ECCLESIASTES 7

1 A good name (character) is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

• Reputation is who other people think you are. Character is who you really are. Death to him, who hath a godly name, is "better" than the day of his birth; "far better," as Php 1:23 has it, to die is gain.
• Precious ointment was the currency of the day. Therefore, Solomon gives great worth to a good name.
• Prov 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

• Many people live by the motto, “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” In other words, grab all the pleasures that you can in life, because one day you will die.
• Solomon is telling us that we need to live our lives in the light of eternity. We can only enjoy life to the extent that we realize the reality of what God has in store for us in heaven.
• House of mourning. There is something very sobering about attending a funeral. It has been said that our disappointments are often God’s appointments. Our fallen human nature will barely allow us a thought for God during times of great blessing, but we will soon turn to Him when things begin to go wrong.

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

• Jesus said, Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven and they that mourn, for they shall be comforted (Matthew 5:3, 4).
• The laughter that Solomon is renouncing here is the ever present vain and perilous joys of this fallen world system. Beloved, the Bible is a book of reality. That is why The Spirit of God tells us in 1 John 2.15-17 to love not the world, nor the things thereof.
• Yes, we should learn to enjoy the god things that God in His grace gives unto us, but we should seek to find our pleasure and fulfillment in life from Christ, and not the things of this world.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

• More is learned from adversity than from pleasure. True wisdom and godly character is developed in the crucible of life’s trials.

5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

• Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool. NLT
• Godly reproof offends the flesh, but benefits the spirit. None of us are above rebuke and reproof, are we? The Puritans used to say, many sweet things are poison and many bitter things are medicine.
• Prov 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
• Psalm 141.5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head

6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

• The laughter of a fool is as passing and vain as the sound of the crackling of a fire under a pot. The emptiness and short lived laughter of a fool. The crackling thorns under the pot make an impressive display of intense fire, but never last long enough to produce a meal.

• Prov 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
• One cannot help but grieve over the deaths and other sadness that has gripped famous comedians like John Belushi and Chris Farley.  

7 ¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift (bribe) destroyeth the heart.

• Oppression. Wrong cruelly inflicted.
• A gift destroys the heart. Prov 17:23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
• The corruption due to bribes and the oppression of man are tragic results of the fall. Only the gospel of the grace of God can change a heart and reverse these things. 

8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

• Better is the end. Look at the outcome of things in the life of the godly Joseph or Daniel in spite of the horrible beginnings of opposition and trials.
• And who can forget the case of Job? Job 42:12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning

• Pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18). Therefore, how much better it is to be patient, to not react, to not intervene, but just to wait on The Lord and pray. Dear child of God, live in the reality of Romans 8.28 tonight, no matter where you are.

9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

• To be "angry and sin not" is a hard matter.  May God grant us grace to rule our temper, or it will be our ruins. SDC
• Not all anger is sin. Jesus was angry and Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not. This refers to that fleshly anger and rage , in which cases we are exhorted to neither give place to the devil.
• We all have a God-given autonomic nervous system that reacts to danger or need, but hasty reaction is inappropriate where a considered response is called for.
• In this particular instance, the Preacher is referring to anger, but the principle about not being hasty can be applied to all non-threatening circumstances. ‘Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for the fool than for him’ (Prov. 29:20)

10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

• This is the myth of the “golden age of the past.” Beloved, even if it is true that former days were better than the circumstances that you are living in now, answer this question. Does murmuring, complaining or worrying about them make things any better?
• It is both unhealthy and unwise to make comparisons between present circumstances and past events

11 ¶ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

• Men who have an inheritance and no wisdom are in a sad position.

12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

• And where does this wisdom that is a defense and gives life come from? Prov 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
• The Scriptures tell us that in Jesus Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2.3).

13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

• The Holy Spirit places the work of divine providence before us and bids us to consider it. Nothing in God’s universe happens by chance. Things are often crooked in our lives because ours wills run in the opposite direction to God’s will. May we with reverence and faith submit consider the work of God, and humble ourselves under His mighty hand.

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

• In the day of prosperity be joyful. God’s gifts and blessings are to be enjoyed beloved.
• In the day of adversity, rejoice because the Father is just as involved in the day of adversity as He is in the day of prosperity. So often in adversity, we think our world is collapsing and that everything is going wrong when, in reality, the Lord is allowing those circumstances to draw closer and closer to Him.
• This side of heaven there must be thorns with the roses, and clouds with the sunshine.  It is our wisdom to act rightly under all circumstances; to bless the Lord when his mercies overflow, and to turn to him penitently when he smites us with the rod. SDC
• God has sovereign rule over everything—and will work everything to his own purpose for his glory and the good of his people (Rom. 8:18–30)
• Neither prosperity nor adversity can alter the gospel or the character of our God….praise Him tonight beloved, praise Him. Alleluia, for The Lord God omnipotent reigns (Rev 19.6).

15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

• Among the many mysteries this side of heaven is the fact that some righteous men die young and some wicked men live long.

16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

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

18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

• Only the fear The Lord can keep one from being self righteous or wicked. Either extreme is destructive. It is by the fear of The Lord that we walk the narrow path that leads unto life.

19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

• Paul may have been referring to this Scripture when by the inspiration of The Holy Spirit he wrote, Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.
• We must not overlook this humbling testimony to the universal and total corruption of fallen man. 1John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
• And herein is the glory of God found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

• In verses 21 and 22 Solomon declares, “Just as you have talked about others, you can be sure others are talking about you”—not a comforting thought, but true.
• An unbridled tongue and an unloving heart are Siamese twins of evil. May God’s Spirit sanctify the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts.

23 ¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

• Once again I quote the Puritans who prayed for, “a well instructed contentment to be ignorant of what God has covered from us----this is our duty and rest.”

25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

• Sexual temptation is likened to a snare and a net. Words that are used to describe the catching of an animal. Note that the man that escapes the seduction of sexual sin is the man who walks to please God.
• 1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God

27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

• Please note that God made man upright, but man unmade himself by sinning against God. Sin and suffering in the human race is caused by man, not God.
• Man, in the exercise of his own free will became the author of his own ruin. Charles Hodge The only remedy for this moral corruption and alienation from God is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

ECCLESIASTES 8

1 ¶ Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

• The shining face was a testimony of God’s favour. Aaron blessed the people with the words, ‘The Lord make his face shine upon you’ (Num. 6:25). Moses’ face shone while he was talking with God (Exod. 34:29; 2 Cor. 3:7), and Stephen’s beatific visage at the end of Acts 7.
• True wisdom lights up the face of a man or woman. An elderly lady was once asked what cosmetics she used to maintain her beautiful complexion. She replied, ‘For my lips, truth; for my voice, prayer; for my eyes, pity; for my hands, charity; for my figure, uprightness; and for my heart, love!’

2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.

3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.

• Verses 2 through 5 refer to submitting to the rule and authority of an earthly king or ruler. This is also taught by Jesus and Paul. All earthly rulers are divinely appointed by God (Dan 4.17,25,32 & 35).
• To some extent, our obedience to God is verified by our obedience to the secular authority that he refers to as his ‘minister to you for good’ (Rom. 13:1–7).  Jesus said, ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s’ (Mark 12:17), and Peter exhorts us to ‘submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake’ (1 Peter 2:13–17).
• Of course, we are never to submit to any authority figure who commands us or demands that we disobey God.

6 ¶ Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.

• A repeat of what we read back in chapter 3.1-8.

7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

• None of us know what a day may bring forth. None of us can with absolute certainty what will happen tomorrow.

8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

• The word of God has been declared unto the human race. It is appointed unto man once to die, and then cometh the judgment (Heb 9.27).
• But once again, we give praise and thanks to God for His glorious gospel. Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
• 1Cor 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

9 ¶ All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.

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

• Man thinks he gets away with evil only because God does not move quickly in judgment. Peter says God is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Yet people make a dreadful error whenever they mistake the mercy and longsuffering of God for apathy, impotency, or approval.
• Beloved, just because God is patient with you, don’t assume He approves of what you’re doing, that He doesn’t care what You’re doing, or that He is powerless to bring judgment concerning what you’re doing.
• God’s common grace that He extends to all people delays their judgment with the intent that they should repent and believe the gospel, for one day, in his sovereign plan, that judgment will fall (2 Peter 3:10).

12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

• Please note beloved once again how God clearly marks out all mankind under 1 of 2 categories. Those who fear God and those who do not fear God.
• For those who fear God, it shall be well with them, regardless of their lot in life. The beggar with sores is a prince now, while the rich man on earth is living in perpetual pain and suffering in hell.
• The one thing that fallen man finds easiest to do is to destroy himself. And how does he or she do that? By resisting the truth of God. By despising the counsel of God. All disobedience is self love and self will.
• Take the sum of the matter at face value. The child of God at his worst-it shall be well with him. The servant of sin at his best-it shall not be well with him. Surely I know. In other words, this is an absolute truth that cannot and will not be proven wrong.

14 ¶ There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

• Solomon struggles because he sees righteous men treated like they’re wicked and wicked men treated like they’re righteous. The key to his dilemma, however, is found in three words in verse 14: “upon the earth.”
• Yes, there are inconsistencies upon the earth. But things will all even out in eternity. Sure, there’s vanity on the earth. Certainly things don’t make sense here—but this life is only the vapor that precedes heaven, where all will be made right.

15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

• Being confounded by the mysteries of inconsistencies in life, Solomon once again retreats to his commendation to enjoy the gifts of God. The taken for granted ability to work eat, drink and be merry; not in a godless sense of unrestrained indulgence, but with thanksgiving unto God.

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

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

• No matter how wise you might think you are, you’ll never have all the answers for why things take place the way they do.
• An older saint once wrote, “Give me the bible and may The Lord give me faith to fix on it, or my head will grow giddy with amazement, confusion and dread.”
• Deut 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

As Matthew Henry puts it, ‘Leaving the Lord to clear up all the difficulties in His own time, we may cheerfully enjoy the comforts, and bear up under the trials of life; while peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost will abide in us through all outward changes, and when flesh and heart shall fail.’