Facing Death? • Ecclesiastes 9:1-10
By Beth S. Bowman
A popular show has a reappearing character called, “Debbie Downer.” This character receives so many laughs because her negative attitude toward everything is in sharp contrast to the upbeat character playing opposite her. I don’t think Solomon was the life of the party, either.
I know he possessed great wisdom from God but still, sometimes the futility of life must have rendered him a “Debbie Downer.” Basically, the summary of these ten verses in the lesson this week is: We are all doing to die. You should enjoy life while you can. I guess in the big picture, this isn’t bad advice after all.
Solomon realizes from the very first verses that everything is in God’s hands. All of us share a common destiny, and this destiny is death. Death will happen to people no matter what their behavior has been. In Ecc. 1:17, Solomon stated, “Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.”
This common denominator — death — is one that every believer can use to spur conversations with unbelievers. I do not recommend starting these conversations with random people at coffee shops with, “Hey did you know we are all going to die?” These conversations can be weaved with sensitivity into conversations built on a relational context, basically with the people with whom we do life and with whom we hang around.
The madness or folly mentioned in verse three is a recurring theme with Solomon. It’s his way of describing how our hearts are reluctant to accept wisdom. He uses this same word four other times in the book of Ecclesiastes (1:17; 2:12; 7:25; 9:3) He is absolutely correct in understanding a man’s (and woman’s) heart.
We are contrary, selfish, self-centered individuals. Sometimes it may seem like our lives and our goals when not given to God are madness and folly, but there is hope. Solomon recognizes that as long as one has breath, he/she has the power to change and allow control of his/her life to go to God. When you’re dead, though, it’s all over and too late to make that decision.
With such a view of life and death, joy is only found in the moment. Enjoy what God has given you because life will be short. The good things from the hand of the Lord should be celebrated, because death is coming.
I’m glad the writer gives “permission” to enjoy what God has given. He even encourages wearing white and anointing one’s head with oil (two actions done in Biblical days to show celebration and joy). Even though death is coming, do not let it rob you of the joy that God has planned for you today.
The relationships that God has given you (in verse nine, Solomon mentions your wife) are to be cherished all of the days of your life. God has set people in a family structure and a community structure. These relationships provide pivotal mentoring, advice, care, and belonging. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying these relationships and friendships.
Lastly, work is God’s design even though all our toil will not mean much when we die. The well-known British theologian and pastor, Charles Spurgeon, stated, “Man was not created to be idle, he was not elected to be idle, he was not redeemed to be idle, he was not quickened to be idle, and he is not sanctified by God’s grace to be idle.”
Yes, death is coming. We should neither be intimidated by it nor scared of it. Every remaining day we have on earth can be leveraged for God by squeezing each ounce of energy toward His glory and honor, all while enjoying the good gifts He has given.
Bowman, a member of West Carthage Church, is a speaker/writer. She may be contacted at beth@bethbowman.net.
