Ecclesiastes - the Book of Wisdom: I find myself reading various passages of this timeless book of Scripture during these past two years, most especially as a Christian chaplain who is often asked to truthfully speak to certain hard realities people are being faced with.

There have been so many hard realities these past two years for folks. My-o-my. As a believer, I don't give my "advice" like friends and family do, but rather open God's Word and see what God has to say. If 2022 tracks anywhere near these past two years, I'll again be reading and showing nice people in grave circumstances that Ecclesiastes has many insightful passages that might help them know;

The pessimistic majority ask, "What is life without God and answer it with... eat, drink, and be merry."
The optimistic minority ask, "What is my purpose in life?" And they humbly reflect on many things.
These are the two major worldviews according to the author of Ecclesiastes.

The author writes:
The unbeliever claims, "there is no life after this one" and lives accordingly.
The believer knows there is life eternal and lives accordingly.

The author of Ecclesiastes lays out the 6 main truths in life that unbelievers claim are anomalies (If God is real, why would He (fill in the blank)).
but the wise person can "see" purpose in it all;

1. God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man (Eccles 3:17)
2. The human and beast will all return to the same place - dust to dust (Eccles 3:20)
3. The human is oppressed while on earth (Eccles 4:1)
4. The unwise asks "why can't we all just get along?"
The wise realizes why;
because there is rivalry and contention and endless fighting (Eccles 4:4)
5. The unwise attempts to always be alone... and ends his earthly life all alone
The wise realizes God said it is not good for man to be alone without a dependent (Eccles 4:8)
6. The unwise says fame is the goal
The wise knows fame is fleeting (Eccles 4:16)

There have been many end of life posts on this forum this past year and there will probably be more this year based on where we're at as a nation and as a people.
I've recited the words of Ecclesiastes 7:1-5 often at funerals these past two years and I suspect I'll recite it again quite a bit in 2022.
It gives a wise perspective to how to live ours lives when all around us people are a lot more fearful, medicated, counseled, and anxious about their future than they were just a couple years ago.
In a world of shifting sand, God's Word remains as the truth that can aid people's hearts and minds.

A good name is better than a good ointment, and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. (great assurance of God's Promise at a Christian funeral)
It is better to go to a house of mourning (funerals bring everything to a reality) than to go to a house of feasting because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter and, for when a face is sad a heart may be happy.(people are made to grieve those who die whom we love)
The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure. (respect for the dead is the wise perspective of how precious life really is)
It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man than for one to listen to the song of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:1-5


I still remember Charlie, a 94 year old survivor of Okinawa (8% of his platoon survived) who in his last hours in the hospital this past summer, looked me straight in the eye in the ICU, with his wife of 67 years holding his hand, saying to me, "Ok chaps. I've seen it all and I woke up this morning and I'm gonna die today." I asked Charlie if the docs had delivered some news I wasn't aware of and he said, "No, I just woke up today at 94 years old and my heart is different." I said, "Different? How so?" Charlie said, "Well, I don't think like I did yesterday. Can't explain it. Could you do me a favor? I haven't talked to my son Stan in over 20 years and he lives here in town. Could you call him and tell him I'd like to see him right now before I die?"

I gotta be honest when I share that this story (which will testify to this old trapper for the rest of my days) is wondrous testimony of God's providence which is all around us if we choose to open our hearts to it. Charlie did, as many seem to, at life's end. The author of Ecclesiastes urges people to live all of your life this way for a better outcome.

I called Stan. He came and saw his dad for 30 minutes before his dad died.

God made our hearts for relationship with Him and those He blesses us with.

As we usher in a new year, may you and yours be happy, healthy, and wise knowing life is divinely crafted and precious!
Blessings,
Mark

amen

Ecclesiastes is my favorite book. I call it, "the working man's book of proverbs "

Its probably been 6 years since i read it. Time for a refresher

Same here

Thanks for sharing Mark

Great message to start off the new year with

Wonderful message.

Thanks for that, Mark. Knowing when you are to die….above my pay grade!

Amen.Thank you

Thanks Mark.

Thanks Mark. Great lessons for all of our life. More importantly great advice to continue forward. True this last couple years have been very difficult. For me they have been troubling and more so hectic and confusing which I believe sometimes by design. Not God's design but that of another attempting to distract us from keeping our eye on the prize so to speak. As a believer I am assured salvation through the blood shed for us all. I must admit though that the distraction has taken my focus sometimes in another direction. Thank's for this message. A great start to will hopefully be a great year for us all. God Bless.

Great post Mark. Thanks.

Our prayer in 2022 is that more people will come to look above the Sun for their answers to life's meaning,
because life below the Sun will not, as the preacher in Ecclesiastes recorded, satisfy all a person desires.

The wise man/woman will, according to the book of Ecclesiastes, "fear God and obey His commands," in 2022.
The foolish man/woman will pursue all that is vanity (knowledge), vanity (pleasure), vanity (endeavors).... which is like chasing the wind.

Enjoy all of your blessings that surround you in 2022 and look above the Sun for the true answers to life.

These folks do a wonderful job of bringing books of the Bible to life;
https://www.spokengospel.com/books/ecclesiastes

Blessings!
Mark

Yes Mark, Look beyond the Sun to the SON.

The book of Ecclesiastes is a great example of why I tell nonbelievers to read the Bible. It’s full of wisdom top to bottom. Thanks Mark