INSIGHTS INTO THE

MEANING OF LIFE

ECCLESIASTES 7:1-15

WISDOM AND FOLLY CONTRASTED—

SUFFERING & SIN

INTRODUCTION• Adversity and Affliction not always a

sign of God’s disfavor• This section deals with proverbs that

deal with sin and suffering• The first line states an obvious truth,

the second line the truth should be obvious

• “Contrastive couplets”—proverbs that fall under this category are composed of two parts that are usually connected with the terms “but” or “nevertheless.”

INTRODUCTION• “Completive couplets”—this type of

proverb brings two similar or parallel thoughts together with the words “and” or “so.”

• “Comparative couplets”—these proverbs link two ideas with the terms “better/than” or “like/so.”

ECCLESIASTES 7:1,2

“A good name is better than precious ointment,

and the day of death than the day of one's birth;

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 take it

to heart."

WISE COUNSEL

• Good name is BETTER than precious jewels

• Name and reputation a lifetime in the making– Proverbs 22:1; 15:30– Ecclesiastes 10:1– 1 Timothy 6:6

WISE COUNSEL

• Day of one’s death BETTER than the day of their birth

• Worldly people mourn death and rejoice at birth

• To the Christian death is:– End of all worldly struggles– Final peaceful rest– Being with God– Psalm 116:15– Revelation 14:13

WISE COUNSEL

• BETTER to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting

• Why is a funeral better than social gathering?

• In house of mourning appreciate the value of life—thinking eternal

• House of feasting is about “here and now”

• Death reminds us of our own mortality and fleeting nature of life

WISE COUNSEL

• “Living take it to heart” funerals are for the living—not the dead

• In right frame of mind—causes one to consider sober things–Hebrews 9:27– James 4:14

• No lasting value in the house of feasting!

• Death encourages folks to think about what comes—AFTER…

ECCLESIASTES 7:3,4

“Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad

countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of

fools is in the house of mirth."

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER

• Sorrow is BETTER than laughter• By a sad countenance the heart

is made glad• Repentance is implied because

his sadness results in his heart being made happy–2 Corinthians 7:9,10; James 4:8-

10• Sorrow brings sober thinking of

what is really important• Fool’s mind in the house of

pleasure

ECCLESIASTES 7:5,6

“It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than

for a man to hear the song of fools.

For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool.

This also is vanity."

ECCLESIASTES 7:7,8

“Surely oppression destroys a wise man's reason, and a bribe debases the heart.

The end of a thing is better than its beginning;

The patient in spirit is better than the proud in

spirit."

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER

• BETTER too hear the rebuke of the wise than the songs of a fool

• Many do not like to be shown their sin and error

• Some even despise those who point it out

• “Songs of fools”—the praise and flattery of fools is senseless, useless and void of any spiritual benefit

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER

• When thorns or twigs are burned, they make a lot of noise, but give little heat

• Likewise, the laughter of fool is loud, meaningless and has no lasting value

• Emptiness of earthly pursuits• Association with the wise makes

us better–Psalm 141:5–Proverbs 9:8,9; 12:1; 17:10;

27:5,6

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER

• The wise cannot understand why people oppress one another

• Bribery debases one’s heart• Good people don’t like to receive

gifts that they don’t deserve• Those accepting bribes know in

their hearts they are hypocrites!• Bribery displays corruption• Bribery and oppression bring a

response

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER• The end of a thing is BETTER than

the beginning (Joseph & Job)–Better to look back on

accomplishments than to a new project

• Patient in spirit is BETTER than the proud in spirit

• Good to get things done—than anxiety is gone

• Patience enables growth– James 1:4; 1 Peter 5:5

ECCLESIASTES 7:9,10

“Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for

anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not

inquire wisely concerning this."

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER• Should not hasten to be angry—

anger rests in the bosom of fools– James 1:19,20

• One must control their emotions–Mark 3:5; Ephesians 4:26

• Can be used as an advantage to combat sin and error—or to our own destruction

• Anger not controlled quickly can become part of one’s character!

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER• Looking back at the “good old

days”• Every age has its bright and dark

sides• Tendency to forget the evils of the

past and think they were better• Make the best of the situation

NOW• Living in the past is foolish• Can cause one give up on the

present–Luke 9:62–Exodus 16:3–Philippians 3:13

ECCLESIASTES 7:11,12

“Wisdom is good with an inheritance, and profitable to those who see the sun.

For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, but

the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom

gives life to those who have it."

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER• Wisdom is good with an inheritance• Wealth misused brings unhappiness• The spiritual inheritance of

instruction in divine wisdom is best given or received!

• Endures giving the best counsel• What benefit from our wisdom?

– Balance—guarding one from extremes

– Strength—keeping me stable– Insight—seeing what is important– Practical—everyday living

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER• Wisdom and money as a “defense”• Defense—”method of defending or

resisting”• Power in money—power in wisdom• “Excellence of knowledge”• Wisdom(13 times in chapter 7) gives

“life”• Preserves and makes better• Money can build you a fortress—but

wisdom can protect w/out the fortress!

• Wisdom from God (James 3:15-17)

ECCLESIASTES 7:13

“Consider the work of God; for who can

make straight what He has made

crooked?”

ECCLESIASTES 7:14

“In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider:

Surely God has appointed the one as

well as the other, so that man can find out nothing

that will come after him?”

ECCLESIASTES 7:15

“I have seen everything in my days of vanity:

There is a just man who perishes in his

righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his

wickedness.”

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER• Considering the work of God…• Who can make straight what He has

made crooked?• God has set the standard and man

cannot alter the basic structure• God’s ways should not be tampered

with– Isaiah 5:20; Malachi 3:6

• Man is dependent upon God– Acts 17:26-31

• Serious consequences to try to bend His will!

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER• Day of prosperity/adversity…

consider• God causes both bad and good as

part of life’s experiences—package deal!– Matthew 5:45

• So man can find out nothing after him– Job 1:19-21

• God has the key to everything• Learn the lesson of contentment

– Philippians 4:11-13• Both blended together for higher

purpose

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER• No explanation for the obvious• Just man “perishes” in righteousness• Wicked man “prolongs” his life in

“wickedness”• Danger to be envious of the wicked

appearance of “good”– Psalm 37

• Christians should never be discouraged—in the end all will be made right by God’s justice!

• Ex: Ahab, Jezebel and Naboth - 1 Kings 21

CONCLUSION• Need to keep things in proper

perspective• True wisdom can be found in placing

wisdom in the hands of God• Life presents us with choices and those

choices can be helpful/hurtful• Let us use the “experiences” in our lives

to make us better people—not worse!