How Can I Handle Life's Uncertainities? - Ecclesiastes 9-12

It is doubtful that any one that reads this commentary has ever stopped long enough and tried successfully to analyze many of the profound statements found in Ecclesiastes. Solomon says that there is nothing new under the sun. That means that God was—and He took nothing and made everything that is. Genesis says that it took Him six days to finish the job and on the seventh day He rested. This means that there is absolutely nothing in existence today that was not created by God in those six days—and there will never be anything else [not even a tiny atom or molecule—not even one more hair] will ever be created. On the day God created man, only one was up and walking around—but the bible says that on that day, God created every person that will ever be born on this earth or anywhere else.

If God prolongs the existence of man on earth, every one of us will have hundreds of great, great grand sons; also hundreds of great, great, great, grand daughters—there could be at least a hundred or a thousand more generations being born each year. On the day of creation each and every one of us and those to come were created by God. The bible tells us that He knew us before we were conceived and even knew the number of hairs that would be on each head. How is this possible? Science has proven that the human body is made up of a combination elements and minerals that are known to exist on earth. God created the materials that we are made of in one day.

Through Solomon’s wisdom we have learned that nothing on earth remains the same. Water changes to vapor that rises and turns into the rain that falls—that is frozen into ice that is eaten and changes into water and the cycle continues. There will never be one more drop of water than that which exists today. God created the earth of rocks, minerals, soil; everything that can be isolated and named. Then he took a portion of the dust of the earth and created man. Man lives four score and ten years and returns to the earth from whence he came. Then God’s plan for the life cycle will start over in a new generation. Through this process the one thing that is certain is that all physical matter changes and man has no control over the life cycle process that God made.

The next step in thinking through the existence of man is that we must realize that we are not one man but two; the physical as discussed above, and spiritual man which is that part of us that was created in the image of God—who is spirit. We have no control over the physical development; God decided where, when, and how we would be born. He decided what elements we would be made of and ordered their arrangement so there are no two individuals that are alike. When he breathed into man the breath of life our spirit—our soul—was given the power of choice and therefore we are responsible for the decisions we make, even as to where we will spend eternity.

This train of thought turns to things that Solomon taught us in his wisdom—which was from God. He warns us that this life is filled with the uncertainties of both time and events. Since the spirit man will be the one to decide how to handle the uncertainties of life he tells us that it is impossible for us to be successful on our own; it is absolutely necessary for our spirit to trust the spirit and power found only in God.

Football season is here—practice started a week ago. There are many uncertainties that lie ahead for all teams that will play. The Hogs played the number one team in the nation last year and lost. We will play them again this year and the outcome right now is uncertain; however, if we can beat number one, it will be a winning season for some. This uncertainty would turn into one of joy and revenge and bring satisfaction to many. This uncertainty will make it an entertaining game to watch. This is not so in our every day life—because many of our uncertainties in life are not fun and games…in fact to most of us uncertainy is frightening.

It is a fact [certain] that Arkansas had the outstanding freshman running back last year and everyone was looking forward to his second year as he would help bring more victories. He made a bad mistake. He forgot [if he ever knew] that God is in control of our lives and that he must depend upon God to guide him through his second year on the field. At four o’clock in the morning—in the parking lot in front of a questionable night club in a questionable neighborhood of Little Rock [anyone with wisdom would not have been where he was] he became involved in an altercation that may prevent him from ever being the great player he could have been. Even if he completely recovers, he has this uncertainty that he must live with for some time to come.

Beginning in chapter nine Solomon starts addressing the end of life and what we must do to prepare. He reminds us that the rich suffer and die as well as the poor, therefore it is not what we do or what we accomplish in this life that really matters—what matters is that we live each day realizing that we are in God’s hands and He will be the final judge. His main idea is that this life is full of uncertainties and that makes it absolutely necessary for us to trust in a sovereign and wise God—in fact it is the only reasonable option that we have. To do less is to practice the fool. We do not have a clue regarding what the future holds. We know that all suffer, fail, and finally die, and if that completely occupies our minds we will be of all people most miserable. We must be thankful and praise God for our good times and enjoy them with meekness. We must be thankful and praise God for our bad times because of the good that we know will come as a result. Remember that God is God of the bad times just as he is the good, and Paul promised us in Romans 8:28 that even our worst days will work to bring us good. You must read it and believe it—have faith; have faith in God, He is on his throne.

Those that won’t work should not eat. To be lazy is sin. However, it is also irrational to be a workaholic to the point that we let our family relationships break down. It takes time to practice verse nine, but it can not be neglected. We can not neglect our responsibilities simply because we consider the world’s value system as being unfair. It is unfair. Just remember the world’s value system is an object of how sinful men think and act toward each other. God did not create this imperfect system. It has come from evil minds of men—the only part God had in it was that he gave us freedom of choice—we can have a ‘do right’ value system, or an unfair one; it is our choice.

The teacher reminds us that quiet words of a wise person are better than the boisterous shouting of politicians who are calling for attention to themselves. Briefly his quiet words of wisdom in chapter nine tells us to use our time wisely because we do not know when the end will come. We must live to please God and not for the world’s applause.

When you read chapter ten you will see that it is filled with examples of how to live the foolish life. Some of these may—at first—seem so minor and insignificant; but we must know and remember that sometimes it is the little things that cause our final downfall. We should never despise the little duties we are assigned, because the benefits can sometimes be great. Even the words we speak are important to God and he says that we will give an account for any foolish words we say. If you look at the different levels of people the teacher mentions you will see that foolishness is on display at all levels of society—even kings and rulers talk and act foolishly. You get the impression from this lesson that it is much more profitable for us to work smarter than it is to work harder—wisdom is highly emphasized—and the wisest man on earth should know. A first and a big part of working smarter is making proper preparation before you start a job. I knew two brothers in the late 1930’s that farmed together. They were asked why they were returning from the field immediately after going to work. They said they had to return to get their plow. A carpenter would never go to a newly poured foundation to build a house without his hammer and saw and needed materials with which to build. Proper preparation brings better results.

Solomon says that your tongue will give you away. Talk seems cheap but it can become costly. The NT says that it is poisonous like an adder. It is easy to downplay the importance of little things—small tasks—but they can determine the course of a man’s life. My dad taught me to take care of my pennies and then the dollars would take care of themselves. Don’t waste the little things that enter your life; they can accumulate into bigger assets.

Two things are said to be certain in life—death and taxes, but I say that the two certainties in life is that we must die and we must live until we die. We have nothing to say about death, but we totally control our life from now until our time comes to meet God. Thinking and talking about death may seem morbid but Solomon says they produce wise living. To live wisely is to make preparation for the day when life is no more. Were the young men from Conway living wisely when they entered a restricted area on the bluff near the dam site at a forbidden time of night? Solomon would probably say that the one that drowned was a good man, very knowledgeable but he lacked wisdom. The last part of chapter eleven is instructions to young people. He makes the point that young people should enjoy their youthful season of life—but they must never forget that everything they think and do will be judged by God.

As you finish chapter twelve you will find a graphic description of the aging process that should humble and sober all of us into loving, and enjoying life on earth while we keep God and the end time in the cross hairs of our scope sight. If you are young, enjoy your younger years because there are great advantages in being young. If you are in your older years, use this time to allow God to reveal his purposes for your latter days. You are not a thing that happened. God gave you life for a purpose, and the most important task in your life is for you to find that purpose and get in it.

How Can I Stay on Course? - Ecclesiastes 7-9

The title of this lesson is a simple question with an answer that is easy to give—but it is a chore not so easy to follow. You simply obtain a quality compass and study it until you are sure you understand how to follow its directions. The compass must be a published work and not a manufactured object. I suggest a King James Version or one that has the same message in modern day wording that makes it somewhat easier to read and understand.

We are living in an imperfect world that is filled with inaccurate counsel about how best to live and who best to serve. Under the law of the OT, the road was paved and straight and the ten road signs [commandments] were plain and easy to read. They could be abbreviated to read—“Have no other God/gods before Me, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” God watched his creation sin and drift away from His original instructions; but He loved us so much that he sent His only Begotten Son to pave the new road called Grace, by which believers could return unto him. If one studies the directions plainly given in His word, believes and follows the signs that are posted along the way, it is fairly easy to STAY ON COURSE.

Because of the growth and speed of mass communication that is available to people today, the growth of man-made false religions has increased accordingly. There is no wonder so many have gone astray and are completely misguided down the wrong course. There is nothing innately wrong or sinful about the invention of television; however there is no other mode of communication that has become more devastating to ‘The Way of the Cross.’ The greatest of harm has come by evil minded men using the TV to make things that are ungodly seem right and above all enjoyable. In contrast there are so many man-made religions that are being touted as the only way for us to stay on course. The bible warns us over and over again to be-ware of false teachers. The only sure way for anyone to stay on course is to personally read, and believe what the Bible tells us is right then, do right; and especially make note of what the Bible says is a sin and, don’t sin. The majority of people are ignoring the godly wisdom presented in God’s Word and deciding for themselves what paths seem best. There is a way that seems right unto man—but it leads to destruction and death.
It is absolutely necessary for the bible scholar that is studying the writings of King Solomon to first understand who he was, how he became King, and how he conducted his life—both in and out of the will of God. His kingship started as a result of tragedy. According to Jewish law, his older brother should have followed his father David to the throne. David chose Solomon over his brother and so his rise to King was an immediate success. David had been a success before him and had already subdued the nation’s enemies. The nation was not at war, and this peace brought the greatest of prosperity. Solomon’s life is an example of any son today that inherits the name, power and wealth of a prosperous family. Even though he is said to be the wisest of all men, he used his success and pride to lead him into some of the most foolish decisions ever made.

Solomon wrote this book later in life, when he had learned from his own experiences just how devastating it is for man to try to live outside of the wisdom of God’s teaching. He is not saying to us that we should live as he had lived—but we should live as he has learned that he should have lived. The most profitable lesson that he teaches us is that God’s perfect wisdom is the best guide for us as we live in this imperfect world. If we do any less, we will find that some of the paths that seem so right to us will prove to be going in the wrong direction. The study of the seventh chapter contains some of the simple choices we must make; some of the simple truths that seem to be in error and some of the errors that seem so right in man’s sight that we fail to stay on the right course.

In the first verse the teacher reminds us that our after-shave lotion feels soothing when it is first applied, and the plesant odor lasts for a few hours and then it vanishes away. A good name, especially with older people and at death is much more preferred. He is not being morbid when he says that a death is better than a birth. The day of death for the Christian is his greatest day on earth. It is not only great for the deceased, but also for those who morn because it is an appropriate reminder that each one will pass this way soon. The teacher makes this clear in verse two.

This teaching may seem to contradict Solomon’s previous advice to eat, drink and find satisfaction in one’s work—that we should enjoy what God has given us. We are to live a life of joy and enjoy what we have while we are able—but we must realize that the adversities of life are always ahead and they always strike; sometimes they strike when we are least expecting. We should use adversities to remind us that life is like a vapor, only here for a moment and then it vanishes away. We must learn to live wisely, choose the high road, and refine our character—make our good name. The true Christian will find value in suffering and sorrow. It is a part of the refining fire that the bible speaks of. I believe that most of my friends will agree that we learn more about God from difficult times than we do from the happy times in our lives. I have found that if I try to avoid difficulties at all cost it winds up being more dissatisfying than if I use my struggles as a good opportunity to learn from God’s word just how to cope with my problems.

Many people, especially teen age and young adults, avoid talking or even thinking about death. They refuse to face it or even attend funerals. I do not think that Solomon is suggesting that we should think morbidly about death but since each one will face death they should think clearly and rationally and above prepare for it is sure to come. Attendance at funerals gives us one more opportunity to examine our own life and it allows the necessary time for any unsaved person to make the life saving decision to submit their life to Christ while time and opportunity is afforded. This will keep you on the right course.

The seventh verse speaks to sins that are prevalent today and one of our worst political cancers—extortion makes man a fool and a bribe corrupts the takers heart. Men sinfully love money, and this sin has caused many men that would ordinarily judge wisely to distort the law. A bribe will cause a policeman to turn his head or a witness to lie when on the stand. In every case a bribe hurts those that are truthful and aids those that oppose the truth. I have heard it said that everyone has a price, but we know that those who are truly wise in the Lord can not be bought at any price, and they are on the right course.

A Christian will joyfully do his best to accomplish a task that is expected of him, and he starts the work with a successful outcome in mind. It is no wonder that he is happy when the task is finished—that is his best hour. That is what the teacher meant when in the eighth verse he said, “The end of a matter is better than its beginning.” Finishing some obligations takes hard work, wise guidance and a lot of patience and when these are exhibited the goal is reached successfully and is done without sinful pride. This is just one more way that we can know that our path is leading us on the right course.

In the good times we should be happy; but we should not let our bad days bring unhappiness. We must remember that God made both days and he allows both good times and bad times to come to everyone. He blends them in our lives in such a way that we never know what the next day holds. We can not predict the future or count on our wisdom or human power to plan because of the uncertainty. It is just man’s nature to take credit for the good times; but we seldom thank God for the good that comes out of our bad experiences. We should never build larger barns to hold the abundant crop with the idea that we can become comfortable in our complacency; God may allow the next crop to fail in order to drive you back to your dependency on Him. Things could be even worse—He told one guilty man, “This night your soul will be required of thee. “How can we stay on course? Learn well these lessons Solomon is teaching us.

Earlier in this lesson the admonition was give to do good and not sin. We who know the Lord and his word have read that if we say we have no sin in us we are untruthful; we know that all have sinned and come short. Solomon knew this and warned us again, he said; “There is no righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.” Just remember that God looks deep into the sinner’s heart, and if his bent to sin is embedded there, and there is no remorse, no asking for forgiveness, God will hold you accountable for your sin. If you are sorry for your sin and ask God for forgiveness it is then as if you had never sinned.

Here is a final suggestion on how to answer the question—“How can I stay on course? First, make sure that you are on the right road, it is narrow and few there-be that find it. Do not trust the man made signs at the crossings, and ignore the sign that tells you which fork of the road to take. Stake your successful arrival on the sign-posts that are plentiful all the way from Genesis to The Revelation. I regret having to say this but one more way to be sure is to just look around at the forks of the road. The one most traveled—is not the course to take.