The Book of Ecclesiastes- Part 3

Who was Solomon?

Solomon was the third and last king of the United Kingdom of Israel, following King Saul and King David. He was the son of David and Bathsheba. Solomon wrote the Song of Solomon, the book of Ecclesiastes, and much of the book of Proverbs. When he ascended to the throne, he sought after God, and God gave him opportunity to ask for whatever he wanted. Solomon humbly acknowledged his inability to rule well and unselfishly asked God for the wisdom he would need to rule God’s people justly.

God gave him wisdom and wealth besides. King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth, (1st Kings 3:4-15; 10:27, 1st Kings 10:23).

How Godly wisdom influences our perspective….

Having the mind of Christ means we understand God’s plan in the world; to bring glory to Himself, restore creation to its original splendor, and provide salvation for sinners. It means we identify with Christ’s purpose “to seek and to save what was lost. Having the mind of Christ means sharing the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ.

Proverbs 16:16- How much better to get wisdom than gold!

There are many things the Book of Ecclesiastes teaches us about wisdom:

1. A wise person knows the value of a good reputation; Ecc 7:1- A good name is better than

precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. The Hebrew word translated “good name” is sem. Strong’s defines it as “a mark or memorial of individuality, by implication honor, authority, character.

2. A wise person views life through the lens of eternity; Ecc 7:2-4- It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. vs.3- Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. vs 4- The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. In experiencing both the house of pleasure and the house of mourning, Solomon had learned that much wisdom is gained by stopping to think about what awaits us on the other side of death. The fool lives only for the pleasure of the moment.

3. A wise person is discerning about the advice they take; Ecc 7:5-6- It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. vs.6- For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity. A wise person knows that both the song and the laughter of the fool is simply noise, like the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot. We can ignore it and instead choose to pay attention to the wiser counsel that rebukes our foolish inclinations and keeps us from making mistakes.

4. A wise person trusts God’s sovereignty; Ecc 7:10- Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this. It's easy to look at difficult circumstances and believe that it was better in “the good old days.” The wise person knows how useless it is to complain, trusting that in His sovereignty, God has a purpose and a plan for when we were born, where we live, and how we can impact His eternal kingdom. All people in all times have enjoyed both adversity and prosperity. The fool dwells on what “could be” or what “might have been.” The wise person trusts in a sovereign God and thanks Him for what “is.”

Note: Solomon knew the emptiness of pursuing wealth and success for its own rewards. God gives blessings for two reasons: to meet needs (both ours and those who have less than enough), and to advance His kingdom by spreading the message of the gospel. The wise person understands the lure of the love of money and seeks to be content.

Remember- A wise person lives a balanced life in the fear of God- The wise person understands the proper perspective of living in the fear of the Lord, obeying His commands out of love, not duty, and trusting that God will protect and sustain our physical lives according to His own sovereign timing.