Chapter Nine

Solomon sees in hind sight that enjoying life as God's gift is central to living your life. Our world is finite. Sin has twisted life making it something other than what God intended it to be. Our world values many things in life above wisdom. Solomon believes, in this stage of his life, that wisdom is the greatest asset in living, though it goes unrecognized as we worship attractiveness, wealth, popularity, addictions and success. It is all smoke. It vanishes into thin air.

In this chapter, Solomon's emphasis is on what mans does not know because God has not revealed many things. He also is emphasizing this mystery must not diminish human joy or prevent us from working with all our might. vs.1 All these things have I considered in my heart, that I might carefully understand them: there are just men and wise men, and their works are in the hand of God: and yet man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love, or hatred: vs. 2 But all things are kept uncertain for the time to come, because all things equally happen to the just and to the wicked, to the good and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him that offereth victims, and to him that despiseth sacrifices. As the good is, so also is the sinner: as the perjured, so he also that sweareth truth. vs. 3 This is a very great evil among all things that are done under the sun, that the same things happen to all men: whereby also the hearts of the children of men are filled with evil, and with contempt while they live, and afterwards they shall be brought down to hell. vs. 4 There is no man that liveth always, or that hopeth for this: a living dog is better than a dead lion. vs.5 For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing more, neither have they a reward any more: for the memory of them is forgotten.

Verse 5 is something I saw on a gravestone in a cemetery on the south side of Princeton while I was in high school. It struck me as profound, and a little morose. Our finiteness of life is not something we grasp, as real as it is. I know that a funeral always puts this reality into perspective. Would we live our life differently with this knowledge? So here is our world: the wicked and good both get the same thing and it is very hard to discern which is what. Our definition of happiness has to include the good and the bad that happens in life, while we are here to experience it. There is no getting around it. God decides which is which and it is not dealt with until the next dimension. The most vile of life is better than the most noble dead. On the other side of life, the difference between them will be vast.

vs, 6 Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy are all perished, neither have they any part in this world, and in the work that is done under the sun. vs. 7 Go then, and eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with gladness: because thy works please God. vs. 8 At all times let thy garments be white, and let not oil depart from thy head. vs. 9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest (from a man with how many wives?), all the days of thy unsteady life, which are given to thee under the sun, all the time of thy vanity: for this is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherewith thou labourest under the sun. vs, 10 Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, do it earnestly: for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in hell, whither thou art hastening. Solomon believes we really have no control over our lives. We don't know what is coming or what it all means. Why are we in such a hurry to get there? We spend a good deal of energy on our physical being, but how much time do we spend on our spiritual being? Live! and enjoy your work and what you have of life. When you die, it is all gone. Now, to clarify an earlier statement, when someone is suffering and says they would be better dead, his opportunities for earthly enjoyment will cease when dead. Gain wisdom to do and be as good as you can.

vs. 11 I turned me to another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the learned, nor favour to the skillful: but time and chance in all. vs. 12 Man knoweth not his own end: but as fishes are taken with the hook, and as birds are caught with the snare, so men are taken in the evil time, when it shall suddenly come upon them. vs. 13 This wisdom also I have seen under the sun, and it seemed to me to be very great: vs. 14 A little city, and few men in it: there came against it a great king, and invested it, and built bulwarks round about it, and the siege was perfect. vs. 15 Now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he delivered the city by his wisdom, and no man afterward remembered that poor man. Wisdom is no guarantee for a good life. There is a story that Alexander the Great came upon a small town with the intention of destroying it. An old man came to him from the town and Alexander said, "I will not grant what you wish in my desire to take over this town." The old man replied, "Then please destroy this city and leave nothing unturned." Alexander did exactly as he said he would do to the old man and left the city unharmed. No one remembered the old man and his wisdom. Sigh, Wisdom is better than wealth or power and it goes unrecognized.

vs. 16 And I said that wisdom is better than strength: how then is the wisdom of the poor man slighted, and his words not heard? vs. 17 The words of the wise are heard in silence, more than the cry of a prince among fools. vs. 18 Better is wisdom, than weapons of war: and he that shall offend in one, shall lose many good things. A man may commit one sin and this can destroy a lifetime of virtue. A wise man can make one foolish statement and destroy his reputation. Such is life. He who destroys his own soul, takes a lot of others with him. One sinner destroys much good and his compensation does not necessarily show up until this life is over. Heaven is not on earth. Do not let that keep you from doing your best work, eating what is provided for you and enjoying your friends and family. Keep your self focused upon the words God left us and in doing as much good as you are able. Always. Wisdom.

Contributions from Matthew Henry Concise Commentary, Bible Tracks Commentary, Dr. Constable's note on Ecclesiastes, www.telechem. com and the Douay-Rheims Bible