James & Ecclesiastes - What is Wisdom?

[SilverFox7]

Chapter 9 of Ecclesiastes is a beautiful blend of poetry and prose. The first part focuses on Solomon’s fixation with death once again. Notice the way the verse is structured to emphasize key words and concepts:

Ecclesiastes 9

New King James Version

1 For I [a]considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. 2 All things come alike to all:

One event happens to the
righteous and the wicked;
To the [b]good, the clean, and the
unclean;
To him who sacrifices and him
who does not sacrifice.
As is the good, so is the sinner;
He who takes an oath as he
who fears an oath.

3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4 But for him who is joined to all the living there is 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 Also their love, their hatred,
and their envy have now
perished;
Nevermore will they have a
share
In anything done under the
sun.

7 Go, eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a
merry heart;
For God has already accepted
your works.
8 Let your garments always be
white,
And let your head lack no oil.

 

[SilverFox7]

1 For I [a]considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God.

3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all.

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.

Solomon seems filled with conflict and strikes me as a basket case spiritually at this point in his life. He makes the conclusion “…that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God,” on the one hand, yet says right after: “This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all… 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.” If everything that “happens under the sun” is ultimately “in the hand of God,” why should we be worried about the struggles of life and the prospect of the grave that lies ahead?

Yes, we know we are going to die, and death is our enemy no doubt. All the elements that make up our physical bodies will eventually cease to function and return to the dust from whence it came. And, those who are not the Lord’s are in the grave, don’t know anything, there is no reward, and many of them are completely forgotten by human history.

We know from a New Testament perspective, however, that is not the case for Christians who have their hope and faith in Jesus Christ. We are far from forgotten, and our inheritance is sure. And while Solomon didn’t have knowledge of the New Covenant of the future apparently, God revealed it to some during Old Testament times like David (referenced in previous postings) and Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 37:1-3

New King James Version

The Dry Bones Live

1 The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know....”

9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the [a]breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’ ” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and [b]breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

13 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’ ”

 

[SilverFox7]

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.”

It doesn't appear that Solomon believed in or had hope in the resurrection. He says, "...the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it" (Ecc. 12:7), but what that means is abstract at best. For example, if our spirit returns to God at death, why would he also say "the dead know nothing?"

If our life in the flesh, our bodies and brains that store all our memories, perish into the grave, does that somehow mean our souls that return to God at death have no memory of the life we lived as human beings? So, at death, our bodies and "very dry" bones are in the "grave" knowing "nothing", having no "reward", and we are "forgotten?" But, our "spirit" returns to God?

There are many perspectives on the resurrection of the dead and our life after death with the Lord forever, but the Bible is very clear there are resurrections. As Peter emphasized:

Acts 2:25-35

New King James Version

1 For David says concerning Him:

‘I foresaw the Lord always
before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that
I may not be shaken.

26 Therefore my heart rejoiced,
and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will
rest in hope.

27 For You will not leave my soul
in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy
One to see corruption.

28 You have made known to me
the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy
in Your presence.’

29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, [a]according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.

32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted [b]to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
35 Till I make Your enemies Your
footstool.” ’

Jesus makes it very clear that He was going to be resurrected, “I am the resurrection and life” (John 11:25), there was going to be another “resurrection of the dead” (Matt. 22:29-32), and He adds an interesting twist to the verses Peter quoted above from Psalm 110 verse 1:

Matthew 22:41-45

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”

They said to Him, “The Son of David.”

43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:

44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your
footstool” ’?

45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?”