Wisdom for Life (Part 1)
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Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
1 A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man;
the living should take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke
than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot,
so is the laughter of fools.
This too is meaningless.
7 Extortion turns a wise man into a fool,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”
For it is not wise to ask such questions.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
and benefits those who see the sun.
12 Wisdom is a shelter
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.
Introduction
Introduction
Solomon has been dealing with various issues that he perceives concerning life under the sun.
A key word is “Vanity” - everything in life is vanity, and meaningless.
But this morning he outlines a number practical proverbs concerning the living of a wise life in this world.
This morning we’re just going to consider some of these sayings of Solomon concerning wise living in the world.
1. Wisdom Gained Through Death (v.1-4)
1. Wisdom Gained Through Death (v.1-4)
1.1. Pursuing a Good Name
1.1. Pursuing a Good Name
As Solomon introduces his arguments this morning, he begins with two proverbs that are somewhat difficult to tie up, but which certainly belong together:
1 A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
The first proverb that he presents is that “A good name is better than fine perfume...”
Solomon is here expressing the fact that the name that a person has among others in this world is important.
He is speaking about being highly esteemed in the eyes of other people in the world, and the great benefit that this is.
When Solomon speaks here of the “name” of the person, he is not merely speaking about what they are called.
We should understand that the “name” of a person within the Hebrew culture referred to their person-hood.
It referred to who they were as a person in their entire character and nature.
Who were they known to be, and what did their actions and lifestyle say to others about who they were as a person.
Let us be clear, that every person in this world is developing a name for themselves, and will be known by others in some way or another.
Solomon declares here that a “Good Name” is “Better than sweet perfume”...
The word “Sweet perfume” here can be used also to refer to anointing oil.
This oil / Perfume that is spoken of was always very highly valued in that society.
Perfume was and is that which is a delight to the senses of people around it.
When a man or a woman has a sweet perfume on, it is a pleasing thing to those who smell that fragrance...
In that day and place, where there were dusty deserts, and the mode of transport was on foot or camels, rather than in air-conditioned motor vehicles, you can imagine that sweet perfume, fragrant oil, was a very welcome smell!!
One point we should add to this is that the sweet perfume that Solomon had in mind was not only a pleasant fragrance, but it was something very costly, something that had great value.
Solomon said it elsewhere with these words:
1 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
And so despite the great value of sweet perfume, and despite the great benenfit that the perfume is to the wearer and those around, a good name exceeds this in excellence.
As we just pause to apply this thought to ourselves, listen to the words of Philip Ryken:
“Qoheleth calls us to wear the cologne of good character. Consider, therefore, what kind of name you are making for yourself. When people think of you, what character traits come to mind? Are they the characteristics of Christ? To give just a few examples: Are you known more for being cheerful or for having a critical spirit? Do you have a reputation for speaking the absolute truth or for coming up with stories that are hard to believe? Are you generous with what you have, or do you err on the side of stinginess? Character is as character does, and sooner or later you will be known for the character you keep. Make a good name — not for yourself but for Jesus.” (Ryken, 150)
…the day of death better than the day of birth
This idea of a good name leads Solomon to speak of the “day of death” being better than “the day of birth.”
We could see these two proverbs as being linked in this way:
“As a good name is better than fine perfume, so the day of death is better than the day of birth...”
We’ve seen previously Solomon’s assertion that under certain circumstances, it is better to have passed on than to still be alive.
Last week we looked at Solomon’s words that if a man was not able to enjoy his prosperity and also a proper burial, then a stillborn child is better off than that man (Ecc 6:3)
He has argued that death allows an end to the sufferings and pains, the travails, and what appears to human eyes to be the unfairness of life in this world.
Solomon now again speaks of the day of death being better than the day of birth.
Certainly, he speaks here more particularly of that man, who in his death, indeed has a good name.
The Pulpit Commentary: Ecclesiastes Chapter 7
If a man’s life is such that he leaves a good name behind him, then the day of his departure is better than that of his birth, because in the latter he had nothing before him but labour, and trouble, and fear, and uncertainty
But we must keep in mind that this can only be fully true for the person who is in Christ.
For an unbeliever, their death may be better from a purely physical perspective, where the pains of this life are halted.
But for the believer, they not only have the pains of this life stopped, but the pains for eternity are washed away, and they have a future rest.
As we just take this a small step further, consider that the good name that Solomon speaks of, when we consider it from the broader perspective of Scripture, is a name that is developed through the growth in godliness of the Christian.
20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
It is in Christ that this fruit is brought forth.
It is in Christ that a truly good name is developed and built through the fruit of the Spirit.
And if this is the case, then that person, the Christian, the born-again believer, will be better off at death, than he was in this life.
Thomas Boston once wrote of the Christian...
“In the day of his birth he was born to die but in the day of his death he dies to live.” (A view of this and the other world, p.263).
The best day of life for the believer is in fact the day of their death, for it is at that moment that they enter into a new life that is glorious and joy-filled, with no more suffering or shame.
And we must ask ourselves, firstly, are we born again? Do we know Christ as our Saviour, having repented and believed.
But beyond that, for those who know and love Christ, are we developing a good name through living in a Christ-like manner, and growing in holiness, bearing much fruit?
8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
1.2. The Benefits of Mourning (vv.2-4)
1.2. The Benefits of Mourning (vv.2-4)
With that assertion, and with the perspective of death still in the mind of Solomon, he goes on to convey 3 further proverbs concerning the benefits of death.
Firstly, in verse 2, he says...
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man;
the living should take this to heart.
Solomon is here looking at life under the sun, and considering the ways of man in this world.
Based on his observations of the world and life, he comes to some conclusions, and these conclusions are certainly most contrary to normal human thinking!
He states outright that it is better to go to a house of mourning.
The house of mourning speaks of nothing other than the house where a loved one has passed away, and those who live there are grieving the loss of a loved one.
In that house of mourning is a very sad, sorry and somber atmosphere.
On this past Thursday, I received the news that a young man who would often attend our church, was home from the hospital, but not in a good way.
I went out to go and visit him, expecting that he probably wouldn’t live much longer.
By the time I reached him, he had just passed away.
Even though this was the passing of someone that was anticipated, and anticipated well in advance, it was a sobering moment, and one in which the tears of loved ones around flowed.
In the house of mourning, there is scarcely a person present who will think in that moment that they are in a better place than is the person who is in the house of feasting and celebration.
And yet, according to Solomon, there is great benefit to this situation. .
Surely the benefit that Solomon is speaking of here is the deep awareness of the frailty and the brevity of life.
It is in such a moment that each of us comes to the realisation that our lives are not forever.
If you’re in the house of feasting, all you can think about is delighting in the present moment, enjoying the pleasures of this life.
If you’re in the house of feasting, you care very little for the fact that life is so short.
But come to the house of mourning, and you will be brought face to face with the reality that your life truly is a vapour.
When my own mom passed away in January this year, as I considered all of the memories from a lifetime of a mother caring for me, I had to say indeed, life is short.
Death surprises one, shocks one, but therein is the hand of God to bring us to remember that we are but a vapour.
Our lives are a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow!
Solomon continues...
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
To be filled with sorrow in the face of death, is better than to be filled with laughter, and so to forget your place before God, and in light of eternity.
Now, let us be clear, and remember that it is not as if there is no place for joy and laughter in life.
The Scriptures always speak positively about godly joy and rejoicing.
For Solomon thus to be speaking about sorrow being better than laughter, it must be understood as that which brings great benefit to a person.
“A sad face,” says Solomon, “is good for the heart”.
When our faces are downcast, very often this brings us to a point of brokenness and a point in which we are no longer self-centered.
Pride is a great sin that puffs us up, and we very often see ourselves as self-sufficient, and able to rule and be master over our own lives, as if we don’t need to give an account to God.
This is a dangerous place to be.
When hardships and trials come, we have the opportunity to refocus our minds and hearts towards humility and a deep recognition of our need for God.
Thus Solomon continues...
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
It is in the house of mourning that we truly gain wise perspective in life.
It is in the times of friction, difficulty and trial that we find our greatest growth, particularly as those who love Christ.
While the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, so the heart of a fool is in the house of pleasure.
This is where a person is in a place full of rejoicing and fun and seeking pleasures to satisfy their carnal desires.
Their life is driven by pleasures, particularly pleasures outside of God
James warns of this in James 4, asking “what causes quarrels and fights among you...” etc.
Essentially, he argues that these quarrels and fights are due to selfishness, and pride of heart, and then he gives these words of warning:
9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Have we humbled ourselves, our lives, our entire being, to the Lord?
Having spoken to this aspect of the benefits of a good name, as well as the benefits of mourning at the loss of life, Solomon moves on to speak of some aspects relating to the gaining or losing of wisdom.
How is it that we may live wisely in order to obtain for ourselves a good name, so that at our passing, our lives will celebrated for the people that we were known to be?
One way is through wise rebuke.
2. Wisdom Gained Through Rebuke
2. Wisdom Gained Through Rebuke
5 It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke
than to listen to the song of fools.
Here is another “better/ than” statement.
The comparison here is between something that is difficult to hear over against something that is pleasant to hear.
A song (music) is something pleasing to our ears, something that we love to hear.
But while this may be so, if the song is that of a fool, however pleasing it may be to our ears, it will be of no benefit to us.
In fact it will be to our detriment.
What is of benefit to us on the other hand, and that which we should prefer and seek after, is the rebuke from a wise man.
No one really likes a rebuke.
This has been true through all of history in the world, and I think it is most certainly true of people in our own day.
How many memes don’t we see today of people being “offended” - not even by a rebuke, but by a different opinion or view on something.
Within that cultural climate of being easily offended, we as Christians would do very well to heed Solomon’s words here.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another.
Wisdom would lead us as God’s people to be able to receive the rebuke of a wise man.
In fact, we really ought to surround ourselves with such people who are prepared to speak to us (lovingly and graciously, but certainly also forthrightly and honestly) about where we are dishonouring Christ in our lives, and how we may grow, and learn to honour Christ better.
We must ask ourselves, are we able to receive a wise man’s rebuke?
Solomon goes on to say...
6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot,
so is the laughter of fools.
This too is meaningless.
The picture that Solomon uses is that of the branches of a thorn tree used to start a fire.
The sound of thorns crackling, suggests Solomon, is like the sound of the fools cackling.
But we must remember that thorns, having been lit, let off a glow and noise, but soon fizzle out and die.
They are burned up, with no further use for them.
So it is that the laughter of fools last but for a moment, and then the fool will come to their destruction.
What point is it then to live a life only of meaningless joy and laughter, all the while forgetting about God?
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
I would ask you the question this morning, do you see your own growth in holiness and godliness is so important to you, that you are prepared to forego the temporary and meaningless pleasures and indulgences of life, and rather surround yourself with godly people with the express purpose of growing together in holiness, even if that process is difficult and sometimes uncomfortable?
Part of our disciplined life towards godliness must involve surrounding ourselves with those wise, mature believers, who will speak the truth to us.
If we truly want to develop that good reputation for ourselves, then we must do this dear friends.
Oh, that we would put away the spiritual apathy that pervades so much of our lives, and that we would be a people passionate for Christ, a people passionate for Christ-likeness and holiness.
… that we would set our hearts and our eyes on the goal towards which we strive as Christians, and that we would labour onwards towards maturity being strengthened by the Spirit of God at work in our hearts.
Do you pray for that?
Do you plead with God for that in your own life?
3. Wisdom Lost Through Corruption (vv.7-10)
3. Wisdom Lost Through Corruption (vv.7-10)
As Solomon continues, he presents some warnings to his learners of those things which would ensnare them, and lead them away from this wise life, away from the building of good character, and would lead them towards foolishness...
7 Extortion turns a wise man into a fool,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
This verse speaks of a person who once was wise, and once was good, but has become corrupt as a result of giving into evil.
The word “Extortion” is actually one which can mean oppression / brutality.
It speaks of something taken away by force, unjust gain etc.
The reality is that if you start utilizing undue force in order to take things from another person, you become a fool.
Furthermore, when a bribe is accepted, it leads the heart to become corrupt.
When we engage in sinful practices, we lead our hearts to desire that which is wrong, and that desire grows in intensity.
That is why we must guard the heart - Prov. 4:23…
Bribery is an evil that is rampant in our society.
In fact, all around us, we find that bribes are solicited day after day.
If we haven’t been bribed ourselves, then we probably know someone who has been.
Just think about the discussions about state capture going on…
But if we consider the state of things, how we should weep as Christians at the current state of things.
Bribery corrupts the hearts of people, and perverts the course of justice.
Sadly, very often Christians are becoming immune to this way of working.
Or perhaps, they even indulge in it themselves, because you will get nowhere unless you pay a bribe.
But we should never do it, friends.
Solomon then goes on to deal with another issue that tends to foolishness:
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride.
The “End” that is being spoken about here is not so much the finish, but rather the outcome - that which has been achieved.
What Solomon is arguing here is that in the middle of a situation, particularly a very trying situation, the outcome is usually unknown to us, but we are to patiently endure that situation, rather than to become proud, and so question God.
One obvious biblical example of this is Joseph, who was sold into slavery.
As he was sold as a slave (the beginning of the matter) he would most certainly not have known or understood what may come of the situation.
In fact, he may very well have become despondent and disheartened.
But within that situation, there was an outcome that lay ahead, a providential working of the hand of God, such that as he endured the trials that he faced, as he endured the unjust treatment and the lies brought against him, he was being prepared for something very significant in terms of the deliverance of God’s people.
So, the same can be said of many different situations in Scripture....
And so it can be said of us, that the end of a matter is better than the beginning.
As we trust in God to work out his plans within every situation and context in our own lives, we may rest assured that the end has some special purpose to which God is working things out.
Romans 8:28-29 speaks of this.
But let us not think that every bad situation in this life is going to necessarily end in good in this life.
Rather, let us be convinced that as believers, God is using every situation and circumstance in our own lives to grow us in our Christ-likeness, until ultimately we are with Him in glory.
That is the true end towards which we strive as believers.
Pride will lead a person to question God, and to strive with God, because they cannot understand how these present circumstances can bring glory to God, or good to them.
Pride leads the person to question God, to question (and so doubt) His wisdom, to doubt His motives, to doubt His power to do good.
Patience, on the other hand, leads a person to humble submission to the working of God, so that they patiently endure the suffering marked out for them, knowing that God’s wisdom is greater than their wisdom; God’s ways are higher than their ways.
In verse 9, Solomon continues with these words...
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
To be quickly provoked is itself a demonstration of pride, and this ties directly in with the previous words.
Anger is that which is associated with a fool.
“Resides” - seems to speak of a person that is often angry, regularly angry, or has an angry disposition.
The person who is attempting to build for themselves a good reputation, a good name, is never going to do that through a residing anger in the lives, a disposition of being easily or quickly angered.
Certainly, this type of conduct is unbecoming of the person who is in Christ.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
And then in verse 10:
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”
For it is not wise to ask such questions.
Philip Ryken writes of this verse:
“If the temptation in verse 8 was pessimism about the future, the temptation here is nostalgia for the past.” (p.157)
How often do we not speak of, or hear people speaking of, “the good old days...”
Why do we speak like this?
We believe that what took place in the past is so different to what is happening in our days.
In the old days, the young people respected their elders.
The reality is the old days are not nearly as good as what we remember them to be.
And even if they were in some sense better, the way that the Lord is currently leading us is always for our ultimate good.
Think about the Israelites as they were taken out of slavery in Egypt.
As they wandered in the wilderness, in a time of testing, they longed for “the good old days” in Egypt, where they had good food to eat.
They forgot that life wasn’t nearly as wonderful as the picture they had created for themselves in their minds.
Furthermore, they lost sight of the promise that God had given them of a land of their own, and great and bountiful blessing to them.
Are we sometimes like that in our Christian life?
Longing for the past pleasures, ease of life, not having to think about others so much...
Friends, it is not wise to look back.
Rather, we are to wait expectantly for that which God has promised us in future.
4. The Benefits of Wisdom (vv.11-12)
4. The Benefits of Wisdom (vv.11-12)
Having given these warnings of those things which would lead a person towards foolishness, Solomon now turns to consider these benefits of wisdom...
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
and benefits those who see the sun.
Firstly, Solomon takes it for granted that an inheritance is a good thing.
In all this talk about the meaninglessness of accumulating or hoarding wealth, we may have been tempted to throw the baby out with the bathwater, and say that wealth or goods are intrinsically evil.
That’s not the case.
There is a place, and it is seen as good, for a person to slowly grow and develop something that can be handed down to their children as an inheritance.
That is not promised to you by God.
And it is certainly not to be your life goal and ambition… the desire to become rich.
It also always to be done honestly, and with godly integrity…
But an inheritance, to the child that receives it, is in fact a good thing.
It is a blessing when a child receives that inheritance!
In like manner, wisdom is a blessing, and it benefits the one who receives it, the one who obtains it.
Solomon goes on in verse 12...
12 Wisdom is a shelter
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.
Both money and wisdom are a shelter to the one who possesses them.
You will recall Proverbs 18:11...
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;
they imagine it an unscalable wall.
Well, it certainly is a fleeting shelter, but it is a shelter to those who have it, at least for some of the time that they have it.
It is the wealthy who are able to pay exorbitant fees to cunning legal practitioners to get them out of any situation.
Likewise, Solomon says, wisdom is a shelter.
If you just read the opening verses of the book of Proverbs, you get something of a sense of the protection that wisdom offers.
12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
Many other proverbs outline the great benefits of wisdom, and the protection that such wisdom brings.
But what is so important for us to see from this verse is that the advantage of “knowledge” (note how Solomon uses “knowledge” and “wisdom” interchangeably) is that knowledge / wisdom preserves life.
Wealth does not preserve life, but wisdom does.
Wealth will spread wings and fly away, but wisdom, if truly Godly and Biblical wisdom, will preserve the life of the person who has it.
The point is this, if you have to choose between obtaining wisdom and obtaining wealth, rather choose wisdom, as it will preserve your life.
But here is where we need to really examine ourselves, and see where our priorities are.
How much time and effort are we prepared to put into gaining wealth in this world?
And how much time and effort are we prepared to put into gaining wisdom through God’s word?
Application and Conclusion
Application and Conclusion
Friends, as we close, just a few remarks to orient our thinking and direction for the week ahead.
There is much desire within our hearts for happiness and carefree living within our days on this earth.
It is common, normal, for us to pursue such things to bring joy to our hearts. And again, not intrinsically wrong.
But we must, dear friends, we must at times slow our lives down and engage in some quiet reflection concerning the direction of our lives.
As we consider our lives, are building for ourselves a name, a reputation, that is highly regarded by all of those around us (and delightful in the sight of God) as our lives more and more reflect the grace, the goodness, the holiness, the purity, the heartfelt delight in God that marked our Saviour Jesus?
Are we growing in Christlikeness?
Are we devoted to a life of humble submission to our Lord, wherein it is our greatest, deepest desire to live godly lives in this world?
I pray that this would be your desire.
I pray that you would encourage me and those around you to have this desire.
That we would encourage one another to maintain, and increase this desire.
And not only that, but that we would take the word of Christ, and proclaim this word of Christ to one another so that we all, together, may be built up in our faith, to the glory and praise of God.
22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
May we be those who together are pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace...