Finding Wisdom For Life Under the Sun

When Randy Pratt discovered that someone deposited $177,000 in his bank account one summer, he figured the money must be a gift from God. Instead of alerting the bank, Pratt and his wife withdrew the money, quit their jobs, and moved to Florida. Over the next several months, Pratt and his wife gave away thousands of dollars, including a gift of $25,000 to a homeless shelter. It turns out the deposit was a bank error. Pratt’s deposit was supposed to have been $1,770. When authorities caught up with the couple, they charged them with felony theft and conspiracy. They held Pratt on $100,000 bail and released his wife on an unsecured bond. She told a court that she and her husband are now estranged.

Life for Randy Pratt under the sun had a moment of good he interpreted as a blessing from God…but sadly, his lack of discernment in that moment led to further poor decisions that cost him more than he had bargained for and probably even dreamed would happen.

Randy needed an Ecclesiastes 7 view of life under the sun that when employed, would have kept him out of trouble.

If you haven’t already, please turn to Eccles 7:1-14.

As we have been walking through Ecclesiastes we’ve come to understand that God has a design for everything in creation.

We know that Ecclesiastes is wisdom literature and in it Solomon calls us to living according to that design with wisdom.

God made the world to work a certain way, and life under the sun is spent discovering that way.

Navigating life under the sun well comes to those who choose to walk in wisdom by recognizing that a life lived apart from God and the wisdom He provides will end up in nothingness…

Life Without God (and a proper view of God) is Meaningless.

At the end of chapter 6 Solomon asks a question:

Eccl 6:11-12 “For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?”

How can we discover what is good…how can we live well during our short time on earth?

He is going to provide some insight to that question in this chapter by making a series of “better than” comparisons through proverbs.

Interpretive notes:

It is important to remember that Ecclesiastes is wisdom literature…which means it contains a wide variety of proverbs and wise sayings.

Proverbs are commonly used among the wise and so are normally seen as illustrative of the instruction of wisdom.

With proverbial statements we find an extensive use of parallelism…which places truth side by side so that the second line expands the first…

Proverbial statements are divine guidelines and wise observations, which are not always inflexible laws or absolute promises.

they are expressions of general truth and generally do have “exceptions” due to the uncertainty of life and unpredictable behavior of man.

God does not guarantee uniform outcome or application of each proverb, but in studying them, we can contemplate the mind of God, His character, attributes, works, and blessings.

Main Point: Living Well While on Earth Requires Exercising Discernment

There are many paths to foolish living…

...the way of wisdom is narrow, but it does bring great joy to those who continue to walk its path.

Use Discernment to Protect Your Character

Eccl 7:1 “A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.”

This is similar to what Solomon says in Proverbs 22:1

Proverbs 22:1 NASB95

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.

name = character, a godly mind and life, not mere reputation with man, but what you are in the eyes of God.

ointment = used lavishly at costly banquets and peculiarly refreshing in the climate of that day.

Solomon uses a word play here that is not seen in the English...

The word name (Sheem) and ointment (Shemen)...here is a close paraphrase....“Fair fame is better than fine perfume.”

Scented oils and other fragrances were valuable commodities…often only the wealthy possessed them...

You can be poor and still have integrity…and that is even more valuable than expensive perfumes.

Every comment we make and every action we take either builds up or tears down our reputation…not only with man, but with God.

The most important name we bear is that of Christian.

Christian — We each have our given name that identifies us specifically from others…and it is important to make sure your family name is not associated with scandal…but even more importantly you also bear the name of Jesus Christ…his reputation is at stake...

Remember we are ambassadors for Christ and our reputation as such needs to be consistent with those who called to represent Him.

When people see your actions or hear your speech are they drawn to think of Christ?

Are you cheerful or critical?

Speak truth or lies?

Generous or stingy?

Remember your character reflects your heart and does your heart reflect the heart of Christ?

Solomon now says that day you die is better than the day you were born…if he were to say this to your face you would probably want to deck him...

what is the relationship here… what do these statements contribute to what Solomon says about our character?

Both a good name and precious perfume are valuable commodities.

Both the first and last day of our life have something to offer…especially for believers.

listen to Paul’s comparison of life and death in Phil 1:21-23

Philippians 1:21–23 (NASB95)

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;

On one hand, the longer Paul lived the more ministry he could do.

On the other hand, death meant being with his Savior, which was far better.

Birthdays are wonderful times of joyous celebration…but for the believer, our death is a celebration as well, and far better.

Every birthday I am reminded of how much closer I am to eternity…born for trouble, but destined for glory…

When our time has come to enter eternity, life in heaven is far better with no more pain, suffering, struggles with sin, etc.

Death is better for us for we then we meet our Savior, but it is also the end of our journey to have a life of integrity…your reputation is sealed on the day of your death…and by then it is too late to change your reputation so make life count now, so use discernment to protect your character.

Show Discernment by Allowing Death to Motivate How You Live.

I know that may sound confusing and even paradoxical…but listen to what Solomon says...

Eccl 7:2-4 “It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.”

He says it is better to go to a funeral than a wedding…(now if you consider your wedding day was a funeral I have open slots on Tuesday nights)…what does he mean by that?

He is not saying a funeral is more enjoyable than a wedding.

Notice how often Solomon uses the term heart or mind…he’s going after our thought processes, our deepest control center that impacts what we say and do.

Funerals are a healthy wake-up call…funerals cause us to reflect on our lives and hopefully see the things that need changed…funerals are better in the sense that they teach us to be wise in the way we live.

We don’t want to come to the end of our life and be full of regrets…we don’t often think about those things until we are brought face to face with death.

We tend to live our lives thinking we have an unlimited amount of time to do the work of God.

When you die, you can’t go back and fix what you did wrong…death causes us to consider how we live now!

Sorrow is better than laughter...Solomon is also not against all laughter…he is speaking of a frivolous laughter that is not anchored in truth…the fool refuses to acknowledge the truth that one day he will have to stand before His creator...

The fools motto is there is no God so I can live life how I please...

The fool laughs at things that are not laughable…some of the modern kids shows today depict the dad as a doofus…that’s not funny.

The sorrow (soberness) of the righteous person is an honest reflection of the totality of life.

The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning… the wise are associated with the house of mourning because they recognize the troubles of life.

The wise are able to see the obstacles in life and either avoid them or meet them.

The wise apply discernment to the activities of life to maintain the balance.

The fool is associated with the house of pleasure because they do not recognize the troubles of life and how to avoid them.

The fool is all about pursuing that which makes them feel good never stopping to consider what truly matters.

There is no balance of life to the fool.

Death brings life into a sharper focus.

Life is full of paradoxes and absurdities where what is good to some is bad for others. The wise soberly ponder the paradoxes while the fools live for pleasure. True wisdom grapples with the absurd, the tragedies and the puzzles of life.

Live well by facing the reality that death is inevitable and that it is better to walk in wisdom instead of wasting your life with the pursuits of pleasure.

Show Discernment by Listening to Wise People

Eccl 7:5-6 “It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is futility.”

Being wise isn’t tied to academic accomplishments…a fool can have a PhD…Sigmund Freud had a PhD. yet the Bible would call him a fool.

Ps 53 1 “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,” They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good.”

Rebuke or reproof is viewed as the source of wisdom

Proverbs 12:1 NASB95

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid.

So don’t be stupid by listening to the song of fools instead of counsel from those who are wiser.

wisdom is the ability to make spiritually informed decisions and apply divine truth to every area of life.

The rebuke of a wise man has similar characteristics of a funeral…they are hard to experience, yet much good comes from them...

A loving rebuke is better than the empty words of the fool…people pleasers who love to flatter.

We need to learn how to receive correction from people who are wiser than we are.

If someone with a divine perspective rebukes you, let him speak truth into your life so you can become wise.

It is much better to listen to someone who cares enough to confront us when it is needed and will provide a sensible look at matters of life and death.

All the fool can contribute is a superficial song that only tells us what we want to hear.

Proverbs 27:5–6 NASB95

Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

crackling of thorn bushes under a pot…this is a word play of sorts…similar to saying “nettles crackling under the kettle”…it is a metaphor the depicts loudness or possibly even the transitory influence of the fool.

Thorns would be considered fire starters…short lived...consumed quickly…but coal lasts much longer…the fools counsel is of no value…thorns create more noise than they do heat.

The fool laughs at the counsel at the wise because he thinks the wise person does not know what they are talking about.

Why would you want to receive direction for life from someone who has no concept of what God thinks or for that which God is concerned?

Who then is the bigger fool?

Exercise Discernment by Heeding God’s Warnings

Eccl 7:7-10 “For oppression makes a wise man mad, And a bribe corrupts the heart. The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools. Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.”

Solomon delineates several things here that can prevent us from using godly discernment.

Even the wise can be corrupted by money.

money can corrupt the wisest of people…don’t abandon wisdom for the temptations of money…even the wise man can succumb to the oppression and lack of money.

Don’t be impatient.

Beware the desire for immediate gratification.

We live in a world where we have instant everything....don’t become impatient.

Your moral integrity is worth far more than earthly riches that lead you to compromise what is right.

Control your anger before it destroys you

Moses was the most humble man of his time according to Numbers 12:3, yet his anger kept him from entering the promised land.

A continual pattern of ungodly anger is a warning sign that shows we no longer believe God is sovereign and working for our good.

When life seems “unfair” we can trust God knows what He is doing.

The wise person does not allow themselves to be stricken with anger even over the rampant corruption that is so visible.

Don’t get stuck in the past.

You need to have a bigger windshield than you do a rear view mirror.

Those who want to constantly talk about and even go back to the “good old days” need to be reminded we need to have a view that faces forward, not backwards.

We are to live in the present, knowing that every period of time has both good and evil that must be viewed in balance.

Rest in God’s Sovereignty

Eccl 7:11-14 “Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun. For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors. Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent? In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider— God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.”

The wise person has a growing conviction that God’s perspective of the “good life” is at odds with the worlds perspective.

v. 11 — wisdom is beneficial for all sorts of things, including how we handle money…fools squander or worship wealth while the wise person maintains a godly perspective on money…Solomon is sharing the great benefit that wisdom brings to those who are prosperous…with all things being equal, the person who avoids the foolish lifestyle tends to live longer.

v. 12 — knowledge and wisdom are two sides of the same coin…knowledge is the discovery side, wisdom is the implementation side…wisdom guides you through those difficult times in life and protects you from foolish decisions.

v.13, 14 — Solomon calls our attention towards the works of God.

He asks a rhetorical question here…the answer is of course no one...

Things are the way God wants them to be, no one has the ability to overrule the Almighty.

Crooked = is not referring to something that is morally out of line as if God were the author of evil.

He is talking about some trouble or difficulty in life we wish we could change but cannot…this happens to all of us.

Struggle with physical limitations

Relationship breakdowns

We have something we wish we did not have and don’t have that which we wish we did.

God has given each of us a different situation in life..we all have things in life we wish we could change.

Solomon is not being fatalistic here saying that life is what is and there is nothing you can do about it…no, Solomon wants us to see life from the perspective of God’s sovereignty.

Compare verse 13 with chapter 1 verse 15

Eccl 1 15 “What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted.”

Eccl 7 13 “Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent?”

The wording is almost identical…in chapter 1 he viewed life without God…now in chapter 7, he brings God into the picture…Solomon brings both the crooked and the straight under the umbrella of God’s sovereignty.

It is true we cannot straighten that which is crooked…we cannot change what God has done or what He will do…we do not have the power to edit God’s plan for us...

Understanding we love and serve a Sovereign God provides the hope we need to know that He makes all things work for our good and His glory.

Romans 8:28–29 NASB95

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

We walk by faith and not by sight…we trust the heart of our Sovereign God who has both our good days and bad days in His control.

We find joy in the good days and glean wisdom through days of adversity because we recognize that both come from Him.

The wise person takes both the good days and the bad because they recognize the good that comes from adversity.

Psalm 119:71 NASB95

It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

It is impossible for us to know the future, so we trust in God today…day by day…since God never disappoints us in the day to day operations, there is no need to fear what will happen in the future…we need to have the mindset of Habakkuk.

Habakkuk 3:17–19 NASB95

Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.

We have no way of knowing whether tomorrow will be a day of prosperity or a day of adversity. What we do know is that God is sovereign over both and we can leave our future in His hands.

Consider - more than just simply seeing the works of God…he is telling us to accept what God has done and surrender to His sovereign will…

Praise God for the blessings, trust Him through every adversity.

Applications

Spend more time developing the godly character of your heart which is worth far more than the externals of your appearance.

Live with an eternal perspective of what really matters, glorifying God in all things.

Surround yourself with those who love you enough to wisely speak divine truth into your life and then listen to them.

Don’t let anger define you.

Don’t waste time living in the past longing for the good ole’ days. Living in yesterday keeps you from progressing forward to achieve what God wants for you now and in the future.

When things are out of your control, thank God they are always in His.