Eccles. 7:1-4
7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
and the living will lay it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
- How is a good reputation important to you?
- How is it better than soothing medicine?
- How can a bad reputation affect you physically and emotionally? - Why is the day of a person's death better than the day of their birth to Solomon?
- How might this be true for Christians today? - Which would you prefer: a house of mourning or a house of feasting? Funeral or party?
- How do funeral impact the living?
- What should a funeral remind the living of? - Why is sorrow better than laughter to Solomon?
- How does laughter push aside reality?
- Which is wiser, an honest appraisal of mortality or an attempt to escape facing mortality?
4 comments:
I'm sorry but I am confused. Your question, "Why is the day of a person's death better than the day of their birth to Solomon?" I am also confused by Solomon's use of the words "birth and death." You cannot die unless you have been born. I think Solomon is saying "If a person dies with a good name, their reputation is sealed with the family and there is no need to worry. Likewise, this is true today for all Christians. A person with a "Good Name or Good Reputation" or he is a "Christian" dies and he will be with the LORD forever. As a result, his future life is sealed. In this way a Christian's death is good. With the will of God permitting me, I am really looking forward to this "Blog" in the New Year of 2008. Traditionally, we say "Happy New Year." I would like to add, "May God's work be glorified in 2008 and may God use us for his purpose."
At this point in Solomon's journey, he sees life as vanity. He has concluded that fame, money, work, and pleasure is empty. Life just isn't worth that much to him at this point. He seems to be saying that death is better than being born into this empty, wind-chasing existence. I doubt that Solomon had an expectation of an afterlife. That was a controversial issue even in Jesus' day. With nothing under the sun as being worthwhile, then death could be no worse.
With the death and resurrection of Christ, things are different. We can consider "the day of death better than the day of birth" but only because we are in Christ. We know now that death outside of Christ is true sorrow.
Harold, I'm glad to see that someone else besides myself thinks that Solomon did not have an expectation of life after death. I think his father David believed in afterlife. That is really one of the problems I face when reading Solomon's writings. I do not see Solomon as being a spiritual person later in his life and I have difficulty accepting his feelings that are contained in his writings.
While I understand your conclusion about Solomon, God saw fit to have this work included in the Bible. I do see the thoughts and feelings that Solomon had on his journey as being very applicable to life under the sun even now. I see people with the same attitudes, lifestyles, and despair that Solomon experienced. This not always limited to people outside the church. I recommend you read Chuck Swindoll's Living on the Ragged Edge. It is an excellent and eye-opening study of Ecclesiastes. (I can loan it to you if you like. I think it is in the church library as well.)
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