In light of death, how should we live life? This is the question Solomon poses this week, and he comes to his own conclusion. He offers some words of wisdom that aren't out of place, but they come up short of God's eternal perspective.
We'll spend quite a bit of time in Romans 7 and 8 this week. Since this is a shorter study, I'd encourage you to thoroughly read those two chapters in Romans. I know I needed to hear them. [Here’s David Guzik’s study guide on Romans 7 if you need a reference point.]
I was reminded the last few days of how "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15). My flesh is so weak. In case you weren't aware, just because I write Bible studies doesn't mean I don't struggle. I am not exempt from temptations or warring between my sinful flesh and the Spirit. Some days are harder than others, and I wrestle with temptation like every other believer (1 Corinthians 10:13).
I can relate to what Paul felt in Romans 7:24: I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. Right?! He goes on in verse 25 with a cry from the heart and the answer from God: "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
Oh God, be merciful to me, a sinner!
1 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. 2 It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.
With an "under the sun perspective," there is one fate for each person. There is an equal end to all, and that is death.
But, as believers, what do we know of death? In Romans 7, Paul would tell us that death is good. "But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code" (Romans 7:6). It goes on in verse 10 of Romans 7 to say, "But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness." As Christians, we are dead to sin but alive in Christ. Solomon finds no life in death; yet, the opposite is true of us because we are God's adopted children (Romans 7:15).
Enjoy Life with the One You Love
7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.
9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
When we see no purpose in this life or the days are viewed as futile, the logical answer is to enjoy the moment. Carpe diem (Latin for seize the day). This isn't terrible advice; however, it's short-term advice and lacks the eternal perspective. We read from Romans 7 earlier (about the law and sin). Now, let's read from Romans 8 that speaks of life in the Spirit, and our future glory:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:18-25)
Paul is prodding us on in these verses to:
Remember that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory ahead. Perspective, friends, perspective.
Creation (and this life) are subject to futility (or vanity). Vanity of vanities! Meaningless, meaningless!
Yet, we are to eagerly await the perfected resurrection.
Hope is the absolute expectation of coming good. Let us wait patiently for it, even when life is filled with suffering.
Wisdom Better Than Folly
11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. 12 For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.
13 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. 14 There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. 15 But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16 But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.
17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
The only equality we are given is the equality of death. Solomon pondered life's unfairness. It didn't make sense to him why the race isn't won by the fastest (which is excellent, because I'm a slow runner), or how the battle isn't won by the strongest. It's why Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." This is why God chooses this world's foolish things to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27) — it brings Him glory! It's backward from society's perspective, but it makes perfect sense in God's economy. Praise God that we are weak so that He is glorified in and through us!
The story Solomon shares at the end about the poor, wise man reminds me of a quote from Andrew Murray's book, Humility. I'll close with it:
"True humility comes when, in the light of God, we have seen ourselves to be nothing, have consented to part with and cast away self, to let God be all. The soul that has done this, and can say, "So have I lost myself in finding thee," no longer compares itself with others. It has given up forever every thought of self in God's presence; it meets its fellow-men as one who is nothing, and seeks nothing for itself who is a servant of God, and for his sake a servant of all...The humble man feels no jealousy or envy. He can praise God when others are preferred and blessed before him. He can bear to hear others praised and himself forgotten, because in God's presence, he has learnt to say with Paul, "I am nothing." He has received the spirit of Jesus, who pleased not himself, and sought not his own honor, as the spirit of his life."
TIME AND REFLECTION
God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Give me a habitual hunger and thirst after You. Take from my heart every kind and form and degree of pride. Awaken in me the most profound depth and truth of Christ's humility, which can make me capable of Your light and greater indwelling. Amen and Amen. [adapted from Andrew Murray, A Secret of Secrets: Humility the Soul of True Prayer]