Mortal Vanity

Introduction:

Recap:

vv 16-17) The problem of injustice

[16] There were many things that pained Solomon. One of which was injustice and wickedness. He found crookedness in the law courts where justice should have be dispensed and dishonesty in government circles where righteousness should be practiced.

One of the greatest problems in understanding the total plan of God is that reward and punishment seems to be absent.

This is a major problem, how often do we hear the argument of, “Why does God allow evil?” or “If God is good, why not punish evil?”

If man doesn’t have to reckon with eternity; if this life is all there is, then many of the wicked and evil people win and many good and righteous people lose. The idea of karma is ridiculous, because it doesn’t consistently work.

[17]These inequalities of life led Solomon to believe that there has to be a time when God will judge men, when the wrongs will be made right.

“I said in my heart:” Solomon hoped that he know God would judge the righteous and the wicked. He knew that wrongs needed to be made right.

His conclusion echoes the hearts of righteous men and women. Decency and fairness demand a time when accounts are settled and when the righteous is vindicated.

All of the problems Solomon is facing has been going on since Genesis chapter 3, and the fall of mankind. We see the effects of the fall extend to human relationships, Genesis 4, and thus in a fallen world one suffers outright injustice and wickedness at the hand of other human beings.

What makes this sad reality tolerable is that for us as believers is that there is a certainty that God will judge the righteous and the wicked.

God will execute final judgement:

Revelation 20:11–15 ESV

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

In the meantime though… we must endure with much injustice:

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

vv 18-21) A common fate

[18] In the closing verses of this chapter, the Preacher turns to the subject of death, ending all man’s best ambitions, endeavors, and pleasures. He views it exactly as we would if we did not have the Bible to enlighten us.

Notice that he introduces his views with, “I said in my heart.” It is again not a question of what God revealed to him but of what he concluded in his own mind. It is with his own reasoning under the sun.

Because of that this is not a passage from which we can build an adequate doctrine of death and the hereafter. Yet this is precisely what many of the false cults have done. They uses these verses to support their crazy teachings of soul-sleep and the annihilation of the wicked dead. Actually a careful study of the passage will show that Solomon was not advocating either of these views.

What Solomon is basically saying is that God tests man through their short life on earth to show him how frail and transient he is- just like animals.

[19]Verse 19 shows us that Solomon’s point isn’t that man is an animal. But in one respect, he has no advantage over animals. As death comes to animals… it comes to man too.

Both have breath, and at the time of death, that breath is cut off. So life is as empty for man as for the lower creation.

[20] All share a common end in the grave. All are created from dust, and to dust they shall go. Of course this assumes that the body is all there is to human life. But we know that this is not true. The body is only the tent in which the person lives.

[21] Solomon’s ignorance as to what happens at the time of death is clear by verse 21. This again cannot be taken as a doctrinal fact. It is human questioning, not divine certainty.

From the NT, we know that the spirit and soul of the believer go to be with Christ at the time of death as his body goes to the grave:

2 Corinthians 5:8 ESV

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Philippians 1:23 ESV

23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

The spirit and soul of the unbeliever goes to Hades, and his body goes to the grave:

Luke 16:22–23 ESV

22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

When Christ comes into the air, the bodies of those who have died in faith will be raise in glorified form and reunited with the spirit and soul.

Philippians 3:20–21 ESV

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 ESV

16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

The bodies of the unbelieving dead will be raised at the Great White Throne Judgement, reunited with the spirit and soul, then cast into the lake of fire

Animals have body and soul but no spirit (the ruack). This concept it speaking about the breath of God. Looking back at verse 19, Solomon doesn’t realize that there is a difference between mankind and animals. But man has a huge advantage over lower creation… We have been created in the image of God and also we have the ruack, the breath of God.

I know some of you are wondering what happens to your pets when the pass. Nothing is said in the Bible concerning life after death for your pets… yet (don’t write this in your bibles) God is a good God. If He can orchestrate the greatest redemption ever, He could allow your pet to be in heaven.

v 22) Peace under the sun

From what he knew about death, and also from what he didn’t know, Solomon figures that the best thing a man can do is enjoy his daily activities.

After all, that is his lot in life, and he might as well cooperate wit the inevitable. He should find satisfaction in accepting what cannot be changed. But above all, he should enjoy life as it comes to him, because no one can tell him what will happen on earth after he has passed on.

For the believer we have been given hope that there is life after death. To a degree we should enjoy the life God has given to us. But enjoying it in light of the God of the universe. We cannot and shouldn’t want to waste our lives.

4 vv 1-3) Oppression

v 1) Comfortless oppression

After brief flirtation with hope, Solomon once again turned to despair.

“Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn!” -Robert Burns

Compassion for the oppressed is common in the OT. Still to this day this is an issue.

Oppression of people by a king:

Proverbs 28:16 ESV

16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

Oppression of a servant by his master:

Deuteronomy 24:14 ESV

14 “You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.

Oppression of the poor by the affluent:

Proverbs 22:16 ESV

16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

Oppression by the poor by the bureaucratic:

Ecclesiastes 5:8 ESV

8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.

Oppression of the poor by others like them:

Proverbs 28:3 ESV

3 A poor man who oppresses the poor is a beating rain that leaves no food.

Oppression of the alien, the fatherless, and the widow:

Jeremiah 7:6 ESV

6 if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm,

Ezekiel 22:7 ESV

7 Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you.

Zechariah 7:10 ESV

10 do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”

Oppression by charging high interest:

Ezekiel 22:12 ESV

12 In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but me you have forgotten, declares the Lord God.

Oppression by using false weights and measures:

Hosea 12:7 ESV

7 A merchant, in whose hands are false balances, he loves to oppress.

It tormented Solomon. He was grieved to see the tears of the oppressed, the power of their oppressors, and the failure of anyone to defend them.

vv 2-3) Mankind is better off dead

[2] In his dejection, Solomon concluded that the dead are better off than the living. To him, death provided welcome escape from all the persecutions and the cruelties of this life. He was not concerned at the moment with the deeper implications of death- that a person who dies in unbelief is doomed to more severe sufferings than the worst oppression on earth. For him the question was not, “is there life after death?”, but rather, “is there life after birth?”

[3] Solomon’s cynicism touched bottom with the observation that though the dead are better off than the living, the unborn are still more enviable. They have never lived to be driven mad by oppressions under the sun. They have never had to endure “the ghastly mockery of happiness called life.”

There is nothing sadder in the whole book than the wistful glances in these two verses. Jesus Himself said there was one man for whom it would have been better if he had never been born: Judas (Matt 26:24)

Solomon’s despair over the injustice of oppression in an under the sun premise shows the moral necessity of an afterlife and a coming judgement. Jesus told us that it is those who oppress and misuse their power who will ultimately endure punishment, not their victims:

Matthew 18:6–7 ESV

6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!

vv 4-16) Bittersweet accomplishments

vv 4-6) Success leads to envy

[4] Solomon is really upset over the fact that human activity and skill are motivated by the desire to outdo one another. A modern cynic has written, “Ive tried everything that life has to offer, but all i see is one guy trying to outdo another in a futile attempt at happiness.”

[5] Solomon answered the tendency for those envious of the success of other to be lazy. Like fools, they fold their hands and do nothing- and so waste away. Yet it wasn’t the success of their neighbor that made them waste away; the foolish, lazy man consumes himself.

[6]Solomon reflects on the value of contentment. It is better to have less and be content than to have more and constantly be grasping for further success.

vv 7-8) Success without a heir

There is another kind of vanity that blew the Preacher’s mind. It was the mindless craze of the man who is alone, to keep working and accumulating wealth. Has no heir, brother, close relatives. He already has more money than he will ever need. Yet he wears himself out day after day and denies himself the simple amenities of life.

“The lust of gold, unfeeling and remorseless, is the last corruption of degenerate man.” -Samuel Johnson (poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, editor)

For the believer it is different. You might not have any children but you can still pass on your riches to another in the form of being obedient to the Gospel.

vv 9-12) Accomplishments are vain without a friend.

[9] Solomon thought how even in an under the sun world, living alone made life worse. He continues to develop the same idea, noting that two are better than one and will begin to state the reasons why this is true.

[10] When two work and live together they can help each other in difficult times. Solomon looking for a world solution saw how vital having someone else is.

[11]You see when tow work and live together they can bring comfort to the lives of each other.

[12] As verse 12 teaches us also is that work and living together, gives a person security and safety.

What these four verses show us is the great value of human relationships, the two are better than one. Living and working together is a great advantage to living and working alone, and adds these four things to life:

Productivity (They have a good reward for their toil)

Help in need (For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow)

Comfort in life (They keep warm)

Safety and security (two will withstand him)

“A threefold cord is not quickly broken:” Solomon gives a fascinating final line to this section dealing with companionship. You will typically hear this passage used a lot in wedding ceremonies. The bride, groom, and God. Remember Solomon has no interest and is not speaking here of God being that third strand. He is just trying to get across that the more the merrier.

For the Christian it is true that we need to weave God into every relationship that we have. Because without Him we will be doomed.

vv 13-16) Vanity of fame

[13] Solomon beings this section with a proverbs, observing that it is better to be poor and wise and even young than to be old, foolish and have great wealth and status.

The follies and vanities of life are not confined to the lowly; they apply to kings also. Solomon describes a king who overcame poverty and a prison record in his rise to the throne; yet now when he is old, he is unadvisable.

Solomon thinks it would be better to have a young man who is teachable, even though poor, to reign in his place.

Solomon I think can probably relate to this having god given wisdom. He probably saw this in his father too, King David. His son will also fail in like.

There is a fickleness in craving for fame. The world’s highest honors are meaningless… vanity. Like trying to grasp after the wind.

He has reached a pinnacle of human glory, only to be stranded there. It is yet another of our human anticlimaxes and ultimately empty achievements.

Yet we get to marvel at the beautiful redemption that Jesus brings to those who are born again.

Numbers 6:24–26 ESV

24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.