Thinking Realistically About Life

GOLDEN TEXT: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” —Ecclesiastes 12:13

ECCLESIASTES 1:2,3,13; 2:1,18; 3:16; 4:1; 5:10-12; 12:1,13,14

IT IS generally believed that the “Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem,” was Solomon. He had been greatly blessed by the Lord, in wisdom and in riches. The glory of his kingdom exceeded anything which had been known up to that time in the ancient world. His fame spread abroad, and the Queen of Sheba, determined to see for herself, visited Solomon and reported that the half had not been told.

His glory was so great and so renowned that Jesus referred to it when, concerning the lily of the field which depends wholly upon God’s care through nature for existence, he said, “Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” (Matt. 6:29) During the years of his administration as king of Israel, the temple was built in Jerusalem, a magnificent edifice in which millions of dollars’ worth of gold and other expensive material was used. Yet with all this, Solomon finally reached the conclusion that “all is vanity.”

In the citations assigned for today’s lesson, various aspects of life are mentioned. What profit is there in man’s “labor”? Solomon asks. (ch. 1:3) Verse 13 refers to the attaining of “wisdom.” Chapter 2, verse 1, declares that “mirth” is also “vanity.”

In verse 18 of the 2nd chapter, Solomon speaks of all his labor as being vanity for the reason that the results of his efforts would fall into the hands of others after he died, and he had no way of knowing whether they would be wise in the use of what he had accumulated, or whether they would be “fools.”

He had discovered, accorded to chapter 3, verse 16, that in the religious affairs of life there was considerable hypocrisy, that where there was supposed to be righteousness and truth, iniquity was found.

In chapter 4, verses 1 to 3, Solomon refers to the injustice that exists in human society, and concludes that since those who are oppressed have no way of altering the situation, those who are dead are really better off than those who are alive.

And then, in chapter 5, verses 10 to 12, Solomon notes a fact that even today is often very apparent; namely, that those who succeed in acquiring riches are not made happy thereby, that what they coveted turns out to be vanity. By comparison, he concludes that the poor man who labors strenuously for his daily bread is probably better off. He may become physically weary, but this leads to a restful sleep, which many of the rich are not able to enjoy.

Evidently Solomon was directed by the Holy Spirit to express these viewpoints of life in order to emphasize the fact that apart from God, and his provision for a future life of happiness, all would, indeed, be vanity, or “emptiness”—something transitory and unsatisfactory, as the original Hebrew text states. The great and the wise and the rich of earth have enjoyed a measure of satisfaction in their attainments, but only temporarily; for they have all had to die and give up the things for which they struggled.

A realization of this is most important to Christians. Their goal in life is to attain and maintain the favor of God, and this frequently leads to the disfavor of men, even to the point of ostracism and persecution. This is one of the reasons why Paul wrote that if in this life only we have hope, we are of all men most miserable. But the sacrifice of all the various “vanities” of the world is made worthwhile by the assurance of “glory and honor and immortality” in the resurrection.—Rom. 2:7

So we realize, as Solomon did, that the vain things of the present life are of short duration—“temporal”—while the future realities which are promised are “eternal.” That is why it is wise to keep our hearts centered on the eternal verities.—II Cor. 4:18

The conclusion of the whole matter, Solomon declares, is to “fear [reverence] God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” The next verse explains why—“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

In other words, from the strictly human standpoint, all is indeed “vanity,” but not so when we consider God’s plan of salvation. Righteousness is to be rewarded, and unrighteousness punished. The judgment, or trial day of the church is now, and every follower of the Master should strive diligently to be found faithful even unto death, and thus receive the “crown of life.”—Rev. 2:10

The judgment, or trial day for the world in general, is future. However, willful acts of transgressions even now will have a bearing on that future trial. In that future day of trial, when the knowledge of the Lord fills the earth, the people will come to appreciate the value of the experience with evil through which they are now passing and have passed.

QUESTIONS

Who was the “Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem”?

From what standpoint is it true that all human attainments are as vanity?

When is the judgment day for the followers of Jesus?

When will the world in general be judged?

How is today’s lesson related to the divine permission of evil?

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