Ecclesiastes 9

• Time for our regular review of Ecclesiastes:

  • This book is Wisdom literature, written by Solomon, a man God gave wisdom and discernment greater than any man ever.

  • The book of Ecclesiastes establishes Solomon’s theory of the meaning of life.

    • The thesis is the meaning of life can’t be found in the creation, therefore it is vanity to try and seek for it there.

  • Solomon began providing proof through the repeating cycles in nature that display a meaninglessness in understanding an advantage in life.

    • Solomon continued to establish this by his personal experiences concluding that wisdom and wealth and seeking an earthly legacy are meaningless in understanding an advantage in life.

  • There is a God-appointed time for every event under heaven. Man’s purpose in life is to seek God’s sovereign will lived out.

    • God has allowed wicked men to oppress others, do not be surprised when you witness this truth.

  • Approach God in reverence seeking only to know His Will in every situation. Be satisfied in what God provides and find true contentment.

    • All things come from the hand of God because God is sovereign over His creation. Man was not created to change the mind of God. Because all things are from God, man is to be content in every situation.

  • When confronted with pain in life, we must embrace it for what it can do in our lives. This is wisdom. Ultimately, both prosperity and adversity are from the hand of God. What we endure during this life is not an indication of our stance before God in eternity, for this is not how God’s ways are revealed to man.

    • God’s measurement of righteousness is perfection while man’s measurements are self-righteousness and can lead to a denial of God. There is no bargaining with God. Solomon reveals his life of seeking explanations to understand or predict God’s determinations, and it was futile.

• Chapter 8 review

  • Those who understand the power of the king do not question or abandon him. (This is how man should be with God.) It is impossible for man to know or change the future, those who have tried have failed.

  • It will go well for men who fear God; it will not be well for those who do not fear God. This is true even when we do not see this outcome on earth. We see the righteous receive evil and see good things happen for the wicked. When one tries to explain these thing in regards to what God is doing, it is futility.

    • Solomon’s writings seem to have many layers. Chapter 8 is a good example of this. The general truth about taking an oath before a king is acknowledged. This was a specific truth Solomon had experience with in his life and we find recorded in scripture. This is also true for how men should approach God.

Eccl. 9:1 For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.
Eccl. 9:2 It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear.
Eccl. 9:3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

• v.1 How does Solomon begin? (For I have taken all this to my heart)

  • What is ‘this’ referring to? (the righteous receive evil and the wicked receive what is good on earth)

  • What does Solomon do with this? (and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God)

    • There are two types of men defined how is the first defined? (righteous men)

  • What other men does Solomon define? (wise men)

    • Solomon does not equate the two men as the same. They are different men. What is the same about these men? (and their deeds are in the hand of God)

  • What are deeds? (Work of men during their life)

    • The work of men are in the hand of God.

  • What is being acknowledged by something being in the hand of God? (God is in control of it)

  • What is the ‘it’? (their deeds)

    • What is true about these deeds? (Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.)

  • God’s response to man's deeds can be what? (love or hatred)

  • Because God does not allow man to know how his deeds will be used by God, what is the conclusion? (anything awaits him)

    • Man is truly at the mercy of God in every outcome.

• v.2 What is true about man’s physical fate? (It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear.)

  • All men are destined to die physically.

• v.3 What does Solomon say about this fact? (This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men.)

  • This comes from evil or is the result of evil.

  • What else does Solomon say is the same for all men? (Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.) Psalm 14:1.

Psa. 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds;
There is no one who does good.
Psa. 14:2 The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there are any who understand,
Who seek after God.
Psa. 14:3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.

• This was not a new concept introduced by Solomon but one he completely agrees with that the sons of men are evil. This evil is why all men die physically.

Eccl. 9:4 For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.
Eccl. 9:5 For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.
Eccl. 9:6 Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.

• v.4 What does Solomon say is one true outcome? (For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.)

  • Who are ‘all the living’?

  • For the living there is what? (hope)

    • The living then are those who are alive spiritually, those who can have hope.

  • What does hope for the living mean?

Psa. 39:7 “And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You.

Psa. 62:5 My soul, wait in silence for God only,
For my hope is from Him.

Psa. 146:5 How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God,

Gal. 5:4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Gal. 5:5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.
Gal. 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
Titus 2:12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
Titus 2:14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

• The hope Solomon refers to is the same hope mentioned throughout the book of Job and in the Psalms. This hope was in God, was from God according to the Old Testament, and then the New Testament clarifies this is the hope of righteousness. For us now, it is the appearance of Christ Jesus, our righteousness.

  • Notice the beginning of the verse started with what? (For whoever is joined with all the living)

    • This would indicate the living is the group to join. One would need to leave another group to join this living group. Before we have hope in God’s provision of righteousness, or in Christ Jesus, we were in a group that is dead.

• Eccl 9:4 How does this verse end? (surely a live dog is better than a dead lion)

  • What is meant by a live dog? (In most cultures the dog is a lowly dirty beast, not the dog as we might experience in our culture today.)

    • A person who is considered as a dog would be seen as a lowly, filthy creature. This lowly creature is described by Solomon to be what? (alive)

    • This ‘alive’ should be tied back to the ‘hope’ mentioned earlier. The hope in the eternal outcome of life, having righteousness, a hope only found in God.

  • The lion is a creature admired because of what it is physically—a king of the jungle, one to be feared, one at the top of the food chain. No matter what this creature is when it is physically alive, once it is dead nothing of what it was before matters. If dead is a reference to a spiritual reality, then a magnificent creature, like a lion, has no real value spiritually. It is just a dead lion.

  • A lowly creature, from his physical nature, but who is alive spiritually, is better than a physically magnificent creature who is in fact dead (spiritually).

    • This is a confirmation that Solomon is discussing spiritual and not physical awareness.

• v.5 What is true for the living? (For the living know they will die)

  • The term living is still being used for those who are spiritually alive.

    • Those who know they are alive spiritually know they will experience physical death.

  • What is true for those who are spiritually dead? (but the dead do not know anything)

    • They have no awareness of their spiritual condition.

  • What else is now gone when they physically die? (nor have they any longer a reward)

  • What reward would the spiritually dead have had? (earthly rewards)

    • The rewards they received on earth will be gone. Those rewards will not follow them in the afterlife.

  • What else is true about the spiritually dead? (for their memory is forgotten)

    • They will not be remembered by the spiritually living.

• v.6 What else is true about the spiritually dead? (Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished)

  • Everything they felt, or thought they accomplished on earth, has ceased, or perished with them. Those things will not have any impact on their eternal destination.

  • Is there nothing lasting of them even on earth? (and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun)

Eccl. 9:7 Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.
Eccl. 9:8 Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head.
Eccl. 9:9 Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.
Eccl. 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

• Solomon was speaking to the spiritually living about the fact that they were going to die physically and what the state of those who are spiritually dead truly is.

• v.7 Solomon again speaks to the spiritually living how? (Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.)

  • Those who are spiritually alive should do what while they are physically alive? (Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart)

    • Enjoy what God has provided. Notice the drinking of wine is with a heart that is cheerful, not a heart that is made cheerful or merry as was described before.)

  • Why can the spiritually alive do this? (for God has already approved your works)

    • There is no pressure, in the work done for God, attached to pleasing God for the accomplishment of true righteousness or salvation.

Heb. 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

• v.8 What else can the spiritually living do? (Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head.)

  • Is Solomon suggesting that the spiritually alive should walk around each day wearing white clothes? (No)

  • What does it mean to let your clothes be white all the time?

  • When did men wear white clothing? (Special occasions, celebrations)

    • What does oil on one’s head mean? Amos 6:6, 2 Samuel14:2

Amos 6:6 Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls
While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils,
Yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.

2Sam. 14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days;

• Someone would anoint with fine oil as an indulgence, another reference to those who anoint themselves regularly with oil. To go without anointing with oil would be done in times of mourning.

• Eccl. 9:8 Solomon said ‘let not oil be lacking on your head’, so the conclusion is of one who is not in mourning. The spiritually alive have no reason to live as if they are in mourning.

• v.9 What else does Solomon say the spiritually alive should do? (Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.)

  • Solomon clearly understands God’s design for marriage to be between one man and one woman, as he says ‘the woman’.

    • This woman is the same woman all the days of one’s short life.

    • This woman would be given by God.

    • Enjoying this woman is the reward in one’s life.

    • This woman will be there in the toil in which one has to labor here on earth.

  • Solomon might have had the best advantage in life as someone who missed this reward in life by having one thousand women in his life. Much wisdom can be shared from those who learned the lesson by doing things the wrong way.

• v.10 What else does Solomon say to the spiritually alive? (Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might)

  • What work you have been given to do, do it with everything you have; all your time, money, talent and dedication. There is no certain work for all to do, but whatever that work is, we are to give ourselves completely to it while we live out our physical lives on earth.

  • What reason does Solomon say we should do this while we are physically alive? (for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going)

    • The time for measured works ends when we die. A time for gaining knowledge of wisdom to change the outcome of a person comes to an end.

    • In Solomon’s time, all who died went to Sheol, both the spiritually alive and the spiritually dead. There were two different holding places in Sheol.

    • We see this in what Christ taught in Luke 16:19-26.

Luke 16:19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.
Luke 16:20 “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,
Luke 16:21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
Luke 16:22 “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
Luke 16:23 “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24 “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’
Luke 16:25 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
Luke 16:26 ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’

• Eccl. 9:10 Solomon reveals the same truth that at death all men went to Sheol. He had already explained where a man went in Sheol could not be changed once he was there. There is nothing a man can do once he is dead, no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom to be gained.

Eccl. 9:11 I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.
Eccl. 9:12 Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them.

• v.11 How does Solomon begin? (I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors)

  • What is under the sun a reference to? (Things seen on earth)

    • Solomon says the race is not to the swift.

  • What race is he referring to? (The race to the end of one’s life, what is next)

    • The swift would be those who by the world’s standards should be the winner of the race. This race is not won by those the world would expect to win.

  • What is the battle referring to? (The battle to finish well during this lifetime for the next)

  • What does it mean ‘the battle is not to?’ (It is not won by or given to)

  • This battle is not won by who? (the warriors)

    • This is again a picture of those who win this battle are not to be those the world predicts will win the battle.

• v.11 What else does Solomon say? (and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability)

  • With the same logic applied as before, Solomon says bread can be given to those who are not wise in earthy terms.

    • Wealth does not always go to those with discernment.

    • Favor is not alway shown to men with natural ability.

  • What is true? (for time and chance overtake them all)

    • There is no plan of man that can be guaranteed to turn out in a specified way. Many men think that with more time they would come to do the right things.

• v.12 What does Solomon say about the time given men? (Moreover, man does not know his time)

  • What picture of this does Solomon provide? (like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare)

    • Each creature was just moving through its day when suddenly its time was up.

  • How does this relate to men? (so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them)

  • What is the ‘it’ (The end of life, just like for the creatures pictured)

    • The sons of men are ensnared at an evil time.

    • In their evil time, death suddenly falls on them. There is not always a warning about death’s arriving to make one decide that this is the time to live right by God.

Eccl. 9:13 Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me.
Eccl. 9:14 There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it.
Eccl. 9:15 But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
Eccl. 9:16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded.
Eccl. 9:17 The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.
Eccl. 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

• v.13 How does Solomon continue? (Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me.)

  • Solomon starts with ‘also’ this I came to see as wisdom. This means what he just expressed was seen as wisdom and what he shares next is wisdom as well.

    • This was wisdom that he came to see as wisdom.

    • It was not perceived as wisdom to Solomon at some time and then it later came to be seen as wisdom.

  • This wisdom was seen where? (under the sun)

  • This wisdom had what impact on Solomon? (it impressed me)

    • Even men as wise as Solomon continue to learn throughout their lifetime.

    • We never arrive at a place in our lives where we can’t learn from others.

• v.14 Solomon begins a short story how? (There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it.)

  • By man’s standards this city is doomed.

• v.15 What happens for the city? (But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.)

  • A wise man in the city delivered the city by his wisdom.

  • Is there a story with similar details that Solomon would have been familiar with?

    • This story took place during the reign of David. This event occurred after Absalom had been defeated. There was a rift in Israel. Some decided they needed to separate and follow a leader for Israel, a man named Sheba, and let only the tribe of Judah follow David as king. The decision of king David and his counselor was to take out Sheba. 2 Samuel 20:13-22.

2Sam. 20:13 As soon as he was removed from the highway, all the men passed on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
2Sam. 20:14 Now he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, even Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they were gathered together and also went after him.
2Sam. 20:15 They came and besieged him in Abel Beth-maacah, and they cast up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood by the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction in order to topple the wall.
2Sam. 20:16 Then a wise woman called from the city, “Hear, hear! Please tell Joab, ‘Come here that I may speak with you.’”
2Sam. 20:17 So he approached her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your maidservant.” And he answered, “I am listening.”
2Sam. 20:18 Then she spoke, saying, “Formerly they used to say, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,’ and thus they ended the dispute.
2Sam. 20:19 “I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You are seeking to destroy a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?”
2Sam. 20:20 Joab replied, “Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!
2Sam. 20:21 “Such is not the case. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David. Only hand him over, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
2Sam. 20:22 Then the woman wisely came to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem.

• There are similarities in the stories beginning with: both were called a small city, sought out by a great king, a city surrounded, a large seigeworks or seige ramp was built, and a wise person delivers the city.

  • Solomon refers to a poor wise man where the actual account says a wise woman.

• v.18 What is referred to? (Then she spoke, saying, “Formerly they used to say, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,’ and thus they ended the dispute.)

  • It would appear the advice offered at Abel was sought out and the advice would end disputes. This was the reputation of this city. It would appear there were men and women of Abel who offered their wisdom.

    • It might be possible that Solomon had learned there was a man giving advice and the wise woman spoke for him. This is a possible explanation for the differences but not necessary.

    • Joab reports the crime of Sheba to the wise woman.

  • Why was the city attacked before anyone told the city what the problem was? Had they assumed conspiracy?

    • Also notice, Joab only asks for Sheba to be released to him.

    • And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

    • This is indeed wisdom at its finest.

  • Joab was not a man to be trusted. Opening the city to him was not safe. Allowing Sheba to live and tell of anything he knew of those in the city would only put them at risk.

    • Allowing there to be any thought that Abel was a place evil men could hide put them in the camp of potential traitors in the future.

    • Sheba’s beheading solved all the problems.

• Eccl. 9:15 What truth did Solomon reveal? (But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.)

  • This would appear to have been a true story and a wise (person) did deliver the city by wisdom. And no one remembered the poor man.

• v.16 What truth did Solomon take from this account? (So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” )

  • Even though wisdom is better, what is often the result for those with wisdom? (But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded.)

• v.17 What is true when words of wisdom are spoken? (The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.)

  • Speaking words in quietness would indicate words spoken before there is anger or a loud crowd. Waiting until an event is explosive and a ruler must shout to be heard is not the best way to follow wisdom.

    • Notice in the account from the city of Abel, the woman asks to speak with Joab directly. She also came to all the people and they acted together.

• Eccl. 9:18 What is Solomon’s conclusion? (Wisdom is better than weapons of war)

  • This was specifically true in the story referred to in 2 Samuel.

  • When there is one acting without wisdom what can happen? (but one sinner destroys much good.)

    • This was also true in regards to Sheba the son of Bichri. How much chaos did he create in all of Israel with his rebellion? How much destruction came to this small town because he chose to go there?