Part 3 of 3
We are continuing our study of Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12. This passage can be divided into seven smaller sections. We’ve already looked at the first six. In this article, we will consider the final section and then end with three concluding thoughts.
The final and seventh section is from 6:10-12. Here we are taught that life under the sun is nothing but futility, emptiness and uncertainty.
“That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?”
The preacher basically says three things from the under-the-sun perspective. First, man is limited and has no power or control over his life, thus it is useless to argue or contend with Him who is mightier than him, even God. Second, there are many things or many words that increase meaninglessness and thus there is no benefit in saying a lot. Third, no one really knows what is good in life and no one can tell what will happen to a man after he dies.
As we conclude our study of this passage, I’ll like to draw our attention to three important truths.
Three Important Truths
First, we have seen again and again that riches and wealth do not satisfy. They do not satisfy because they cannot satisfy. The man who loves riches and material things will never be content with what he already has, no matter how much he has. What he has is never enough.
It is like a man who keeps eating and drinking but the food and water never get to his stomach because there is a hole in his food pipe, and thus his hunger is never satisfied and his thirst is never quenched, and eventually, he dies.
Furthermore, as we have seen, the increase in wealth and other material things often brings with it an increase in liabilities and an increase in worries and anxieties and a sense of insecurity, so much so that such a person is unable to sleep well or have peace in his heart.
Let us remind ourselves again and again that wealth and riches and material things do not satisfy because they cannot satisfy us. And let us ask ourselves each day where we find our contentment and joy in life.
Is it found in the next video game or movie or book or magazine? Is it found in getting the next piece of clothing or shoe or toy or vacation or outing or paycheck or bonus or gadget or car or house or job and so on? Where is your joy and contentment truly found? I think it’s helpful, before we buy or receive or do anything, to ask ourselves whether we expect to find final contentment in that thing that we’re about to get or do. If it is, then we will be sorely disappointed. But if it isn’t, then where and when will we find the contentment that we are seeking?
Remember again that God created us for Himself. It is only in Him and in His Son Jesus Christ that we may have what our souls truly long and look for. Only in seeking Christ will we find joy, contentment and satisfaction.
The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”
Second, we are reminded that wealth is not permanent. We can lose our wealth suddenly in some accident or disaster or misfortune. Or even if we can hold on to our riches until the day we die, we will not be able to carry a single bit of it with us after we die. Naked came we into this world and naked shall we leave. Wealth is not permanent or secure so why seek it and why try to hold on so tightly to it? In verse 13, Solomon speaks of the hoarder or the man who kept back his riches for himself to his own hurt.
Here, I’ll like to very briefly say something about hoarding and saving. We must be careful to distinguish between the two. It is true that the line between hoarding and saving can sometimes be quite fine. The hoarder will almost certainly tell you that he is saving or that he is being prudent and conservative about his assets.
So how do we differentiate between the two? Well, we need to be clear in our minds about the purpose of keeping or holding back. From a godly perspective, saving is never an end in itself but always a means to an end, namely, the provision for real but future needs. God gives us wealth not so that we can hoard it all up for ourselves. He requires us to be good stewards of all our resources: to use them for His glory and for the good of His people and the advance of His kingdom. We need to be careful not just about how we spend but also about how we save.
Saving for long-term provision is one aspect of godly stewardship. But that is very different from keeping back wealth merely for selfish purposes or so that we have something we can put our trust in. Saving has definite God-honouring goals. What is in view is the proper channelling and not the immobilization of our resources. The hoarder serves only his own purposes, whereas the biblical saver serves the Lord! The hoarder locks up the resources and wealth that ultimately belong to God. He keeps them from God and thus from their true purpose.
Perhaps it is helpful for all of us to take stock of our lives and to see whether we’re worldly hoarders of our wealth or whether we’re godly savers in the service of the Lord. Remember again that we are called by Christ to store up treasures in heaven above and not on this earth below.
The third and final thing I’ll like to highlight is that life is meant to be enjoyed as a gift from God. Rather than pursuing after wealth, we are meant to enjoy life as a gift from God.
God is the One who gives us our days. He is the One who gives us wealth and riches and food and drink, together with the ability to enjoy these things. God is the One who gives us joy and happiness in our work. All good gifts come from Him.
Unless we view all these things as gifts from God and enjoy them as such, we are in danger of becoming like the world – ungrateful and discontent with what we have.
Now there is certainly nothing wrong with deriving satisfaction from say the work that we do or the food that we eat. But we must never use these things in such a way that God is forgotten or replaced, which would be idolatry.
Remember that full and ultimate satisfaction is to be found only in the Son of God. May the Lord grant that we may all have a right perspective as well as a right use of the riches and wealth that God has entrusted to us. Jesus said, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15)
I conclude with these helpful comments by Sidney Greidanus on this passage, “Spending our life pursuing wealth is not only a waster of our brief time on earth but will lead to certain disaster. Instead we ought to focus our lives on the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Then we can enjoy God’s gifts to us every day: food and drink, work and health, family and friends, forgiveness and salvation.” Amen.