3
It keeps the mouth silent when a fool might open it and cause them great tribulation. It keeps the hand back from some deed that might bring great dishonor or trouble. It keeps the mind clear to make decisions quickly in tough spots that keep one clear from things which might need bring ruin or death.
In a similar way money is also a defense. Money is a great shelter from many of the harsh troubles of life. This is why parents are so interested in helping their children. With wisdom, money can be very very helpful to the well-being and enjoyable nature of the “life under the sun” for our children. Money can buy good health care, along with good food, clothing and shelter. It can bring many pleasures and keep one from many adversities. Yet in comparison, wisdom is a greater benefit “under the sun.”
But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.
The first thing one notices is that Koheleth substitutes the synonym “knowledge” for “wisdom.” Knowledge is foundation upon which all wisdom is laid. One of the best definitions of wisdom is “the proper application of knowledge to the activities of life.” One must first have knowledge before it can be applied in wisdom. Hence the great excellence(advantage-NAS) of knowledge. This term is only used in Ecclesiastes. It has been translated thus far with “advantage,” “profit,” “excels,” “excellence.” It is defined as things that are “more than others.”
“to remain; to be abundant; to be more than others; to excel... what exceeds bounds or measure, pre-eminence... profit... excellent; ...” (Wilson p 151-152)
Wisdom therefore has an advantage, a profit and an excellence that gives it more than others. Wisdom has a quality about it that causes it to rise above other things that give shelter and protection. Many things money can buy can give a defense, but if the person does not have the wisdom to use them of what benefit would they be? More to the point though is that wisdom often keeps one from problems so that no further need of a defense is called for.
The reason given here is that wisdom gives life to those who have it. It enhances the quality of life. Note how Paul says godliness does the same thing:
for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and {also} for the {life} to come. I Tim 4:8
This is what wisdom does. It makes life easier as well as longer.
How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. 14 For its profit is better than the profit of silver, and its gain than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast. Pr 3:13-18
Those who find this wisdom and gain this understanding will follow God’s commands and enjoy life. Those who have this wisdom to avoid alcohol, sexual gratification outside of marriage, drugs, fighting, the wrong crowd and fast cars, are going to have a defense that keeps them from many dangers and gives them life. Second those with wisdom follow God and all His laws, this promotes the happiest of all lives here and then gives one eternal life at the end of this one. Wisdom is the greatest of all possessions and the greatest of all legacies and inheritances one could give to their children. Nothing can compare or vie with her. This obviously compensates for the increased grief it brings to its possessor. Ecc 1:18.
13. Consider the work of God;
Koheleth has been doing most of the considering up to this point in the book, now he advises us to do the same. All are bidden to “consider” the work of God. He wants us to “see with thought and reflection.” He wants us to see “with attention” and “take good notice.”
”... to see with thought and reflection, with attention; to take good notice; to look upon with a kind, friendly, compassionate affection; to respect to regard...” (Wilson p 92-93)
It is always wise to take time to give thought, reflection and attention to the work of God. He has already discussed this theme in 3:1-15. There is a time for everything under the sun. There are certain things that God has set into motion at the beginning of time, and they are not going to be changed by man. This is not offered by way of pessimism, nor should we take a “what is the use” attitude. What all ought to do is “consider” the work of God. Do not ever allow a time to come when you do not reflect with attention on what is going on in your life. If you are trying to kick against the goad as Saul of Tarsus did, you will never be happy. If you consider yourself in complete control of your life and think of what you will be doing in a year or two from now, then again, perhaps it is time to consider the work of God. James offered wise counsel:
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are {just} a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, {you ought} to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Jas 4:13-16
The problem above was a violation of the advice offered here. They did not consider, meditate and pay close attention to the work of God. They did not take into consideration that this is God’s world, that it runs as He desires it to run. Things have been set in motion which only God can set aside if He chooses to do so. Man cannot set such things aside. There is a time for everything and man can not stop or control it. He can only look to God for help.
For who can make straight what He has made crooked?
This is a short summation of Ecc. 1:13-15. Everything that God made crooked is still crooked. Man cannot straighten it back out. Man must learn to be humble and admit it. The curse God set in motion due to sin that made all these things crooked is a just punishment for what man has done. of sin Many have tried to set aside such things, and have done no more than just that, they have broken themselves.
Man is not going to be very successful in seeking to undo the curse of sin. They are here to teach man the damage of sin. Man can consider the work of God, he can work within the framework God has designed for his lifetime, but he cannot remove it. We should therefore never let a day go by that we do not consider how temporary all that we have really is. Never should a day go by when we are not fully prepared for everything to fall apart and change. God is in control, and is working all things after the counsel of His will(Eph 1:11). While we live in a time of prosperity, let is be joyful, but never lose sight of the fact that it could all turn to adversity in a moment of time with no warning and no way to ever turn back the clock. We must be prepared for tribulations and anguish or they might overthrow our reasoning ability(Ecc. 7:7).
14. In the day of prosperity be joyful,
While living in days of prosperity enjoy yourself! Have a wonderful time enjoying life and do not allow the thoughts of what might come in the future to remove the joy from your heart. It is an interesting point that the term “prosperity” is the same term for “good” used so many times to describe the world in Genesis one. All was prosperity and goodness then. While living in this set of circumstances, thoroughly enjoy yourself. Even more interesting is that the term “joyful” is also the word used in Genesis chapter one to describe that all is “good.” When things are good on the outside they can be good on the inside also. Both “prosperity” and “joyful” come from
tob 2896, “good; favorable; festive; pleasing,; pleasant; well; better; right; best.” This word appears in Akkadian, Aramaic, Arabic, Ugaritic, and Old South Arabic. Occurring in all periods of biblical Hebrew, it appears about 559 times. This adjective denotes “good” in every sense of that word. For example, tob is used in the sense “pleasant” or “delightful”:... Its first occurrence is in Gen. 1:4: “God saw that the light was good” (NASB). God appraises each day’s creative work as being “good,” climaxing it with a “very good” on the sixth day Gen. 1:31. (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
When it is “good,” “favorable,” “festive” and “pleasing” on the outside, then we ought to feel the same way on the inside. When all is “pleasant” and “delightful,” we ought to be be pleased and delighted.! During days when all is good, and one sees beauty all around them, they ought to be joyful. There is nothing in this book or anywhere else in the Bible that teaches us we should not enjoy good days because we are so concerned about the bad that will surely come. During times or prosperity, one should not forget the work of God. They should not forget the crooked things in this world, but they can be joyful and fully enjoy the warmth of the days of prosperity.
But in the day of adversity consider:
When a day of adversity arrives, it is time to set aside joy and mirth and ponder and meditate upon it. The term “adversity” has been translated “evil” many times in the book. It is “7451 ra`, and speaks of things that give “pain” or “unhappiness.” When our world is turned upside down with some tragedy that takes all the joy out of life and leads us to feel empty and without hope “under the sun,” it is time to “consider.” This is the same term used in verse thirteen where he said we ought to consider the work of God. Now he wants us to “see with thought and reflection,” “with attention” and to “take good notice” of this adversity.
All who have been in deep straits and distress, know how much easier it is to meditate on things of sorrow and trouble, and of the comfort of the Scriptures than when all is prosperous. This ties us back to verse 1-3. The house of mourning is better than the house of feasting just like the times are adversity are better than the times of prosperity. During times of prosperity we are joyful. During times of adversity we learn and grow!
Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other,
God made both the day of prosperity and the day of adversity. There is a time and a purpose for both of them. They are allowed by Him to coexist together in our sin cursed age. The term “appointed” (made-NAS) is generally translated “make” “do” or “produce.” God created the first out of love for man and the second as punishment for sin. They are both necessary. One as a testimony to his goodness and the other as testimony of His wrath. He made the one “as well as” the other. He made them “side by side” and they are “corresponding to” each other. Man needs both to fully understand.
5980 `ummah- juxtaposition used only as a preposition: 1) close by, side by side with, alongside of, parallel with 2) agreeing with, corresponding to, exactly as, close beside 3) correspondingly to (BDB)
So that man can find nothing that will happen after him.
All of this has been done for a specific purpose. This world has therefore been cursed by God to keep man humble. One of the reasons for the curse is to show man that it is not in him to direct his own steps and that he must trust in the LORD with all his heart and not lean on his own understanding. This is for his good always! We must learn this if we are ever to be content.
Ecclesiastes 7:15-18August 9, 1998
15. I have seen all things in my days of vanity:
Though there is a paragraph break, the thought is being extended. The “all things” he has seen center on the fact that the “day of prosperity” and the “day of adversity” come without warning and no one has the means to “find out what will happen after him.” “Life under the sun” cannot be made into a simple “two plus two equals four” proposition. The more he has seen, the more obvious this truth has become. He says he has seen it all! Both in his own life and in the lives of others. He calls his own life “my days of vanity,” which simply means that he has applied to his own life what he has been preaching since chapter one. Since “all is vanity,” the days of his own life are also vanity. They are futile and empty. He has already concluded that he cannot accomplish anything of lasting value during his days under the sun. Hence his days under the sun are empty and futile. Though this is a side point, it is an important one. All the things he has seen during his own days of vanity have led him to a profound conclusion. Anyone who looks carefully at his/her own life, or the lives of those around them also knows this is true. There are so many inequities in life, so many things that are not fair. When they happen to us or those we love our mind screams out in anguish and bitterness that life is not fair! There are so many “crooked things” that happen to the wrong people at the wrong time. Yet it is God who placed them all side by side, and man is completely incapable of changing them. We must content ourselves that these mindless and pointless things that happen as a result of simple time and chance(9:11) have a valid purpose. A purpose which leads a man to know:
I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Jer 10:23
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Pr 3:5
It is hard to pick which of the two things that follow are the most difficult to understand. God has an entire book(Job) dealing with the incongruity of the righteous suffering, along with many passages a chapter in Hebrews(11-12) speaking on the issue of the righteous suffering even to the point of death. Psalm 73 addresses the latter part of this verse. The fact that many wicked men enjoy all that this life has to give. It gives the impression that there is no moral component to life. If our eyes are open, and we are truly aware of what is going on around us then we are going to see this and it must be worked out in our minds. The concept is introduced in a general way here and then returned to again.
There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. 8:14
It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean, and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear. 3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil, and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they {go} to the dead. 9:2-3
I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise, nor wealth to the discerning, nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all. 12 Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net, and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them. 9:11-12
As one reads these passages over and over, the incongruity is that this life ends without any real difference for the good and the evil or the righteous