PM Home Bible Study Group; March 10, 2010
Ecclesiastes 7:11-21
Theme: In this passage, Solomon describes the beneficial characteristics of “wisdom” from the ‘under the sun’ standpoint.
In this section, Solomon seems to carry on the project that he had begun in verses 1-10; that is, of showing how, in life “under the sun”, certain practical applications apply.
The theme of this evening’s section is “wisdom”. Wisdom, as Solomon is speaking of it here, has to do with more than “prudence”. It is—as is often presented in the Book of Proverbs—a parallel idea to “righteousness in the fear of God”. Foolishness—likewise—is a parallel idea to “wickedness in rebellious unbelief”. Wisdom, in this sense, can be thought of as knowing the right thing to do and doing it; and foolishness can be thought of as knowing the right thing to do and yet failing to do it—or refusing to do so (see Matthew 7:24-27).
Here, then, Solomon is showing that godly, reverent “wisdom” truly does make practical life work out better—even if it doesn’t answer all the frustrating questions that an “under the sun” thinker may have. In the light of all that Solomon has examined concerning this frustrating world “under the sun”, here are some of wisdom’s ways . . .
I.WISDOM GIVES LIFE (vv. 11-12).
Solomon has already said that wisdom does not—in the end—benefit the man who possesses it at the time of death; since, as he says, “as it happens to the fool, it also happens to me, and why then was I more wise?” (2:15). Yet, there is still an advantage to the wise man while living under the sun.
A.”Wisdom”, Solomon says, “is good with an inheritance” (that is, it brings with it an added and lasting “benefit”—one that makes things better than would have been the case if all that a man had was material riches); “and profitable to those who see the sun” (v. 11). It may not rescue its possessor in the time of death—not in a strictly “under the sun” sense of things, anyway; but it does benefit him greatly while he lives. The futility of life “under the sun” doesn’t mean that one should then be hasty to give one’s self over to folly. (Some, sadly, have done so in response to the futility of life—committing, as it were, philosophical suicide; and abandoning themselves to a sense of meaninglessness in a tragic and self-destructive manner. They thus lose what little of life they may have had while “under the sun”.)
B.Better than folly is the embracing of wisdom, Solomon observes; “For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense . . .” (v. 12a). It gives the security that one often feels he has obtained through building up an earthly treasure of riches; and it has the added ‘plus’ of not being lost as easily as an earthly treasure can be (see 5:10-11). “But the excellence [or “advantage”] of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it” (v. 12b). Wisdom gives what money never can (see Proverbs 3:12-18).
II.WISDOM GOES WITH THE FLOW (vv. 13-14).
The above point concerning the “excellence” of wisdom (vv. 11-12) may have had something to do with what Solomon says next. Wisdom has the advantage over earthly riches because of the frustrating uncertainties of life. It helps a man navigate his way through life’s unalterable and unavoidable futilities “under the sun”; and makes his stay there more pleasurable than it would otherwise have been.
A.”Consider the works of God,” Solomon says; “for who can make straight what He has made crooked?” (v. 13). Solomon, it seems, cannot help bringing God back into the his analysis (which is only natural, since God has put a testimony of Himself into our hearts which cannot be ignored; see Romans 2:14-16). The world is what the Almighty has made it to be. The way of things is what it is by His sovereign decree. We may not like it; but our complaining about it will never alter it. There is a time for everything that is appointed by God (3:1-8); and whatever God does stands as unalterable (3:14). We cannot make “straight” (to our standards, anyway) what God has made “crooked” (to the frustration of our plans and schemes).
B.So; what would wisdom dictate in such a case? On the one hand, “In the day of prosperity be joyful . . .” (v. 14a). Enjoy the good things that God has given you. If your life is pleasant, if you are free from pain and want, then rejoice and enjoy it (see 9:7-10). Don’t ruin it all by feeling guilty about being happy and well. “But”, on the other hand, “in the day of adversity, consider . . .” (v. 14b). When times are hard, when you suffer want or pain, learn from it and gain more wisdom. One should simply ‘go with the flow’; because there really isn’t any way to change what will be.
C.Good times and bad times both come upon us. “Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other . . .” And why? “So that man man find out nothing that will come after him.” He is where God has put him in life; and he cannot transport himself to a better time and place than where God has placed him; and he certainly cannot, with any sense of reliability, predict what will come afterward. This almost sounds like what Paul said he had learned about contentment: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need” (Philippians 4:11-12); except that, in Paul’s case, it was because, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (v. 13). Solomon was adopting a more ‘fatalistic’ posture for the sake of argument; and was saying that the way of wisdom is to learn to go along and get along—because there really wasn’t anything you can do otherwise.
III.WISDOM AVOIDS EXTREMES (vv. 15-18).
In a world where one cannot alter what is, and where the wise man simply “goes with the flow”—as it flows “under the sun”—it pays to avoid the extremes of over-much concern for righteousness, and over-much abandonment to wickedness. Wisdom—of the “under the sun” variety—finds a happy medium between the two.
A.Solomon bases this principle on what he has seen “under the sun” (always a dangerous basis for life-principles when not governed by God’s sure word!). “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” (v. 15). Apparently—from a strictly secularized standpoint—being “righteous” doesn’t guarantee that someone will experience longevity. Some wicked people have outlived the righteous by many years—and seem to have enjoyed themselves very much along the way.
B.So, Solomon’s advice is, “Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself? Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time?” (vv. 16-17). Obviously, these words need to be taken in their context. They are not speaking of the righteousness that can only be ours as a gift of God’s grace, or that is lived out by us as a grateful response to the justifying work of God through His Son Jesus. Rather, they’re speaking of relative righteousness and relative wickedness with respect to life “under the sun”. The man or woman who throws caution to the wind, and abandons themselves to wickedness in a reckless way, soon ends up dead! But the man who is overly concerned to make himself righteous, and who denies himself the good things that life offers out of an extremely ascetic spirit, can end up just as dead—and just as quickly.
C.”It is good,” Solomon says, “that you grasp this [that is, the avoidance of one extreme] “and also not remove your hand from the other” [that is, the avoidance of the other extreme]; “for he who fears God will escape them all” (v. 18). Here again, Solomon cannot help bringing true wisdom into the picture. The man or woman who walks in reverent fear of God will never give themselves over to sinful debauchery; but neither will they harm themselves by trying to earn a righteous standing before God on the basis of their own efforts. As Paul has written, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
IV.WISDOM PROVIDES SECURITY (vv. 19-20).
One may be inclined, “under the sun”, to simply put their trust in the wisdom of others more “qualified” than they. “Let the best of men run the show!” they think. And yet, this too has pitfalls that the truly wise “under the sun” will avoid.
A.”Wisdom [that is, a personal possession of it] strengthens the wise”, Solomon notes, “more than ten rulers of the city” (v. 19). The idea of “ten rulers” is that of an abundance and completeness of administrative wisdom. “Surely ten great rulers,” one might think, “can sit together in council and figure things out. They can put their brilliant heads together and rule in such a wise way as to benefit everyone.” This has been the basis of much of our own form of government; and without question, it is far better than a dictatorship or a monarchy. But even still, the individual who possesses wisdom is “strengthened” more.
B.This, as Solomon goes on to say, is because “there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin” (v. 20). Trusting in men doesn’t provide the security that walking in wisdom can provide; because even the best of men are fallen and fallible (see 1 Kings 8:46; Psalm 14:1-3; Proverbs 20:9; Romans 3:9-19). Those who place all their trust in men for their security are doomed to eventual disappointment. But personal security is found in a personal walk of wisdom.
V.WISDOM TAKES THINGS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT (vv. 21-22).
Solomon gives us one more principle about the ways of sound wisdom “under the sun”. The man or woman who walks in wisdom doesn’t take things too seriously that are said about them—and if there was anyone who would know this, it would certainly be the great king Salomon; whose controversial rule was the subject of much criticism!
A.”Also”, he says, “do not take to heart everything that people say . . .” (v. 21a). The idea may even include a restraint placed on the temptation to actively ‘seek-out’ what it is that people might be saying; or to explore the gossip about one’s self that people might be spreading; “lest you hear your servant cursing you” (v. 21b). Wisdom doesn’t put itself in the position of hearing what it’s not helpful to hear.
B.As if to drive home the personal acknowledgment that one would have to make of the truth of Solomon’s words, he adds, “For many times, also, your own heart has known that even you have cursed others” (v. 22). And besides, as he later warns, “Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird of flight may tell the matter” (10:20).
* * * * * * * * * *
As was concluded from our previous study, these words concerning the ways of wisdom are practical and helpful; but they are, sadly, the best we can hope for “under the sun” and apart from God.
But how much better it is to embrace the ways of wisdom through a relationship with the God who raises us above the “under the sun” perspective! As Paul writes; “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the LORD'” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).