Ecclesiastes 9: Meeting Your Last Enemy

Ecclesiastes 9: Meeting Your Last Enemy

●      Overview.

○      In his poem, “Graveyards”, the Poet Laureate of England - John Betjeman writes: “Oh, why do people waste their breath inventing dainty names for death?”   The Sociologist, Ernest Becker, also writes in his writing: “Denial of Death”, “that of all things that move man, one of his principal ones is his terror of death.

○      How often in our lives have we seen bereaving people who avoid such words or phrases as: “death”, “left us”, “went to sleep”, or “passed on”.   We as Christians know that upon death we “go to sleep” or “go home to our Savior”.   This reassurance should not let us make death any less real in our way of thinking or feeling.   The person who thinks lightly of death may fear death the most.   We should take life seriously, which means we should also take death seriously.

○      Solomon addresses death many times in Ecclesiastes.   Since death is a fact of life, we should be both prepared to live and die.   Solomon has examined many areas of life so that we might understand God’s way to living a satisfied life.   Until Jesus Christ returns and takes us to heaven, we must face this battlefield of life and be ready for a better land ahead.   (Ecclesiastes 1:4, 2:14-17, 3:18-20, 4:8, 5:15-16, 6:6, 8:8, 12:1-7, 2 Corinthians 5:1-8)

○      Solomon draws 2 conclusions in this chapter: (1) - death is unavoidable and (2) - Life is predictable.   Based upon Solomon’s findings, we should trust God, live by faith, and enjoy the blessings God has given us.

●      Verses.

○      Verses 9:1-10      Death is Unavoidable.

■      The reality of life is that death cannot be escaped when your time comes.   Death is not an appointment made by us, but an appointment set by God.    It is a destiny that nobody but God can change.   (Hebrews 9:27)

■      (Verse 1) -  Our lives are in the hands of God.   God knows our future whether it is blessings (“Love”) or sorrows (“Death”).   Solomon is not suggesting that we are passive actors in a cosmic script, that we are acting out an unchangeable script, and that we have an uncaring director.   As we have seen so far, Solomon has emphasized our freedom of discernment and decision.   Only God knows what the future holds for us and what will happen to us tomorrow based upon our decisions we make today.

■      (Verse 2) - “All share a common destiny.” means that all shall die.

●      After looking at this verse, one may ask the question, “If so, why bother to live a godly life?   After all we will die the same, whether we disobey or not, make or break promises, or make sacrifices or break them.”   We all share the same common destiny on this earth - death and the grave.   The one thing we do not share in common is our eternal destiny, for Christians who have trusted in Jesus Christ, so the last enemy has been defeated.   Unbelievers are not prepared and they cannot have the same confidence as we share.   (I Corinthians 15:26, Romans 6:23, John 11:25-26, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, I Corinthians 15:51-58)

■      How people deal with life reveals how they deal with death.   Solomon shows 3 possible responses that people may have towards the fear of death.

●      (1) - Escape - Verse 3 - The fact of death and the fear of death can bring out the best or worst in a person.   Most often it is the worst.   When death comes upon a family it often reveals problems instead of creating them.   When facing the death of others, we can be faced with our own death, something we may not be able to handle well.

○      People will often do almost anything to escape the reality of death rather than repent.   They will turn to addictions, spend money on useless things, or fight with relatives in order to keep at an arm's length away from the grim reaper.   They do not end the battle as the last enemy is still there.

○      We should have a positive attitude about death.   That confidence does not come from running away from the reality of death.   That confidence comes from turning away from our sin and trusting Jesus Christ to save us.

●      (2) - Endurance - (Verses 4 through 6) - When confronted with death, many people will shout out, “Let’s eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we will die.”   Most people will endure while they grit their teeth and square their shoulders, as they say, “Where’s there is life, there is hope.”

○      The Greek poet Theocritus wrote: “Console yourself, dear Battos.   Things may be better tomorrow.   While there’s life, there’s hope.   Only the dead have none.”

○      During Solomon’s days, dogs were despised.   Solomon does not want to discourage anyone from having hope, “Better to be a living dog than a dead lion.”   Here he is asking us to have some common sense along with our hope, unless we find it too late before we find ourselves grasping at false hope.

○      We need to keep in mind that one day we shall die.   As a Christian we have a living hope, not a dead hope.   We know that our Savior and Redeemer is alive and he has conquered death.   A hope that can be destroyed by death is a false hope.   (I Peter 1:3-5, 2 Timothy 1:10).

○      What Solomon wrote about the dead, can be reversed and applied to life.   The dead do not know what is happening on earth, but the living do know and they can respond to it.  The dead cannot do anything about their reputation, where the living can.   The dead cannot display emotions of love, hate, or envy, but the living can.

○      Solomon writes about the importance of seizing opportunities while we are alive rather than searching blindly for something better in the future, since death will end our opportunities here on earth.

○      The human body can provide a powerful drive for hope.   It has been said that “Hope is a physician's secret weapon and the hidden ingredient in prescriptions.  

○      We can endure in this life because of our hope.    When we live in “hope of hope”, it is a stumbling block to facing life honestly.   This kind of hope is hopeless, just like the patient who builds false hope from being optimistic, something that would prevent him from preparing for death.

○      Life is not always easy.   There is more to life than enduring.   There is the fact of death which we respond to.   The response is different for a Christian who trusts Jesus Christ as his Savior.

●      (3) - Enjoyment - (Verses 7 through 10) - Solomon writes: “Go thy way.”   This can be translated to say, “Don’t sit around and brood.   Get up and live.”   Death is coming, but God gives us good gifts to enjoy, so we should enjoy them.   (Ecclesiastes 2:21, 3:12-15, 3:22, 5:18-20, 8:15)

○      Solomon is not telling us to seek exotic pleasure in faraway places.   Here he lists some of the common experiences of home life: happy and leisurely meals, joyful family celebrations, a faithful and loving marriage, and hard work.   This is in contrast to our current cultures formula for happiness: addictive pursuit of everything new, a “live-in” relationship, taking shortcuts to help you avoid hard work but to help you get rich quickly.

○      In our current life, there are voices which are calling us to return to the traditional values of life.   Some people are getting tired of emptiness which is a result of living on substitutes.   They want something more than the right labels, the right names to use at the right places.   Like the Prodigal Son, we are learning that everything is important in life is back home.   (Luke 15:11-21)

■      In verses 5 and 10, Solomon states the dead know nothing and that there is no work, planning, or wisdom in death.    He is not contrasting life with the afterlife, but life with death after you die as you cannot change what you have done in this life.   Resurrection to a new life after death was a vague concept for Old Testament believers.   It was only made clear after Jesus rose from the dead.

■      In Verses 7 through 10, considering the uncertainties of the future and the certainty of death, Solomon recommends enjoying life as God’s gift.   Solomon may have been criticizing those who put off all present pleasures in order to accumulate wealth, much like those who get caught up in today’s rat race.   Solomon asks, “What is your wealth really worth anyway?”   Because the future is so uncertain, we should enjoy God’s gift while we are able.

●      Enjoying your meals - (Verse 7) - In Jewish times, the average family would begin the day with a light lunch (Brunch) between 10:00 am and Noon.   They didn’t eat together again until after sunset.   When their work was done for the day, they gathered together as a family for the main meal.   Their meals consisted of bread and wine, perhaps milk and cheese, a few fruits and vegetables that would be in season, and sometimes fish.   Meat was expensive and served on special occasions.   Meals were simple and something that provided nourishment for both the body and the soul.   Eating together for the breaking of the bread was a communal act of friendship and commitment.

○      King Solomon would sit down daily to a feast, but evidence does shows that he did not always enjoy it.   The most important part of any menu is family love.   Love can turn an ordinary meal into a banquet.   When a child would rather eat at a friend’s house instead of bringing a friend home to enjoy his mother’s cooking, it is a time to take notice of what is happening around the table.   (I Kings 4:22-23, Proverbs 15:17, Proverbs 17:1)

●      Enjoying every occasion - (Verse 8) - Life was difficult around the average home, but every family would know how to enjoy a wedding or a feast.   They would wear their white garments (a symbol of joy) and they would anoint themselves with expensive perfumes instead of olive oil.   Since these occasions were few, they would make the most of them.

○      Solomon’s advice in his writings, by using the word “always” was not meant to be taken literally.   Instead he wants us to make every occasion a special occasion, even if it is routine.   We should express our joy and happiness for not only celebrating a special occasion, but on all occasions.   (Philippians 4:4)

■      Jesus refers to this same thought when he mentions his disciples should be like little children.   (Mark 18:1-6)   A child who is not spoiled enjoys the simple activities in life, even the routine activities.   A pampered child must be entertained, in most cases by a variety of expensive amusements.   We can find enjoyment by making everyday things special, instead of searching for special things.

●      Enjoying your marriage - (Verse 9) - Solomon was not familiar with our “live-in relationships” or “trial marriages”.   He saw a wife as a gift from God.    He saw marriage as a commitment that lasts a lifetime.   No matter how hard life may be, great joy can be found in the home of a man and a woman who love each other and are faithful to their marriage vows.   Commitment is the foundation and bedrock of any genuine relationship.     (Proverbs 18:22, 19:14)

○      It is too bad Solomon did not live what he preached.   He forsook God’s design for marriage and he allowed his many wives to seduce him away from God.   Verse 9 could be Solomon’s confession, “Now I know better.”   (I Kings 11:1-8)

○      Solomon states how sad it would be to be married and not appreciate the enjoyment and companionship God has given you.

●      Enjoy your work - (Verse 10) - The Jewish look at work as stewardship to God, not as a curse.   Even the Rabbis learned a trade, even Paul was a Tentmaker.   (2 Thessalonians 3:10)

○      Solomon suggests we should do our best and to do so while we still have strength.   The day may come when you have to lay down your tools of the trade and leave them for someone younger and stronger.   (Colossians 3:17)

○      The things that make up Employment will not be present in the grave, so make the best of our opportunities now.   One day our works will be judged.   (I Corinthians 3:10, Colossians 3:23-25)

○      It is not difficult to think of cases where the swiftest or the strongest don’t always win, the wise go hungry, and the intelligent are not rewarded with wealth or honor.   Some people see such examples and they call life unfair and they are right.   The world is finite and sin has twisted life, making it what God did not intend.   Solomon is trying to seduce our expectations.   The Book of Proverbs emphasizes how life would go if everyone acted fairly; Ecclesiastes explains what usually happens in our sinful and imperfect world.   We must keep our perspective.   Don’t let the iniquities of life keep you from earnest dedicated work.   We serve God and not people.   (Colossians 3:23)

○      If we fear God, we will not try to escape or endure life.   We will live happily and receive it as a gift from God.

○      Verses 9:11-18      Life is Unpredictable.

■      In this section, Solomon changes his discussion from death and he begins to discuss life.   If death is unavoidable, the next best thing that we can do is focus on our strengths and concentrate on life.   Once death approaches, we can have the satisfaction of knowing we worked hard and accomplished some success.

■      Solomon poses the question that what happens in life can be unpredictable.

■      Our Abilities are no guarantee for success - (Verses 11 and 12) - Even though the fastest runner will run the race, the strongest soldiers will win the battles, and the smarter and more skillful workers will win the best jobs; it is also true that some of these people can fail due to factors that are out of their control.   The successful person knows how to use his time efficiently, but only God controls “time and chance”.

●      Solomon wrote earlier that God has a time for “everything has a purpose to be fulfilled in that time, and something beautiful will come out at the end.”   (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 8:6, 3:11)

●      The word “chance” means an occurrence or event.   It has nothing to do with gambling.   We might say, “I just happen to be in the right place at the right time.”   The ability had very little to do with it.

●      Christians do not depend upon “luck” or “chance” because their confidence comes from the loving providence of God.   Christians trust that God will guide them in making decisions.   Christians believe that God’s will is the best,

●      W

■      Our opportunities are no guarantee of success - (Verses 13 - 18) - In these verses, it is not clear how the wise man reacted: did he actually deliver the city or was he asked to save the city, but he declined to do so.   It is more likely that it was the second option as the Hebrew word used here can be translated to “could have”.   The small city was besieged because nobody paid attention to what the wise man said.   Verse 17 leads one to believe that an outspoken ruler got all of the attention as he led all the people to defeat.   The wise man spoke quietly and he was ignored.   The wise man had the opportunity for greatness, but he was frustrated by one loud and ignorant man.

●      In verses 13 through 18, we see our society honors wealth, attractiveness, and success above wisdom.   Yet wisdom is a greater asset than strength, although it is often unrecognized by the masses.   Even though it is more effective, wisdom is not always heard and wise people often go unheeded.   From this parable we can learn to be receptive to wisdom, no matter who it comes from.

●      One sinner destroys much good is a prevalent truth throughout the Bible.   It started with Adam, Achan sinned and he brought defeat to Israel’s army, David’s sin brought sin to Israel, and the revolt of David’s son - Absalom led the nation Israel into a civil war.

○      Conclusion.

■      Since death is unavoidable and life is unpredictable, the only course we can safely travel is yielding ourselves into God’s hand and walk by faith in his word.   We live by promises instead of expectations.   We don’t depend on luck, we trust in God’s divine providence in our lives, and we trust and obey God’s will.

■      Since Jesus Christ has conquered death, we need not live in the fear of the “last enemy” we should face.   Because Jesus Christ is alive, we live in him and life is no longer a “Vanity of vanities”.   (Revelation 1:17-18, I Corinthians 15:57-58)

■      Who knows when trouble will arrive and ruin our plans?   Just when you least expect it, we are like fish caught in a net or a bird caught in a trap.   Men can be snared in evil times by sudden events that they can’t control.   That is one reason why we should not boast.   (James 4:13-17)