Living with the Reality of Death

Ecclesiastes Study, 2024

Series Title: Pursuit of Purpose

Message #22

Ecclesiastes 9:1-10.

ETS: Solomon urged the readers to value life.

ESS: We should enjoy the life God has given us.

OSS: [Devotional] {I want the hearers to

PQ:

What truths are applicable to our lives from these verses?

UW: Truths

TS: Let us examine together a few truths we should apply to our lives from these verses:

Every person dies a physical death. [vv. 1-3]

Solomon, again wrestling with everything under the sun, the reality of the fall, etc., “laid all this to heart seeking to clear it up”

There are some things we cannot know:

What to expect, whether love or hate (perhaps not literal, but in reference to the future, everything lies ahead and is unknown to the person.) AKA: What life will bring on us— what our lot is. Specifically, of the righteous or the wise. (The righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands…)

This verse should not be understood as to mean that the experiences in life indicate God’s view of us. (i.e., difficulty = God hates us; love = God favors us)

There are some things we can know:

There is one fate for both the wicked and the wise (the unrighteous and the righteous)— physical death.

This reality has caused some to be driven by evil and madness in their heart— to live carelessly, having wickedness as the driving force in their lives. (Others suggest verse 3b to provide the reasoning for death— because the hearts of people are full of evil and they have madness in their hearts while they live.)

The reality of death should motivate us to enjoy the life God has given us. [vv. 4-10]

There is hope while we are living. [v. 4]

Proverb: a live dog is better than a dead lion.

Lion = treasured and valued beast in ancient world

Dog = despised and considered unclean in the ancient world

Meaning: It is better to be alive and poor than to be dead and rich

There are advantages to being alive versus being dead. [vv. 5-10]

There is time to prepare. [vv. 5-6]

This is not to encourage haphazard or careless living. Solomon would press against that— and does— pointing out that careless living is characteristic of the wicked person, not the wise.

Psalm 90:12 “12 Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.”

(Don’t live like today is your last day— live with urgency knowing death is coming that you might redeem your time, but living as though today were your last day could also lead to careless living) [Akin, Daniel L., and Jonathan Akin. 2016. Exalting Jesus in Ecclesiastes. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.]

There is still work to be done. [v. 6b]

The person among the living still has a portion. [6b and 10]

“One’s portion (AV) or share (RSV) is the measure of joy and satisfaction that comes through one’s daily activities (cf. 3:22; 5:18, where it is sometimes translated lot), found not in self-centered pleasures (2:1-11) but only when taken as the gift of God (Ecc. 3:22; 5:19).” (Eaton, Michael A. 1983. Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 18. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

There is still contentment to be experienced. [v. 7-9]

Solomon writes more sternly now, Go!

Contentment is still to be experienced because God has delighted in your works.

As such, one should consequently do the following:

Live pure lives (let your clothes be white) [8a]

This also indicates living in a celebratory manner by wearing festive clothing)

Live joyful lives (never let oil be lacking on your head) [8b]

Live faithful lives (enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life)

Opposed to living carelessly with many wives or seeking purpose in relationships that do not honor god. (See Ecclesiastes 7:26 “26 And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a trap: her heart a net and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her.”; Ecclesiastes 7:28 “28 which my soul continually searches for but does not find: I found one person in a thousand, but none of those was a woman.”)

We enjoy life because we recognize everything we have is a gift from God that He intends us to enjoy.

Reflective thoughts:

[1] Psalm 90:12 “12 Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.”

Pray this daily.

[2] John 11:25 “25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”

Embrace the reality, as believer, that because of your faith in Jesus, though you will die a physical death, you will live eternally.