Ecclesiastes 6: 1 – 12
It Wasn’t Your Idea
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2 A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction. 3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he— 4 for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. 5 Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man, 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place? 7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied. 8 For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, who knows how to walk before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. 10 Whatever one is, he has been named already, for it is known that he is man; And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he. 11 Since there are many things that increase vanity, how is man the better? 12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
I think we all have the tendency to believe that if you are always blessed with riches God must be pleased with you. Solomon was the richest man who ever lived. We read in the book of 1 Kings chapter 3, “13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.”
That may sound like a bold statement when you read about some of the rich people who live today. But stop and think when we read that Solomon’s income each year was 666 million dollars. I would say that this would probably be about 666 billion in today’s comparison.
As you read the book of Ecclesiastes remember that Solomon is viewing life without God. He is looking at everything from a secular point of view and this view is defined in the final outcome as ‘worthless’ He had anything and everything any person could ever think or do and yet here he is whining and complaining. He looks at life as being inconsistent. He is frustrated in having everything he could ever want but not being able to enjoy it. Rich people should be able to enjoy everything in life and yet he wasn’t happy. He called this a great evil.
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
You can picture him having all the ability to have everything but yet he can’t enjoy it. For example he speaks of food. His stomach may be messed up and therefore he can’t eat certain foods. He gets really bummed out when he sees someone else being able to eat and enjoy what he cannot enjoy.
2 A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.
The prophet Isaiah tells us in chapter 3, “10 “ Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 11 Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.”
‘God does not give him power’ is a very interesting statement. I have never been in this position and probably many of you also, but try to imagine the conflict. You understand God has given you your prosperity and then He withholds your ability to enjoy it. You stop and realize that even this, the ability to eat something is also a gift from God.
Even Solomon’s dad, King David, recognize this inconsistency when he saw how people whom he considered evil were receiving these blessings from Jehovah Elyon – The Lord Most High. Look at Psalm 17, “13 Arise, O LORD, confront him, cast him down; Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, 14 With Your hand from men, O LORD, from men of the world who have their portion in this life, and whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, and leave the rest of their possession for their babes.”
3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he— 4 for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. 5 Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man,
Sometimes I would just like to say, ‘Aw, shut up Solomon.’ You can imagine that having over 300 wives and 700 concubines, Solomon would wind up with a lot of kids. In the book of Psalms chapter 127 we receive reference for the fact that having children are a great blessing. If you don’t believe me seek out a couple that can’t have any. “ 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. 5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.”
Young people have the idea that when you hit 30 you’re old. They want to live it up while they can and not want to live to be an ‘old person’ however, when you hit 30 you have a different opinion. Long life is seen as a blessing as we read in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 11, “21 that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth.
However, if your days on earth are not enjoyable because you lack the basics of food, shelter, and health you are ‘not filled with good’. Probably the worse then would be a life without love. Picture over a hundred children and other relatives and they cannot or will not even give you the honor of a proper burial. Solomon imparts that if this condition existed then it would be better if you were never born.
Not to be buried properly was looked on as something deeply humiliating and of course would be avoided at all costs. We read this in the book of 2 Kings chapter 9, “18 “ All the kings of the nations, all of them, sleep in glory, everyone in his own house; 19 But you are cast out of your grave like an abominable branch, like the garment of those who are slain, thrust through with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a corpse trodden underfoot. 20 You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land and slain your people. The brood of evildoers shall never be named. 21 Prepare slaughter for his children because of the iniquity of their fathers, lest they rise up and possess the land, and fill the face of the world with cities.”
Can you possibly see Solomon’s mental torture that was going on in his mind? He must have been a rotten individual. Perhaps he was thinking that his kids hated his guts and wanted nothing to do with him. Here he was worried that they might not even have anything to do with him after he dies. Pretty sad, indeed.
Solomon is so caught up with this possible situation that he pictures a still born child with advantages over someone who has lived a meaningless life. ‘I say that a stillborn child is better than he— 4 for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. 5 Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man,’
Solomon pictures the stillborn child dying in the darkness of the womb, never to have experienced light. Both the one who has lived and the stillborn child go to the same place – the grave. The only difference in Solomon’s thoughts is that the stillborn child has escaped the misery that living a rotten life can cause.
6 even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place?
Everyone dies. Many people work hard to prolong life and improve their physical condition. Plastic surgery and Botox injections attempt to restore our youthful looks. Why don’t we spend as much effort on the spiritual health which will last for eternity?
7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied. 8 For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, who knows how to walk before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
These verses continue Solomon futility of life when there is no inward satisfaction. Why do we labor? The bottom line is for us. Look at what Proverb 16 reports, “26 The person who labors, labors for himself, for his hungry mouth drives him on.”
Also we see that even with this fact our souls are still not satisfied. Solomon refers to this like a leech as discussed in Proverbs 30, “15 The leech has two daughters—Give and Give!” Like a leech we try to suck out purposeful meaning out of life and never get the right satisfaction.
So, what advantage does a brain surgeon have over a factory worker? You will probably say, money, new cars, big house. Well yes, but Mr. Richie Rich Solomon does not see it that way. For illness and death are the great equalizers for all.
Look at the statement ‘wandering of desire’. It can also be interpreted as the ‘roving of the appetite.’ It is better to have something which is real and can be seen and touched than a desire to dream which will probably never be fulfilled. It is only a waste of time. Another good way to look at this is that if we have something that is good we should hold on to it, and not look for more, for if we get too greedy we might lose what we now have. We need to go over this key point for it is a valuable lesson.
All in all Solomon understands that we are not in control of anything. No matter how hard we try we will, without God’s okay, fail to improve anything in our lives. If you want contentment realize that you are nothing special. You and I are just sinners saved by His Grace.
10 Whatever one is, he has been named already, for it is known that he is man; And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he. 11 Since there are many things that increase vanity, how is man the better? 12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
Here is a good question for you to consider, and that is, stop and think, ‘what new things are we creating or developing?’ Can you come up with any answer? As I look at the TV all I see is our companies constantly adding new gizmos on cell phones, and some possible upgrades on other electronic items such as 3D or larger televisions. I think the last thing that I could say was somewhat new was the development of the ‘Internet’, but all in all that was still just using our computers. We are just improving some of its usages. It isn’t totally new. I love the insight of this verse in that whatever is developed or happens has already been known because to name something, you already had to know about it. Our Precious Master knows all things and He brings all things into being.
If we focus on this truth, then it convicts me and I am sure you too. Why then do we argue or contend with our Creator and Sustainer of our present lives and Who possesses eternity. Let us learn a couple of key points from this study and they are these;
1. We cannot change what and who we are
2. We cannot contend with our Maker
3. We cannot comprehend what really is good for us - We need to stop questioning God
4. We cannot control our future
I counsel people that we should think three ways; First of all there is the past. You cannot go back and undo anything so why try to live in the past. Our Lord knows what will happen secondly in the future so why worry about it. Our Lord therefore instructs to live one day at a time. Enjoy Him Who made us and to learn to appreciate everything great and small that He has blessed us with. Thank you Precious El Shaddai. Amen.
