Ecclesiastes 9 -- Death And Life

As cynical as Solomon starts to sound here, my commentary reminded me that we have to remember that Solomon is a preacher preaching this to his own citizens.  A preacher wouldn’t be cynical, so there has to be a deeper meaning.

My commentary listed two main points Solomon was pressing home here:  “Death is unavoidable and life is unpredictable.  That being the case, the best thing we can do is trust God, live by faith, and enjoy whatever blessings God gives us.”

Solomon speaks of the different ways people deal with the reality of death, and it’s revealed in how they deal with life:

They ESCAPE – They drink, fight, spend, and try anything to forget that death is not there.

ENDURANCE – Many simply grit their teeth, hold on, and hope for things to change.  “Life is not easy, but there’s more to life than simply enduring … Solomon was emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities while we live, rather than blindly hoping for something better in the future.”

ENJOYMENT – He said, “Don’t sit around and brood!  Get up and live!  Yes, death is coming, but God gives us good gifts to enjoy, so enjoy them!”  Those things include “common experiences of home life:  happy leisurely meals, joyful family celebrations, a faithful, loving marriage, and hard work … Everything that’s really important is back home at the Father’s house.”

Father, thank You for helping me to get the most out of life, by helping others and enjoying my family.  Your truths here are real, and they make life enjoyable despite the hardships.  Keep reminding me of them and never let me get down on life.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford