Ecclesiastes 9:1-18
Q.1. How should the reality of dying impact the way we live? What did Solomon say about the dead? How should we approach life and relationships? – (Ecc.9:1-10)
Solomon observed the fluctuating fortunes of all people, regardless of their standing and morals – 1 … Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him. 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 (Ecc.9:1-2). We need to achieve our goals while we still live, since once we have died, we can no longer make a difference – 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 (Ecc.9:10 c.f. 9:3-6). It is better to enjoy life, than to be overcome by it. Solomon especially encouraged us to make the most of marriage – 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 laboured under the sun (Ecc.9:9). A happy home makes life worth living.
Q.2. What makes life uncertain? How did Solomon illustrate the significance of wisdom? In what way did Solomon reveal Christ? – (Ecc.9:11-18)
Young people often think they are invincible, and people often imagine that the strong will survive the longest. Solomon observed that – time and chance overtakes them all (Ecc.9:11). The wealthy wise Solomon was impressed by a poor wise man – 14 There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siege-works against it. 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 (Ecc.9:14-15). This underscored for him that – …”Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded (Ecc.9:16). For the believer, this is a picture of Jesus, Who has delivered humanity, yet has been despised and rejected by many, and Whose words are generally not heeded.