Ecclesiastes Part 12
Ecclesiastes 3:4 said there is a time to laugh and a time to weep. There are many mournful things in the world and in our own lives that should move us to sadness.
Ecclesiastes 7:3-4 discusses more than just the observance of a funeral or mourning period. While the passage includes this, it is speaking of life more generally. This is not to say that laughter is bad. Ecclesiastes 9:7 later encourages us to have a “merry heart,” which Proverbs 17:22 tells us, “Does good, like medicine,” and laughter is part of that. But laughter in the wrong context is not helpful. Remember that Ecclesiastes 3:4 said there is a time to laugh and a time to weep. There are many mournful things in the world and in our own lives that should move us to sadness. We should not stoically “bottle up,” repress, or stuff down our feelings. God expects us to “sigh and cry over all the abominations” we see in society (Ezekiel 9:4) and to cry out over the pain all must go through, and for relief. We are to be remorseful and repentant over our own sins. And we are to be sorrowful over our own and others’ sufferings. This will help us feel better if we do not become despondent. Being sad over problems can help us to face them, to heal, and to move forward in life. Jesus said,
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
That will ultimately come in the Kingdom of God, but God gives us comfort today as well.
The heart of the wise being in the house of mourning (Ecclesiastes 7:4) concerns the appropriate response to life’s sorrows or trials. This contrasts with the heart of fools being in the house of mirth (verse 4). This shows that there can be times when we go through something undesirable that is beneficial. This is true of trials in general that God lets us go through. They should not be viewed as proof that God is not ruling the universe or that He does not care about us. We should keep them in proper perspective as they are a part of God’s wise and loving plan.
In verses 5–6 we see two proverbs that draw further contrast between wisdom and foolishness in reacting to life’s difficulties. The first, in verse 5, says it is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than the song of fools. Solomon’s father David had written of the strike or rebuke of the righteous as a kindness and valuable oil not to be refused (Psalm 141:5). Solomon laid out other proverbs about the value in accepting rebuke and the harm in disdaining correction (Proverbs 13:18; Proverbs 15:31–32; Proverbs 27:5–6). Regarding the song of fools, Amos 6:3–7 would later decry the Israelites who were celebrating, including with idle singing, while the nation was about to be invaded and the people deported. This was a distraction to keep people from facing up to real problems.
Ecclesiastes 7:7 serves as encouragement to stay the course against the pressure and enticement to give in and go along with the foolishness of the world. This fits well with the perseverance spoken of in chapter 7, verse 8. It states,
“The end of a thing is better than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”
This does not mean that it is better for something to be over and done because it was bad. This is talking about the end of anything being better because of results and what has been achieved. The beginning has nothing to really show for it; it is mostly talk and boasting. But the end reveals the outcome. Similarly, in our lives before God, with its hardships, we need to persevere to the finish. Jesus said that “he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:13). In the face of life’s difficulties, we need to patiently hold out for the final outcome. We need to consider that the trials will eventually conclude and that there will be some accomplishment.
Ecclesiastes 7:10 instructs us,
“Do not say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.”
Consider the context of this verse and of going through trials and challenging times. The questioner is reflecting on a time before the difficulties and is really asking: “Why can’t things be the same as they were? Why do these challenging times have to come along?” This is an accusation against God’s wise rule, asking why God would not keep life the way it was. This kind of thinking is what Solomon calls unwise. God is working out a great plan that is progressing toward an incredible result. We cannot know all it entails, but we should trust the work that God is doing in our lives and in the lives of others.
Wisdom Literature is a course taught at ABC by Dr. Urwiller. Recordings from the 2018–2019 class year are available to listen to on the ABC website.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships, and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
