Ecclesiastes Chapter Ten, Prognosticating Fools

Ecclesiastes 10:14b No man knows what is to be; who can tell him what will be after him? [15] The labor of fools wearies them, for they do not even know how to go to the city!

The latter portion of verse 14 has been repeated numerous times in Ecclesiastes. This refrain may be found in Ecclesiastes 6:12 and 7:7. Here, then we have lucky number three. It is an earnest plea from a hopeless worldview that only sees as far as the horizon permits. Life under the sun is concerned with daily life and everything within the earth’s grasp.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Ten, Choosing One's Words

Ecclesiastes 10:12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool shall swallow him up. [13] The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, and the end of his talk is raving madness. [14a] A fool also multiples words.

Again it seems like a verse from Proverbs as we approach this passage. There is a simple contrast between the wise man whose mouth, or words, is gracious. Meanwhile, the fool’s lips (or words) swallow him up. A wise man knows what to say, when to say it, and when to keep silent. Yes, there is such a time to keep silent rather than speak. We read, “He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit,” Proverbs 17:27. Elsewhere we are instructed, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath,” James 1:19.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Ten, On Jobs & Babbling

Ecclesiastes 10:8 He who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent. [9] He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits wood may be endangered by it. [10] If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success.

The idea in the first two verses is simply one of exposure to risk when one labors. Manual labor can harm the body, either through wear and tear or accident, or carelessness. The adages, “nothing ventured, nothing gained,” or “no risk, no reward,” seem apropos here. The preacher merely reminds his readership that there is risk involved in one’s effort; but also that there will never be results unless effort is applied.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Ten, Role Reversal

Ecclesiastes 10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post; for conciliation pacifies great offenses. [5] There is an evil I have seen under the sun, as an error proceeding from the ruler: [6] Folly is set in great dignity, while the rich sit in a lowly place. [7] I have seen servants on horses, while princes walk on the ground like servants.

Verse 4 is addressing the offense given to someone who lords over you, likely for negligence in duty. The solution, according to the preacher, is to continue at what you have been assigned to do. The key word to this passage is the term, “conciliation.” In the Oxford Dictionary it simply means, “make calm and content.” The KJV uses the word, “yielding” in its place. The Hebrew word is, “marpe,” and means, “lit. a medicine or deliverance, abstract, a cure or placidity.”

Ecclesiastes Chapter Ten, The Seat Of The Heart

Ecclesiastes 10:2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left. [3] Even when a fool walks along the way, he lacks wisdom, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.

Verse 2 is a reference to strength. The right hand is always a reference to strength in Scripture. Take the name Benjamin, for instance. Jacob named his final son Benjamin, which means in the Hebrew, “Son of the right hand,” or “son of my strength,” Genesis 35:18. Furthermore, when Jesus answered the Sanhedrin as to whether He was the Christ, He told them, “Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven,” Matthew 26:64.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Ten, Putrefied Ointment

Ecclesiastes 10:1 Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odor; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.

The preacher elicits a contrast in this verse. He invokes the idea of dead flies somehow being mingled with expensive perfume, likening that to a man renowned for wisdom, giving way to folly, even if for a moment or just a little. For someone lacking an outstanding reputation for internal integrity and honesty, erring through folly seems like a slight thing. It might be hardly noticed by most, and forgiven more easily. But when someone who is held to a high level of esteem, especially in religious circles, falls through folly, it is cataclysmic.

Exploring Grace & Worship, Part Two

The second subject for our consideration is worship. Unlike grace, worship is a somewhat harder term to pin down as far as what worship constitutes within the church of God. To begin with, if grace is God’s condescending, unmerited love toward mankind, then worship is man’s humble, ascending love toward God. If we find this an acceptable definition, then it stands to reason that we may not approach the subject of worship in terms of defining what act is considered worship and what is not. Instead, it is the spirit in which an act is performed that would make something worship.

Exploring Grace & Worship, Part One

After having an edifying discussion with my wife this last weekend while we were at a local coffee shop, she wanted me to discuss the topic of grace and worship. More specifically, how to define the terms and what they generally mean. Much can be said about both words and what they are meant to convey when used. But some Christians do seem a little confused when it comes to clearly understanding what grace and worship are. To that end, I would like to touch upon the subject and God willing, shed a little light on what both mean, and perhaps what they do not mean.

Molehills: The Doctrine Of Soul Sleep, Part Two

Moving to the final chapter in the book of Ecclesiastes we read, “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it,” Ecclesiastes 12:7. This is preceded by the preacher’s warning to remember your Creator before the day of death, Ecclesiastes 12:6. God created the spirit in man, and when we die, the body molders in the earth, but the spirit returns to God. In this dispensation believers enter into immediate conscious fellowship with Christ. “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit for my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better,” Philippians 1:21-23.

Molehills: The Doctrine Of Soul Sleep, Part One

What is the doctrine of soul sleep? Soul sleep is a euphemism for the annihilation of the soul upon the death of the body. To wit, this doctrine teaches that the body and soul are indivisible, and if one dies the other dies without it because one cannot survive the death of the other. Cults such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventists have propagated this false doctrine for decades, and I firmly believe that its reception and practice in teaching is injurious to the spiritual welfare of those that espouse it. Why is it relegated to being a molehill, then? Because belief in soul sleep does not harm the gospel, which is the foundation of the Christian faith. Therefore, harmful or otherwise, it is not an impediment to one being saved by faith in Jesus Christ.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Nine, Spurning Wisdom

Ecclesiastes 9:13 This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me: [14] There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it. [15] Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man. [16] Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. [17] Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard rather than the shout of a ruler of fools. [18] Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.”

The preacher would have obviously heard the story of the siege at Abel during the twilight years of David as king. In truth, he would have already been alive and likely a young man at this point, serving as a prince under his father. The history of the siege of Abel, and the events that led to it, are chronicled in 2 Samuel chapter 20. Sheba, a man of Benjamin and a rebel, tried to get Israel to defect from David after a dispute between Judah and the other tribes, 2 Samuel 20:1, 2.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Nine, Time & Chance

Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned and saw under the sun that–the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. [12] For man also does not know his time: like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them.

The preacher returns from his visit to the grave–the ultimate abode of all the living, and sees under the sun that the outcome of life’s experiences does not necessarily occur to those supposedly most deserving. He begins with the idea of the foot race. The race is not always won by the swiftest athlete.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Nine, Vain Effort

Ecclesiastes 9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and the labor which you perform under the sun. [10] Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

The proffered optimism of verses 7 and 8 give way to a brutal reality check in verses 9 and 10. That is why I believe the preacher was exercising satire regarding the prior passage. Combined, the reader is told to enjoy food and drink, make merry, practice pious external religion, and enjoy your marriage, for that is one’s portion from their labor.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Nine, What Has Perished

Ecclesiastes 9:6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun. [7] Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works. [8] Let your garments always be white, and let your head lack no oil.

Verse 6 concludes the preacher’s thoughts, beginning in verse 5. Verse 5 explained how the living possess an awareness of death, but the dead, by the standard of what is under the sun, know nothing. Though unspoken, it is not just an awareness of death, but a fear of it, represented by the living dog and the dead lion. In Hebrews 2:15, the writer goes into a little detail as to how Satan, through fear of impending death, kept humanity enslaved. This amplifies the notion that being a live dog is better than something noble and dead; for at least the fear of death is held off a little longer, no matter what we have to do to prolong its visit.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Nine, What The Dead Know

Ecclesiastes 9:4 But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. [5] For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 

Verse 4 continues the preacher’s descent into morbidity regarding the estate of man under the sun. The concept of being joined to the living is simply a euphemism meaning that one is still alive. We are part of the global community of countries and ethnicities that comprise planet earth. As long as we live we may have hope. But if we pause without brushing past this initial statement, we must ask the question: hope in what? What does the man under the sun hope for, when the sky is leaden and the spirit is dismissed as fantasy?

Ecclesiastes Chapter Nine, One Event For All

Ecclesiastes 9:2 All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath as he who fears an oath. [3] This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

As was explained in rather painful detail in the previous chapter, so now does the preacher launch into another lament about the frailty of human life and its inevitable end. Verse 2 begins with a sweeping universal incrimination: one event happens to all. Focusing on the single word, “all,” one can deduce that the preacher is inferring a universal theme, from which no member of Adam’s race is exempt.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Nine, What Awaits

Ecclesiastes 9:1 For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them.

Chapter nine continues the thoughts the preacher is forming regarding the work of God and the labor of man from the previous chapter. In the concluding verses, he asserts that he applied his heart to understand, only to ascertain that God’s work is beyond man’s comprehension. Though even the greatest men search to understand, it will always remain beyond him. This culminates with the declaration of verse 1, stating that the preacher considered all of this in his heart.

Peripherals, A Brief Look At Exorcism

Today I would like to begin a new series I am calling Peripherals. To explain, as opposed to my Molehills series, Peripherals will deal with issues within Christendom that are not necessarily doctrinal items, but an observational commentary on something that has become entrenched in the church or even popular culture. For the first entry I would like to have a brief examination regarding the history of exorcism. Mind you, this is hardly exhaustive, but rather a glimpse into the concept of exorcism.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Eight, Seeking The Impossible

 Ecclesiastes 8:16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night, [17] then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.

Paradoxically, when the preacher attests that he applied his heart to know wisdom, he learned that man cannot learn what is done under the sun. In short, he realized that, through wisdom, he cannot know certain things. The sum of what is done under the sun is God’s providence: he says as much when he refers to it as “the work of God.”

Ecclesiastes Chapter Eight, Nothing Is Better

Ecclesiastes 8:15 So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

The familiar phrase “under the sun” is used twice in this verse, just as “vanity” is employed twice in the last for added emphasis on the preacher’s current point of view. The preacher wants to emphasize the fact that he is viewing the reward or purpose of life from an entirely earthly perspective. His conclusion? To indulge in enjoyment.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Eight, Reversing What Is Just

Ecclesiastes 8:14 There is a vanity which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

Once more the preacher tackles the noticeable and pointless disparity in human culture and society. Twice in a single verse the preacher calls this practice vanity, futility, pointlessness. There is no reason or rationality behind it; it simply is, and to make an effort to define or understand why is a labor in pointlessness. It is, because people are. I am unfair in some of my behavior. I have biases, preferences, and emotional turns that do nothing to commend logic, intelligence, or objective fairness. This is a part of being human and possessing a sin nature.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Eight, Fearing Before God

Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because the 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. [12] Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. [13] But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

The idea is laxity of justice in government when law breakers are caught and tried. The sentence, or verdict, is not speedily carried out and therefore it emboldens future wrongdoers to follow in the footsteps of their progenitors. There is, in the United States, a strange amount of criminals condemned to death row that, rather than die because of their sentence, die from old age or sickness. Some inmates last 30+ years behind bars after being sentenced to death. Think of it, if a murderer is convicted at 30, lives 30 years behind bars and is finally then executed, he has doubled his lifespan since the time of the crime that put him in prison. Meanwhile, his victim remains dead, and their family awaits justice to be done.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Eight, When The Wicked Lead

Ecclesiastes 8:9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt. [10] Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten (alt. praised) in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.

To get a little better grasp of verse 9, we will quote from several other translations. The ESV renders the latter portion of the verse, “when man had power over man to his hurt.” The NIV translates the passage, “There is a time when man lords it over others to his own hurt.” The RSV is similar in tone to the NIV, though not word for word. The HCSB renders the passage, “at a time when one man has authority over another to his harm.” Finally, the Tanakh treats that portion of the verse thus, “while men still had authority over men to treat them unjustly.”

Ecclesiastes Chapter Eight, The War With Death

Ecclesiastes 8:8 No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, and no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, and wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.

The Hebrew in this verse is certainly worth pausing to consider. Twice the word, “power,” is used in this verse, with slightly different Hebrew words employed each time. The first is, “shalliyt,” and means, “potent,” also meaning, “a prince or warrior.” Its root is the Hebrew word, “shalat,” which means, “to dominate, govern or permit.” The second usage of the word power is the Hebrew, “shiltown,” meaning, “potentate.” It also has an Aramaic counterpart, essentially defined the same way.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Eight, Kingly Power & Future Judgment

Ecclesiastes 8:4 Where the word of a king is, there is power; and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” [5] He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; and a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment, [6] because for every matter there is a time and judgment, though the misery of man increases greatly. [7] For he does not know what will happen; so who can tell him when it will occur?

Verse 4, and the beginning of verse 5 both speak about the king’s power (authority) and the hearer’s wisdom to obey his command. Doing so (that is, being lawful in the country one is a citizen of) will keep said citizen from experiencing harm. This harm, of course, would come from law infraction and the penal consequence it incurs.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Eight, Hasty To Do Evil

Ecclesiastes 8:2 I say, “Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God. [3] “Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”

The word, “say,” in verse 2 is actually interpolated, and not a part of the original text. For instance, the HCSB removes “I say,” entirely. The LXX does likewise. All manuscripts do seem to agree that the word, “say” is not in the original text, however. Even without this addition, the text reads the same. 

Ecclesiastes Chapter Eight, Like The Wise

Ecclesiastes 8:1 Who is like a wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the sternness of his face is changed.

Verse 1 has a few diverse renderings, depending upon what you’re reading from. The LXX translates the verse, “Who knows the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a saying?” The Tanakh renders the verse, “Who is like the wise man, and who knows the meaning of the adage:” The NIV has, “Who knows the explanation of things?” Oxford defines, “like,” as, “having the same characteristics as something else.” Who is similar in form and function to a genuine wise man?

The Absurdity Of Theistic Evolution

Darwinian Evolution, or Neo Darwinian Evolution, can be simply defined as molecules to monkeys to men. Darwin’s theory, established in 1859 and permeating the educational systems shortly thereafter, teaches that man has evolved. To be more specific, man has evolved from lesser forms of life. Life on earth can be traced, says the theory, from molecules that somehow became a living thing, which over the course of time developed in complexity from amoebas to fish to amphibians to reptiles and so on. Now this is horridly simplified for the purpose of expediting laying out the premise. In short, evolution’s theory rests on the endless progressive cycle of improvement for given species, with death and new life being the catalyst for said improvement.

The Doctrine Of Eternal Security

What is eternal security? How does one define it, and where in the Bible can it be clearly and plainly explained? First, eternal security is the Christian belief that could be summarized as “once saved, always saved.” Detractors would also attribute the doctrine to a facet of “easy believism.” To be even more specific, eternal security is a doctrine that teaches that when we have believed the gospel of Jesus Christ we are saved. Now when I employ the word saved, I use it in its Biblical and fullest sense. The Biblical teaching of salvation is that Christ saves the sinner from sin’s penalty (justification), power (sanctification), and ultimately its presence (glorification). In short, when someone is saved through the gospel of Jesus Christ, they are saved eternally. That is why the Bible claims that when someone believes, they have eternal life, a phrase that is used in excess of 40 times in Scripture.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, The Schemes Of Men

Ecclesiastes 7:27 “Here is what I have found,” says the Preacher, “Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason, [28] which my soul still seeks but I cannot find: one man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among all these I have not found. [29] Truly this only I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

The preacher reveals what he has, thus far, discovered. He has found it by adding one thing to another. In short, he’s viewing all that he sees individually, and then drawing back for a panorama of sorts, seeing how each thing examined fits into the larger tapestry of life and its functions. His ultimate goal, of course, is to discover the purpose of what is done under heaven, or under the sun.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, Seeking The Truth

Ecclesiastes 7:23 All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise”; but it was far from me. [24] As for that which is far off and exceedingly deep, who can find it out? [25] I applied my heart to know, to search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things, to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness. [26] And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be trapped by her.

The preacher states that he proved or tested all of what he is conveying by wisdom. Of wisdom, he says that he would allow it to direct his life, but wisdom eluded him. Wisdom, like that which is exceedingly deep and far off, is beyond his apprehension. It may stand to reason that wisdom rests with the unknown truth that the preacher cannot, as of yet, attain. Paul, in Romans, says of humanity after rejecting the presence of God and therefore purpose, “Professing to be wise, they became fools,” Romans 1:22, NASB.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, Being Cursed

Ecclesiastes 7:21 Also do not take to heart everything people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. [22] For many times, also, your own heart has known that even you have cursed others.

This passage certainly hits close to home. People talk. People gossip. We all say cruel things about one another, embellishing what is true or outright lying for a multitude of perceived reasons. But the ultimate reason we do it is because we want to. Jesus our Lord once said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” Matthew 12:34. A person prone to belittle, degrade or insult others has a heart filled with petty malice.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, Wisdom's Strength

Ecclesiastes 7:19 Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city. [20] For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.

The DSS renders verse 19, “Wisdom helps the wise more than ten rulers who are in a city.” Solomon’s books are fixated on the concept of wisdom, and to no surprise. Solomon, when made king, prayed to Yahweh for the sagaciousness to govern the massive nation of Israel as David left it. God answered the king’s prayers and gave him godly wisdom, the likes of which no common man had ever or would ever receive again.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, A Balanced Life

Ecclesiastes 7:15 I have seen everything in my days of vanity: There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness. [16] Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise, why should you destroy yourself? [17] Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: why should you die before your time? [18] It is good that you grasp this, and also not to remove your hand from the other; for he who fears God will escape them all.

The preacher confesses that his own life is vain. He makes an umbrella statement, that in the duration of his vain life, that he has seen, “everything.” It reminds me of the cliche New York cabbie saying that he has seen everything in regards to city life. Of course this is a gross embellishment, referring to the wild diversity of metropolitan life and the many people one comes into contact with. The preacher is saying something of the like. He has, in his reign, observed and dealt with many differing types of people from various walks of life. As the king of the greatest national power of its time, this is to be expected.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, Considering God's Work

Ecclesiastes 7:13 Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what He has made crooked? [14] In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider; surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him.

This passage addresses the Creator God as sovereign. All God does is beyond man’s comprehension. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor or your ways My ways,” says the Lord,” Isaiah 55:8. “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,” Ephesians 3:20. What God has done, who can undo? God is, in a very real sense, an incomprehensible being.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, Life Giving Wisdom

Ecclesiastes 7:11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance, and profitable to those who see the sun. [12] For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, but the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.

The focus on this passage is the acquisition of wisdom. The inheritor is blessed for his inheritance, but more so if he possesses the wisdom to use it discreetly and prudently. Such wisdom is profitable, the preacher relates, to those that see the sun. Referencing the sun, the preacher is referring to daily, common life wisdom. It is the prudence of someone self-controlled, who is patient and thoughtful, considering outcomes and weighing choice and consequence.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, Longing For Yesterday

Ecclesiastes 7:10 Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.

I know that I have fallen victim to this sort of ignorance. We pine for former days that were better than the ones we currently suffer through. Whether this is a case of reflecting through rose colored glasses on days of yore, prior to our own, or looking back at earlier times in our own lives when things were simpler or better (from our current line of thought), neither is according to wisdom.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, Patience Is Its Own Reward

Ecclesiastes 7:8 The end of a thing is better than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. [9] Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

At first verse 8 seems a little disconnected. At first glance the preacher is conjoining two different thoughts. But in fact it is just two different ways of looking at the same matter. The conclusion of something is better than its inception, says he. Why? Well, from personal experience as an author, while beginning a novel is exciting with boundless ideas whirling around one’s head, finishing the novel is infinitely better. You’ve brought your story and characters to the conclusion you envisioned for them; you’ve navigated your plot and character developments, and settled them into their happily ever after.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, Subjugating Reason

Ecclesiastes 7:7 Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s reason, and a bribe debases the heart.

The LXX renders the verse, “For oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.” The Dead Sea Scrolls translate it, “Extortion makes the wise foolish, and a bribe perverts the heart.” The Tanakh says, “For cheating [emendation yields “riches”] may rob the wise man of reason and destroy the prudence of the cautious.”

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, Rebuking Folly

Ecclesiastes 7:5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools. [6] For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

Continuing to another contrast and comparison, the preacher evaluates the rebuke of the wise and the song of fools. Oxford defines rebuke as "criticize or reprimand someone sharply.” Why is rebuke better? The context suggests someone slipped into error, and someone else, wanting to address and correct the error, brought it to the fore.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, Better For The Soul

Ecclesiastes 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better. [4] The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

The preacher is fond of employing the contrasting term of “better” in Ecclesiastes. Note once more, this does not mean genuinely good by any metric of measurement, simply better than what it is contrasted against. In this case, sorrow and laughter.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Seven, What's In A Name?

 Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth; [2] 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 take it to heart.

A good name in this instance would be a good reputation. Referring back to Ecclesiastes 6:4, the preacher, mentioning the stillborn baby, says that its name is covered in darkness. The Tanakh, in a footnote for Ecclesiastes, records that stillborn babies were cast into pits or hidden in the ground in unrecognizable graves. This takes the verse from Ecclesiastes chapter 6 to morbid new heights.

The Gospel Message: The Result Of Our Faith

In this final post we will consider the outcome of one’s faith in the life of a believer. This question is in fact a trifle misleading. The ultimate outcome of one’s faith is decided the moment one believes. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life,” John 3:36. “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed,” John 8:36. The grammar speaks to present, immediate possession when one believes the gospel. One is saved the moment one believes.

The Gospel Message: Sanctification And Good Works

In the first portion we determined that the Bible is clear in its message that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. A person exercises faith in Jesus Christ, believing in the message that He died, was buried, and rose again, accepting why He did it. It is only in Jesus Christ that salvation may be found. And when one is saved, they are made a member of the church, which is His body, Acts 2:41. Mind you, I am not referring to a denomination; no, denominations have caused incalculable damage to the witness of the gospel and given rise to some odious and entirely erroneous sects or cults such as Roman Catholicism or Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The Gospel Message: Faith, Grace, And God's Gospel

The saints are supposed to contend for the faith once for all delivered to us, Jude 3. But what is this faith, and how does one appropriate it? And once appropriated, how does one retain it? Also, what is the outcome of this faith in the life of the believer? These questions will be pondered as we consider Jude’s admonition, and what is meant by that one little word, “faith.”

To put it very neatly, faith in Jude’s case is belief in the gospel. It is confident trust in the message given from the beginning, first by the Lord Jesus Christ, then His apostles, and then their successors, down through the ages unto us. The gospel, as defined by its chief proponent in his time, is related thus: “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,” 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4. This is what Paul later refers to as the simplicity that is in Christ, 2 Corinthians 11:3. The gospel message is simple and sublime. It portrays our Savior, Jesus Christ. It relates what He has done, who He did it for, and why. Christ died (what He did), for our (who He did it for) sins, according to the Scriptures (why He did it). And if you believe this message, then you are born again, born from above, regenerated, adopted into the household of God.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Six, Uncertainty

Ecclesiastes 6:12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?

The final verse of chapter six levels two questions, posed by the preacher as he continues to delve down a truly dark path. Let us recall that Ecclesiastes, among other things, is a thorough study of purpose and relevance of life under the sun, or life without God’s presence providing purpose and meaning both individually, and to the entire race of man. Here we have an encapsulated byproduct of Atheism in all of its lurid glory. 

Ecclesiastes Chapter Six, Naming

Ecclesiastes 6:10 Whatever one is, he has been named already, for it is known that he is man; and he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he. [11] Since there are many things that increase vanity, how is man the better?

The preacher begins this portion of his letter with a recrimination. No matter what else we are called in life: husband, father, wife, mother, manager, owner, athlete, et al, one label binds the totality of the race and summarizes us neatly: human.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Six, The Burden Of Having

Ecclesiastes 6:7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his soul is not satisfied. [8] For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, who knows how to walk before the living? [9] Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This is also vanity and grasping for the wind.

The NASB renders the Hebrew word “soul” for “appetite” for clarity. The literal translation is soul, however, but both could be applicable here. The labor of man is to sate his appetite, whatever that appetite is. We work to achieve what we desire, but when we achieve it gratification is fleeting, and the soul, or one’s appetite, is stricken with fresh desire, or a new pursuit.

Sixteen years In Review

It occurred to me that on June 26th my blog turned 16 years old. Since I missed putting out a year in review right on the date, I figured that I would do so before June was finished. So without further ado, I present 16 years in review of What’s in a Name?

Ecclesiastes Chapter Six, Lacking Goodness

Ecclesiastes 6:3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he–[4] for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. [5] Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man, [6] even if he lives a thousand years twice–but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place?

The preacher has already made an argument concerning the difference between having something and enjoying it. Or possessing verses having power to utilize it. This disparity between wealth’s accumulation and prosperity despite having it is something that is a thorn in the preacher’s side, seeing as how he revisits it numerous times.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Six, Possession Verses Power

Ecclesiastes 6:1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: [2] A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.

Reaching back to the conclusion of chapter 5, we recall that the preacher differentiates between the man God gives both wealth and the ability to enjoy it (Ecclesiastes 5:19, 20) with the present man who has wealth but not the power to utilize it. Rather, like the rich man who made a poor business venture in Ecclesiastes 5:13 and 14, this man amasses wealth so that another may eat of it.

Pantheism: The Worship Of Everything

Oxford defines the term “pantheism” as, “The belief that God is present in all things.” From some of its advocates, we receive these quotes.

Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) wrote, “I believe in the cosmos. All of us are linked to the cosmos. So nature is my god. To me, nature is sacred. Trees are my temples and forests are my cathedrals.”

Paul Harrison (born 1945) wrote, “When we say that the cosmos is divine, we mean it with just as much conviction and emotion as believers say that their god is God.” He further wrote, “Pantheism revels in the beauty of nature and the night sky, and is full of wonder at their mystery and power.”

Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677 AD) wrote, “Whatever is, is in God, and without God nothing can be, or be conceived. God is the indwelling, and not the transient cause of all things.”

Interestingly, Richard Dawkins (born 1941) wrote, “Pantheism is sexed up atheism.”

What then, can be said of Pantheism? It is the belief that God is in all things, or that all things are a part of God. The cosmos is a divine thing; nature itself is a divine thing. Carl Sagan was once quoted as writing, “If we must worship a power greater than ourselves, does it not make sense to revere the Sun and stars?” So then, an admission to reverencing the universe as something divine, tantamount to worshiping the personal God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is a tacit confession of Pantheism.