In Ecclesiastes, Solomon uses the word, "elohim" for God. He uses this word 41 times. It is a little less personal than his use of the word, "Yahweh" or Jehovah for God that he used in Proverbs 86 times which was written in his middle age, a more respectful term. I think that Solomon was very disappointed in how all of his personal accomplishments, pursuit of and accumulation of things ended up being described as vanity. The term's usage here means emptiness. Solomon invested his life in pursuit of all of life's pleasures and he was empty. God did not love him as he did his father, David. Remember this as we start reading Chapter 7.
Verse 1: A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. 2: It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his heart. 3: Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4: The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5: It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6: For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: this also is vanity. Sounds a little rough, doesn't it? What virtues lie in a man's good name? Keeping his word, a little humility, not hanging out with the wrong people, a reasonable temperance and temperament, etc. To behave in such a way that our name is good in the eyes of others to our grave is better than foolishness.
Verse 7: Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. 8: Better is the end of a thing (the lesson) than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9: Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10: Say though not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely. Do you know any angry people? I was very angry at the times of my first divorce and the betrayals by both of my wives. It started to consume me. My life was failing. At one point, in therapy trying to understand my behaviors and sadness, some wise soul took me aside and whispered in confidence, "You can change the way to feel about these things." Really? It took awhile for that to sink in. I had been carrying this around with me for quite a long while. My anger was consuming me. Sure enough, it works. It took time, but it worked. Do you have one of those situations? Give it a try. It is the hardest things we live through that build our character and make us more valuable in this world. Don't let that anger destroy you or the time you carry it in your life, you can't get that time back.
Verse 11: Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. 12: For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. 13: Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked. 14: In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. Similar to Proverbs, Solomon's writing to this point states a man's good name at death is better than his birth. A visit to a place of mourning is better than a festive occasion. Sorrow builds one's character more than laughter. Influential people should not let it go to their head. Patience is necessary to see the success of a venture. Hold your temper, fools go in to rages, and this builds wisdom which puts one's life into perspective. Next Solomon elaborates a bit about what he has witnessed in his lifetime. It is quite compelling when you think about it.
Verse 15: All things I have seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. (Have you ever wondered why every good soul that comes to man to change things for the better gets killed?) 16: Be not righteous over much: neither make thy self over wise: why should thou destroyeth thyself? 17: Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish, why shouldeth thou die before thy time? 18: It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 19: Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city . 20: For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. In explaining the nature of man, the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 5: 17 - 18, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to another: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. but if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." We are in constant conflict as man, thought and spirit. Don't strive, like the Pharisees, to look righteous when you aren't. This bothered Jesus tremendously. Here, Solomon is not stating be a little good and bad. He is acknowledging our sinful nature against those who present themselves above others. Remember Oral Roberts statement that if we didn't send him a million dollars, God told him he would die? Jimmie Swagart? Jim and Tammy Faye? It goes on. It drives me up a wall.
Verse 21: Also take heed unto all words that are spoken lest thou hear thy servant curse thee. 22: For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. From here, Solomon makes some pretty fascinating statements about finding wisdom. 23: All this I have proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. (Don't deceive yourself) 24: That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25: I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even the foolishness and madness: 26: And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. (Remember 700 wives and 300 concubines?) 27: Behold, this I have found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: 28: Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among 1,000 have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found (really?). 29: Lo, this only have I found, that God that made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
I can barely stand this. Solomon has been miserably deluded in his searches. He is speaking with Godly sorrow. He alone who constantly aims to please God, can expect to escape, the careless sinner probably will fall to rise no more. He discovers more than ever the evil of the great sin of many women. The many women he loved led him astray from God and caused his fall from grace. All of those wives and concubines and he declares not one of them was wise? The Bible does not tell of his marriage to a Hebrew woman, though it seems impossible that he did not marry at least one. His only son mentioned, Rehoboam, was with a wife from Ammon. Oh, if you married a good woman, be very grateful. He warns us of the sins in which he was betrayed. All men fall short of the goodness God made him the image of. All men, all women. Do not delude yourself into thinking you are more righteous than others. We need to be so grateful that Jesus gives us forgiveness and opportunity to live as righteously as we are capable. One last observation upon this chapter for me is which of his wives could be expected to be devoted to a man with that many women at his command? Which of them might feel his desire for more than one night? I read that each of his wives would cook elaborate meals each night, hoping that he would come to them for dinner. Can you imagine? I cannot.
The Matthew Henry Concise Commentary and Bible Track were used in this blog.
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