Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Ec 6:1-2 and following. Indeed, “Certainly, any man who stands is only vanity… Certainly man walks among what has only appearance; certainly he agitates in vain; he collects goods and he does not know who will collect them …” The preacher’s experience confirms these certainties of Ps 39:5-8. Man, his environment, his activity, all this is ephemeral. His soul alone exists forever, and it is precisely her that he usually takes care of the least.
The quest for the principal good in wealth, est in the middle ground: In the previous section, Coheleth showed that the supreme good is not found in that devotion to commercial affairs that was, and still is, characteristic of the Hebrew race. This devotion is commonly inspired either by the desire to amass great wealth, in the name of the status, influence and means of sumptuous enjoyment that it is supposed to confer; or by the more modest desire to obtain a skill, to stand in that happy medium of comfort that is not overshadowed by any harassing fear of scarcity or future need. By a logical sequence of thought, therefore, he advances his discussion to consider the main motives from which he is inspired. The questions he asks now and the answers are, indeed, (1) Will wealth confer the good, quiet and lasting satisfaction that men seek? And if not, (2) This moderate provision for the present and for the future to which the most cautious will restrict their purpose?
His first question, though very important, is brief; because in the previous section he has already dwelt on many of the disadvantages that accompany wealth; and even more, probably, because, while there are few men at any age to whom great wealth is possible, there would be exceptionally few in the company of poor men for whose education he wrote. As brief and simple as the discussion is, however, we will misunderstand it unless we keep in mind that Qoheleth argues, not against wealth, but against taking wealth for the Principal Good. The Man who makes therchesses his bien principal is haunted by the peopleand the perplexities: Let us observe, therefore, that throughout this sixth chapter, the preacher is dealing with the lover of wealth, not with the rich man; that he speaks, not against wealth, but against the confusion between wealth and the supreme good. The man who confides in riches is placed before us; and, so that we may see him at his best, he has the riches in which he confides. God gave him “his good things,” gave them to him in fullness.
He lacks nothing of what he desires, at least nothing that wealth can command. Yet, because he does not accept his abundance as a gift from God and holds the Giver better than the gift, he cannot take advantage of it. But how do we know that he let his riches take an undue place for him? We know this from this sure sign that he cannot let God take care of them and him. He worries about them and what they will become when he is gone. He may have no son to inherit from them, no child, only a “stranger” whom he has adopted (Ec 6:2) – and almost all childless Orientals adopt strangers to this day, as we have found, at our expense, elsewhere. A deep horror at the thought of being dead in the name, glory and use for lack of heirs was, and is, widespread in the East. Even the faithful Abraham, when God had promised him the supreme good, reprimanded: “What can you give me when I leave childless and I have no heir but my servant of the body, Eliezer of Damascus? Because this feeling was close to the Eastern heart, the preacher strives to show how much “vanity” it is. He argues: “Even if you were to have a hundred children, instead of being childless; even if you lived a thousand years, and the tomb did not wait for you instead of being very close to you: yet, as long as you were not happy to leave your riches in the hands of God, you would torment and embarrass yourself with fears.
An abortion would be better than you, although it comes into nothingness and goes away into darkness; for he would know a rest which is denied to you, and would sink without apprehension into the ‘place’ from which all your apprehensions cannot save you (Ec 6:3). Crazy man! it is not for lack of heir that you are troubled in mind. If you had one, you would find another reason for care; nevertheless, thou shalt be tormented and troubled; for you would still think of your riches rather than of the God who gave them, and you would always fear the moment when you would have to part with them in order to return to Him. It depicts a man who trusts in wealth, but honestly believes that wealth is the main good, or, at least, the path that leads to it. This man worked diligently and skillfully to acquire wealth, and he acquired it. Like the rich man in the Parable, he has many possessions and barns that fill up as they grow. “God has given her riches, riches, and abundance, so that her soul,” not having learned to seek something higher, “lacks nothing of all that she desires.” The man who makes wealth his chief good is haunted by fears and perplexities. He has achieved his goal, so acquired what he holds for good. Can’t he be content with it? No; for although he commands her soul to rejoice and rejoice, she stubbornly refuses to obey.
For it is obscured by perplexities, haunted by vague desires, eaten away and stung by a perpetual worry. Now that he has his riches, he fears losing them: he does not know how he can best use them, nor how to dispose of them when he has to leave them behind. God gave them to him; but it is not at all certain that God will show equal wisdom in giving them to someone else when he is gone. And so the poor rich sit in wealth up to the chin, but not to the lips, for he does not have the “power to enjoy it.” Overwhelmed with jealous care, he wants us to share what he can not enjoy, grudge especially that once dead, another has what has been so little comforting to him. “If you are rich,” says Shakespeare, “you are poor: for like a donkey whose back bows with ingots, you carry your heavy riches but a journey, and death unloads you.”
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
Futility of wealth, unsatisfactory life of man:
- Riches, are of no help at the time of trial
Pr 11:4 On the day of anger, wealth is useless; But justice delivers from death. Ec 6:2 There is such a man to whom God has given wealth, goods, and glory, and who lacks for his soul nothing of what he desires, but whom God does not let master to enjoy it, for it is a stranger who will enjoy it. This is a vanity and a serious evil. So 1:18 Neither their money nor their gold will be able to deliver them, In the day of jehovah’s fury; By the fire of his jealousy the whole country will be consumed; For it will suddenly destroy all the inhabitants of the country. Rev 18:16 and say, Woe! The big city, which was dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls! In a single hour so much wealth was destroyed!
- Bodies of the dead, unburied bodies, as a sign of disgrace
Ps 79:2 They have delivered the corpses of your servants In pasture to the birds of heaven, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth; Ec 6:3 When a man has a hundred sons, lives a great number of years, and the days of his years multiply, if his soul has not been satisfied with happiness, and if moreover he has no burial, I say that an abortionist is happier than him. Isa 14:19 But you have been thrown away from your tomb, Like a branch that is disdained, Like a remains of people killed with swords, And thrown on the stones of a pit, Like a corpse trampled underfoot. Jer 7:33 The corpses of this people will be the pasture of the birds of heaven and the beasts of the earth; And there will be no one to disturb them.
- Self-indulgence, the power of appetite
Nb 11.5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt, which cost us nothing, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. Pr 16:26 He who works, works for him, for his mouth excites him there. Ec 6:7 All man’s work is for his mouth, and yet his desires are never satisfied. Isa 29:8 As the hungry one dreams that he eats, then awakens, on an empty stomach, and as the thirsty one dreams that he drinks, then awakens, exhausted and languishing; So it will be with the multitude of nations that will come to attack the mountain of Zion.
- Discussing with God, it is foolish to
Jb 33:13 Do you want to argue with him, because he gives no account for his actions? Jb 40:2 Gird your loins like a valiant man; I will question you, and you will teach me. Isa 45:9 Woe to those who dispute with its creator! -Vase among earthen vessels! -Does clay say to the one who shapes it: What are you doing? And your work: He has no hands? Rom 9:20 O man, you rather, who are you to challenge with God? Will the clay vase say to the one who formed it: Why did you do this to me?
From all the above, we note that on is embraced when thinking of the multitudes of wasted existences, the sum of the intelligences and energies devoted to what?… to pursue here and there goals as inconsistent and fleeting as the restless air. To torment themselves in this way, without rest (v. 5) or happiness (v. 6), these lives themselves will have passed “like a shadow” (v. 12) and yet it will be necessary for him to be accountable to God. Christians, may this also open our eyes! We will not have the opportunity to start our lives again. Let it therefore be entirely employed for the Lord! Thischapter is only the continuation of the previous chapter. He continues to paint a picture of the painful ailments that we see under the sun. We see such a rich man filled with goods and to whom nothing is lacking in all that he desires; but God has not given him the power to eat them, while a stranger feeds on it. We see such a man having a large posterity and reaching an advanced age. He is not satisfied with goods like the first; and behold, he dies without burial, and he has not even found rest for his body; he would have lived two millenniums that he would never have seen happiness. All of them end up with death. In truth, an abortion that never saw the light of day has a happier fate than these. The Preacher concludes, as he has already done, that all man’s work results in material enjoyment without his desire being satisfied. The wise man has no advantage over the fool; the science of directing one’s life does not give an advantage over other men. What does all this lead to? Sight is better than desire. The latter too is vanity and pursuit of the wind. Vanity multiplies with its objects; man himself passes like a shadow and who will declare to him… “what will be after him under the sun?” For, let us notice again, the invisible Hereafter is absolutely closed to man in Ecclesiastes. Absolute uncertainty surrounds it on all sides: everything is vanity. “All man’s work is for his mouth”; his soul is not satiated with goods. Then theLord tells the story of this rich man who deceived his own soul by offering him the goods of this world (Luke 4:1-13; Lc 12.16-20). Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow ” Proverbs on Various Aspects of Wisdom ” (Ec 7).
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.