Part 3 of 3
We have been looking at Ecclesiastes chapter 8 verse 14 to chapter 9 verse 10. We saw that in this section, the preacher, looking at life from an under-the-sun point of view, essentially gives three reasons why we should enjoy life while we can. First, because there is no justice in this life (8:14-15), second, because not even the wise know what the world is all about (8:16-17), and third, because death comes to all and death is the end of all (9:1-10).
As we conclude our study of this passage, I’ll like to briefly remind us of four important things about life from a scriptural point of view.
First, God will judge all men and render to every man according to his deeds. The rest of the Bible makes this abundantly clear. The judge of all the earth will do what is right. He will show no partiality or favouritism. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
Later on in the book of Ecclesiastes when the preacher switches back to the godly perspective of life, he writes in the very last verse, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
Second, we remember that life has meaning and purpose. There really is meaning and purpose to life. Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. And God has a purpose and plan for every single thing that takes place in history.
But here’s the important thing to take note of – that one will never come to the conclusion that man’s chief end is to glorify God and that all things in the universe are working according to a divine plan simply by human observation or investigation. No amount of research or study or reasoning will discover the meaning of life or what this world is all about. The preacher is right when he says that even the wise man cannot find it out. And this leads to much frustration and scepticism.
But as I mentioned in an earlier article, the solution or answer to this problem is the revelation of God’s word. Not simply a vague idea that God exists but the clear truths that God reveals about Himself and about us and about this world we are living in.
In particular, we need to know the truth of redemption in Jesus Christ because the only hope of escaping all the sin and misery of life is found in Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Third, it is true that death comes to all but it is not true that death is the final end of man. Physical death puts an end to man’s existence on this earth but it does not destroy the soul of man, which continues long after the body has decayed and decomposed.
Listen to the words of our Confession of Faith in chapter 32 paragraph 1, which summarize well the teaching of scripture on the state of men after death, and stand in sharp contrast to the under-the-sun perspective we have just considered.
It says, “The bodies of men, after death, return to dust and see corruption: but their souls (which neither die nor sleep) having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them: the soul of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God, in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies. And the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day…”
So it is not true that we are to enjoy life now because there is no justice or because there is no discoverable meaning to life or because death is the final end of all things.
But this brings us to a fourth and final thing we must take note of, namely, the enjoyment of life does not consists primarily in eating and drinking and making merry and in wearing fine clothing and in indulging in the luxuries of life and in having a wife etc. Rather, the enjoyment of life consists first in knowing and loving God, who made us for Himself, and in communing and walking with Him.
As Christians, we have to constantly guard against the temptation to think about enjoyment only in material and temporal terms. And we must guard against the worldly idea that we must always grab whatever earthly or physical opportunities we can get because we may not get the chance to do so again in future.
Back in the 1960s and 70s, there was a beer company in the USA that had an advertising tagline that went like this, “You only go around once in life so you’ve got to grab for all the gusto you can even in the beer you drink.” That is, in essence, what the preacher, adopting the under-the-sun perspective, is saying, especially in chapter 9 verse 10. But that is not the Christian or biblical approach to life.
Not grab for all the gusto you can, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. God’s kingdom and God’s glory must be the first consideration in all our decisions and choices. The apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
Brethren, we do not need to be afraid of losing out to others if we don’t grab all our opportunities right now. If there are things that we’ll never get to do or possess or experience in this life because of our faith and commitment to the Lord, then let it be and let not our hearts be troubled.
Our chief concern is to do what we’re called to do as unto the Lord knowing that of the Lord we shall receive the reward of the inheritance for we serve the Lord Christ (Col. 3:23-24).
But there is one thing that we do need to take hold of now and never let it slip, and that is the opportunity to seek the Lord while He may yet be found.
If you are still a stranger to Christ, would you not seek Him and His salvation while you still have life and breath, for once you die and leave this world, the opportunity to do so will forever be gone.
Jesus Himself warns us in Luke 13, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not…depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”
Would you not seek the Lord while He may be found and call upon him while He is near. The Lord Himself promises that all who do so will be saved and they will enjoy true, abundant, satisfying life forever. Amen.