Ecclesiastes #10

Introduction:

Connection:

In John Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress, the famous story begins with Christian and his family dwelling in the City of Destruction—the City of Man—going about in the business of life, all the while in rebellion against God, but suppressing the truth in their unrighteousness—filling their lives with vanities of vapor. But Christian comes under conviction of sin, and he senses his need for salvation in Jesus. He is met by an evangelist who shows him the way of faith, repentance, salvation, and the narrow-wicket-gate which shows Christian the sure path to glory. At last he embarks upon his Christian journey and reaches Mount Calvary—where his burden is relieved, his sins and atoned for, his person is redeemed, and his destiny is secure—what a relief that would be to feel the weight of sin and shame removed forever and ever. All Christian must do is persevere in the life of faith, on the path to Zion, the Celestial City. Though the legal burden of his sin was removed at Calvary—the personal burden of sin and sorrow is still felt during his journey. It’s not until the gates of heaven that such heavy burdens are fully removed. This is the already/not yet nature of salvation. Christian’s burden is relieved in God’s sight—but not fully experienced until the City of God. These heavy burdens we come to look at this morning, with hope in Jesus.

Theme:

Heavy Burdens on Mankind

Need:

We need to feel the weight of the burdens of hebel, so that we can feel the relief of such burdens removed by Jesus.

Purpose:

To peel back the lies of temporal security and happiness; to affect us with sadness in light of the pain of hebel and sin; and to exhort us to look unto Jesus Christ and Him alone as the only Redeemer who can relieve the burdens of sin and suffering that are heavy upon our shoulders.

Recap:

Last Sunday we looked at the realities of oppression in governments, the love of money, the hoarding of riches, and the enjoying of God’s good gifts with generous and joyful hearts. Here Solomon continues on the theme of wealth, possessions, and honor—but laments how some don’t have the power to enjoy them, they die in sadness and darkness, and are unsatisfied in life. Man is not satisfied with money. And man is not content in his shadow of a life. Such are heavy burdens on mankind.

Open your Bibles:

Eccl. 6:1-12 ESV

PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY

(1) Lonely Wealth and Sorrows are Heavy Burdens on Mankind - v. 1-6

Ecclesiastes 6:1–6 ESV

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil. If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place?

(1) Lonely Wealth and Sorrows are Heavy Burdens on Mankind - v. 1-6

If you remember all the way back to last Sunday, we saw that God gives good gifts of common grace to all his creation. Even those who don’t fear God, trust God, or love God receive certain gifts from God.

We saw last Sunday that it is good and fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment, and to use God’s entrusted goods as faithful and joyful stewards. Why can we do this? Because by his grace, in Christ, he gives us power to enjoy his good gifts—not turning them into idols, but into tokens of the love of our Father who is in heaven. And here Solomon now bewails the sad reality of unbelievers who do not have this saving grace that allows them to enjoy their possessions. Hear now story #1:

1 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil.

This heavy burden, this wicked evil, this natural disaster—it is a cause of sorrow to Solomon’s heart. He sees in his imagination someone who has been richly lavished by good and perfect gifts from the Father of lights—he has wealth unthinkable—he has possessions unending—he has honor unstained—he has desires unhindered. Yet, says Solomon, though he has all such common graces of God—God has not given saving grace for such a man to enjoy these good gifts in their proper place. And so they become a fleeting vapor, a vain pursuit. They become a snare and an unending hole of covetousness. Not only does he not have the power to enjoy these gifts as gifts from his covenant God—but in judgment God keeps him from godly enjoyment, and lets a stranger enjoy the fruit of his hands.

Psalm 39:6 ESV

Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

He has not the saving grace and power to rightly enjoy God’s good gifts—and someone else will enjoy them instead of he. Such a heavy burden leaves a gaping hole in his heart, and painful sin in his soul.

“Borgman: This man lacks nothing. He not only has everything he needs, but everything he desires. But one thing is missing, and it is that God has not granted him the grace to enjoy the abundance. Instead, a foreigner, not a family member, who did not work for any of it, enjoys it all. [Solomon] examines this situation and concludes it is hebel and a severe affliction. Sometimes the mere breath is just a breath, but when it is compounded with affliction, it is a grievous evil. This hebel weighs heavy on mankind. What advantage has the man to whom God has given everything and yet not the grace to enjoy it? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

What a sad life—what a heavy burden on mankind—a sinful warping of God’s good gifts to the corruption of one’s soul, which leaves this man graceless and powerless to enjoy that which God has lavished him with. This, says Solomon, is a grievous evil. And so he continues. Hear now story #2:

3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

Wow. Harsh words, Solomon. Indeed. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Solomon is using hyperbole to convince us of the vanity of lonely wealth and covetousness. In this story, the sinful man was never satisfied with God’s good gifts.

Proverbs 27:20 ESV

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man.

And so this story is about a man who fathers a hundred children—which definitely isn’t from one woman—yet he lives many years, and is granted many gifts of God, despite his obvious sin and rebellion. Yet these gifts pile up over him, they are used by him to crave after more and more, being unsatisfied with life’s good things—full of a covetous heart—which leaves him estranged from his own family and children—and at his death, there is no one to mourn for him, there is no burial, and there is no celebration of life. His covetous heart made him a lonely and miserable wretch, as he bent God’s good gifts into a lust machine. And so Solomon concludes this story with a gut-wrenching statement: I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

This painful lament, and sorrowful cry reminds us of Job’s statement in his great suffering:

Job 3:16 ESV

Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child, as infants who never see the light?

“Bridges: Job in his suffering thinks a stillborn child [is better than being] in his adversity. But Solomon here pronounces it better than the condition of the worldling in his greatest prosperity, when the world smiles upon him”.

So sad, so pitiful, so miserable, so broken, and so lonely is the covetous life that it would have been better if he had never been born (which Jesus applies to Judas Iscariot). Oh the damning power of the sin of coveting. Selling off the Son of God for a few shackles of rusty silver. Sin is a stupid absurdity that deludes our hearts to love that which is ugly and miserable. It deceives us to give our love to anything but God who rightly deserves our whole hearts, and souls affection. Such things are a grievous evil.

Solomon concludes this story about the stillborn child:

4 For it comes in vanity/vapor and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place?

The little infant who dies at birth comes in a vapor, goes in darkness, and its name is covered. Its personality never grows and flourishes. Its little body never gets to enjoy the gifts of God in this life. It doesn’t get to know the feeling of the sun shining on its skin, or the pleasures of enjoying good food or drink, or the joys of recreation and work—yet, says Solomon—it finds rest, but the lonely rich man doesn’t. Even if the lonely rich man lives for 2000 years, but cannot enjoy the gifts of God through Christ—the stillborn child is better off than he.

Beeke: “Long life and many children would appear to be good, but death at birth would be preferable to a life without satisfaction or children who did not care for [him at the end of his life].”

Our Lord and Saviour adds:

Luke 9:25 ESV

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

These pictures hurt us inside—and they are meant to. It’s part of the image of God in our souls. Our emotional response to the horrors of hebel, of the brokenness of this fallen world, of the ugliness of sin and death should put a hole in our stomachs. And we must repent of the sins described here that also poison of own hearts, families, and lives.

(1) Lonely Wealth and Sorrows are Heavy Burdens on Mankind.

This brings us to our second point:

(2) Covetous Toiling and Wandering are Heavy Burdens on Mankind - v. 7-9

Ecclesiastes 6:7–9 ESV

All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

(2) Covetous Toiling and Wandering are Heavy Burdens on Mankind - v. 7-9

From powerful stories that drives home the grievous evil of hebel—Solomon now turns the focus inward into the problems of our own hearts—the love of stuff over the love of God. He begins:

7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.

We wake up, and we make breakfast. We go on a bit through the day, and we make lunch. We go on a bit further, and we have dinner. And we work so we can put food in our pantry and fridge and freezer. We toil and strive with the sweat of the brow so that our mouth can be filled with food and drink for nourishment and cravings, to quiet our rumbling stomachs and eager appetite. Yet, says Solomon, after all our work—our appetite is not satisfied. We get up the next day in the cycles of hebel, and we do it all again—without fullness, without satisfaction, without contentment.

Proverbs 16:26 ESV

A worker’s appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on.

And so our mouth urges us on, with our unsatisfied appetites. I think Solomon is using this for a picture of wholistic covetousness in our lives. We go on through endless motions of never ending hunger for more and more and more. Our appetite is never satisfied. And this burden of hebel weighs heavy upon the children of mankind. Not only are our bodies never satisfied—but neither are our souls, when we seek to find rest in anything outside of Jesus Christ and his Gospel of Grace and Salvation. As St. Augustine put it so long ago: “Our hearts are restless, until they rest in thee”. And so it is—yet in our flesh we continue to follow our wordly appetites, failing to find rest and peace in our great God and Saviour. And so Solomon now illustrates this further with wise and foolish men, and virtue shining from a poor man:

8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living?

Does wisdom free us from this covetous longing and unsatisfied appetite? No. He has no advantage over the fool. The PhD in Pagan Philosophy doesn’t cause the stomach to cease its grumbling. Human wisdom does not alleviate spiritual longings.

However, the poor person typically knows that he doesn’t live for more and more, but just to get by. The poor person typically has gratitude for provision and a contentment with very little. He knows how to conduct himself before the living. And the poor man rebukes the middle-class man who is on a never-ending journey to fill an infinite and eternal hole with finite and temporal things. The poor man knows better than the wise fools who live for bigger and better.

Becca and I live right down from a salvation army, and not to far from the care-hub. The other day I saw a homeless man on my street who was cold and hungry, and it was getting dark. So I went to talk to him, to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to him, and to offer him some warm stew. After offering him some dinner his first reaction was no, I’m okay‚I’m fine, I’ll get by. But I insisted, and eventually he agreed to have a meal, and to hear of the message of salvation in Jesus.

Why do I tell this story? To encourage you all to care for the poor? Yes, this is pure religion. But I bring this up to illustrate that the poor, who are used to being hungry, have learned to be content with little. This is what Solomon is saying here: It is better to be grateful with little, than covetous for much. Or as Jeremiah Burroughs once said: The secret to Christian contentment is not adding more, but subtracting less. And so Solomon concludes this section by saying:

9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

It is better to be satisfied in God’s sovereign provision, than to be constantly wandering with a covetous appetite. It is better to be satisfied with God’s good gifts that we have, than to constantly be reaching toward heaven for more and more. This covetous wandering is a vain vapor, a fleeting pursuit, a striving after the wind, a vexation of the spirit.

To the contrary we ought to be satisfied in the good gifts of God, with faith in Christ, and generous love in our hearts—to live the good life of godliness and happiness in this world of suffering and sin—because we have been freed from our sin by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 1:15 ESV

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

With faith in Christ, and repentance toward God—we seek to love him who has saved us from our sins:

1 Timothy 6:6–7 ESV

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

We need to constantly be on guard against the cancerous sin of covetousness in our own hearts—and we must kill it day by day, by the Word and Spirit of God, as we take up our cross, follow Jesus, and seek first His Kingdom:

“Bridges: [In Pilgrim’s Progress]—When the pilgrims passed through Vanity Fair, it was only the earnest cry, ‘turn away mine eyes from beholding Vanity’, that could maintain their singleness of purpose, and repress the constant wandering of the desire. And this must be our prayer every day, all the day. We cannot, we must not, forget it! ‘Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding Vanity’ (Ps. 119:37).

And so we cry—Lord free us from covetous toiling and unsatisfied wandering of our bodies and souls for worldly vanity and vapor—and grant us grace to rest satisfied in our Beloved Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

(2) Covetous Toiling and Wandering are Heavy Burdens on Mankind - v. 7-9

This brings us to our third and last of our main points:

(3) Empty Words and Knowledge are Heavy Burdens on Mankind - v. 10-12

Ecclesiastes 6:10–12 ESV

Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?

(3) Empty Words and Knowledge are Heavy Burdens on Mankind - v. 10-12

In his last paragraph in this chapter of Ecclesiastes, Solomon now turns to the reality that covetous hearts lead to rebellious spirits that seek to argue with their Maker through vain words of sinful foolishness. Firstly Solomon humbled us in our creaturely smallness in light of God’s sovereign omnipotence:

10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he.

All that exists comes into being because of God’s creative power, and sovereign decree. He makes all things beautiful in their time. From life to death, from love to hate, from work to rest—God is in control of every season under the sun, and names it with meaning, with the stroke of the Divine Artist and his beautiful portrait of history—which climaxes in the fullness of time in Jesus Christ, and is looking forward to the second coming of our Messiah. Whatever has come to be has been named by divine providence. And thus, Solomon adds, it is known what man is, this creature of the dust, this finite worm, this covetous monster—and he is not able to dispute with One Stronger than he.

Oh what an arrogant thing it is for a human being, God’s creature, to rail his fist at man’s Creator. Or more subtlety, what a prideful thing it is to try and dispute with the Words of Almighty God—adding or taking away from their sufficient guidance for faith and obedience. Twisting the Scriptures to fit out own preconceived notions. Warping the Word to conform to our passions and ideologies. Merging pagan philosophy with Christian theology.

In the Book of Job, Job’s friends tried to convince Job to dispute with God—and Job said:

Job 9:32 ESV

For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together.

God is not on Trial—we are. And the Lord our Maker: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—our Creator and Sustainer—He rebukes us for contending with Him and His Word, with trying to dispute the clear teachings of His revelation.

Isaiah 45:9 ESV

“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’?

When mankind in our autonomous pride tries to dispute with the Word of God Almighty, we are attempting a vain and sinful task. Instead of taking every thought captive to obey Christ and his Word—we are taking the Word captive to obey our own reason and philosophy. Disputing with the Almighty is a Grievous Evil. Jesus says: “For the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God … teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:6; 9). Paul says: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Col. 2:8). Oh to live by every Word that comes from the mouth of God in Holy Scripture—and to crush any spirit of argument against the Holy One of Israel.

I must, we must together, repent for such a heart-posture. And when we try to cover up our rejection of the clear teachings of Scripture, we are adding vanity to vanity—sin upon sin.

Proverbs 21:30 ESV

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.

11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man?

The more words to our suppression of the truth, the more words to our rejection of the truth, the more words to our skewing of the truth—the more vanity that is spilling over in our souls. What advantage is this to man? None. It only increases vanity and causes wrath to come upon us. Oh to be like those described in the Prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 66:2 ESV

All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Oh that we would not dispute with the Word of God, but rightly divide it, rightly understand it, rightly cherish it, rightly enjoy it, and rightly apply it to our lives by God’s grace. That we might be marked by a humble dependence and delight upon the Holy Scriptures:

Proverbs 2:1–5 ESV

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

We cannot dispute with God, with One with is Stronger than Man—infinitely Stronger—with omnipotent Jehovah. So let us receive, treasure, attend to, incline to, pray over, seek and search for the riches of the knowledge of God in Scripture—and only then will we understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

“Bridges: [We must] learn the lesson of humble submission. Take thy proper place—laying thine hand on thy mouth, and thy mouth in the dust. To contend is to add madness to folly. To submit is thy security and thy rest”

Oh to continue striving against the light of God’s revelation—is to increase the burden of hebel upon our shoulders, and it leads to a lack of godly knowledge and hope:

12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?

Calvary, let us live by our name. We are Calvary Bible Church. We are people of the Book! Is the Book flowing through our veins? Is the Book filling our meditations? Is the Book sweet to our souls? Is the Book our authority in faith and practice? Is the Book our treasure and prize. Let us be those who bleed Bibline—as it was said of John Bunyan so long ago—that the Sword of the Spirit might be sharp for use in the Mission of Christ—that we might be hold fast to the Word of Truth—that we might shine God’s Light in this dark world.

Solomon says our days are few, they are a vapor, they are like a shadow—we are creatures—dying ones at that. So let us be filled with the Word and Spirit of God, so that we don’t waste our breath—so that we come to enjoy God’s good gifts—so that we live valiantly for his Kingdom. Oh that we together might be a living sermon of Christian Maturity and Holy Usefulness in God’s House:

Ephesians 4:14–16 ESV

so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Let us not dispute with the All-Powerful-God—let us humbly submit, joyfully receive, and happily live by the living and active Word of Truth. Every thing else is a vain pursuit.

(3) Empty Words and Knowledge are Heavy Burdens on Mankind - v. 10-12

This takes us to our conclusion for this morning:

(C) Heavy Burdens on Mankind can only be Relieved by Resting in Jesus and Hoping in Glory

Hear now the Free Offer of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that your heavy burdens might be relieved by grace alone:

Isaiah 55:6–9 ESV

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

“Matthew Henry says: Our life upon earth is to be reckoned by days. It is fleeting and uncertain, and with little in it to be fond of, or to be depended on. Let us return to God, trust in his mercy through Jesus Christ, and submit to his will. Then soon shall we glide through this vexatious world, and find ourselves in that happy place, where there is fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore.”

Matthew 11:28–30 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Through faith and repentance—turning from sin and trusting in Jesus—resting in Him, and receiving His promises—by coming to Jesus, like Pilgrim in Bunyan’s Story—the burden of our guilt and shame, the burden of our pseudo-wisdom and knowledge, the burden of our sin and sorrow is removed by his precious blood, and we are granted the living hope of salvation, peace with God, and a new world where thorns and thistles, covetous hearts and death, where folly and destruction—where all such things are forever banished. And we shall reign forever and ever with the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you know Him? Are you trust in Him alone? Are you relying on His Word alone? Then take heart, your sins are forgiven—and your foundation is unshakeable:

Matthew 7:24–25 ESV

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Praise God for Jesus Christ—the Saviour of the World—the Redeemer of God’s Elect—the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Let us build our house upon the Rock—and let us rest in the hope of glory, for this rock can withstand every ounce of hell that is thrown against it. And on that last day, when Jesus returns—the full weight of hebel will fall from our shoulders, to never again weigh us down. Praise God for the blood of the Lamb.

(C) Heavy Burdens on Mankind can only be Relieved by Resting in Jesus and Hoping in Glory

Amen, let’s pray.

Discussion Questions:

(1) Why can’t wealth, possessions, and honor be truly enjoyed by the unbeliever? Why doesn’t he have the power to enjoy them?

(2) Why does Solomon say that a stillborn child is better off than a lonely and rich unbeliever?

(3) Why is contentment with the gifts of God better than the wandering of the appetite in covetousness?

(4) Why is it a vain pursuit to try and dispute with the Word of the Almighty God? What does humble submission to the Word look like in practical terms?

(5) Why is Resting in Jesus and the Hope of Glory the only way for these Heavy Burdens to be Relieved?