Please turn with me to Ecclesiastes, chapter 9.
All of us — every person in this room — wants to be happy. I’m not just making this up. It's the central premise of psychological study. The longest-running study in the world: Harvard’s 80-year “adult happiness study” says the same thing Augustine of Hippo said 1,600 years ago: ‘Every man desires to be happy.’
We all want joy. We’re hard-wired for it. Designed for it!
And we spend our lives chasing it: in success, in relationships, in financial security, in experiences, in comfort, in accomplishment, even in religion, or the pursuit of knowledge. We’re all looking for it.
Ecclesiastes is very honest about the human condition: happiness is hard to find. Solomon tells us throughout this book: ‘I tried everything you’re trying — all of it — and here’s what I found.’
Today’s passage confronts two realities we can’t escape: life is uncertain, and death is certain. And Solomon’s question is simple: Where do you find joy in a world like that?
His answer may surprise you.
REVIEW: THE ONLY THING CERTAIN ABOUT LIFE IS DEATH.
Verses 1-3 and 11-12 form bookends on this passage and serve as a review of everything we’ve talked about so far in the book, so if you’ll bear with me, we are going to study this passage sort of “outside-in” today. As a review of the series so far, let’s read these bookends:
Ecclesiastes 9:1–3 (CSB) 1 Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: The righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands. People don’t know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them. 2 Everything is the same for everyone: There is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so also it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who takes an oath, so also for the one who fears an oath. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live; after that they go to the dead.
Ecclesiastes 9:11–12 (CSB) 11 Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them. 12 For certainly no one knows his time: like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, so people are trapped in an evil time as it suddenly falls on them.
Solomon the Wise is reminding us that when we really stop and observe life and think about what it is showing us, we’ll realize something: That if your life goals are wrapped up in the things of this world, “under the sun”—If you are seeking fulfillment and personal peace through health, wisdom, power, material possessions and money, you will end up disappointed in this world because there is no lever we can pull that guarantees a successful outcome in any of these areas.
Solomon observes that there are too many seemingly random factors that get in the way of all of those things. He also observes that even achieving those things does not lead to the joy and fulfillment you are seeking in them.
The same thing happens to all: Righteous and wicked, good and bad, moral and immoral, religious and non-religious, good and sinner: death comes to all.
Strength, wisdom, discernment, skill—things we usually elevate as good things to pursue because they will grant you success, do not, in fact, guarantee it. My YouTube feed is filled with videos on these very topics. And yes, it is better to be wise and strong and discerning and skillful, but these things will let you down from time to time in this world full of futility.
Ecclesiastes repeats this theme over and over, and it would be tempting to be driven to darkness and despair as a result.
But what this morning’s passage encourages us to do in light of these uncertainties is very counterintuitive. Solomon invites us, in light of the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death, to enjoy the life we do have!
ENJOY LIFE IN LIGHT OF DEATH!
Ecclesiastes 9:4–10 (CSB) 4 But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun. 7 Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. 8 Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. 9 Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun. 10 Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.
Solomon’s perspective seems to be that even though the living know that death is coming, if all there is is life under the sun, then we might as well enjoy it while we're here, because after death, if there is no resurrection, if there is no eternal life, then that's all there is, so make the most of it.
Look at the commands in Verses 7 through 10. What does Solomon the Wise counsel us to do in light of death?
Go! Eat! Drink! Celebrate! Enjoy! Do!
Enjoy simple meals, put on nice clothes, and oil on your head. Meaning, make yourself look nice, celebrate. This is the opposite of mourning—wearing sackcloth and putting ashes on your head —wear bright clothing, smile. Verse 9 says to enjoy relationships. Verse 10: Enjoy hard work and hobbies. Find things to do with your time that are enjoyable. Life is short! It almost seems like Solomon is saying, “YOLO,” or “you only live once.”
And while it seems like this passage comes up a little short: “enjoy life because that's all there is”—I think Solomon does have the understanding that more is coming. He speaks of giving an account to God, which implies judgment day and eternity, and rewards or punishments. He's asking us to think through those things.
Jesus came and made clear that eternity is coming, what it is like, and how to be in paradise with him. So Christians have a much better explanation of this passage and the realities of life.
Solomon says: Enjoy life in light of death, but followers of Jesus say: Enjoy life in light of resurrection!
ENJOY LIFE IN LIGHT OF RESURRECTION!
In verse 7, Solomon says to enjoy life because God has already accepted your works, but how can we know that He has accepted them? This whole passage points to Jesus.
Solomon says after we die, we are forgotten. There's no more memory of us. But that is not the case for those who know Christ! We live forever, and He never forgets us.
It is Jesus's works that are accepted by God and are the basis for our acceptance and our ability to enjoy life now and for eternity.
Jesus taught us to eat bread and drink wine to remember his work, his life, death, and resurrection. Revelation describes Jesus as clothed in white, and all the saints with him as wearing matching outfits. Oil on our heads reminds us of the anointing ceremonies of the Old Testament. And it reminds us that Jesus is called “the Christ” or in Hebrew, “the Messiah”, which means the anointed one.
Verse 11 in our passage today speaks of our desire for strength, wisdom, blessing, and riches. The very things that Revelation chapter 5 says Jesus is worthy of.
Revelation 5:12 (CSB) 12 They said with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!
For the attentive Christian, Ecclesiastes 9 reminds us everywhere of Jesus and what He did in His life, death, and resurrection. And because of that, Paul says that we don't even need to be afraid of death! Jesus died in our place, so life goes on for us after physical death. Paul teaches us in his letter to the Philippians church that life is better than this one because we will then be in the direct presence of our Lord.
ENJOY LIFE IN LIGHT OF THE MISSION!
Philippians 1:21–23 (CSB) 21 For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. 23 I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ—which is far better.
But notice the tension Paul describes: he has work to do, we have work to do! Until Jesus takes us home, we have a mission here—fruitful work to do for Him. Jesus commands us in Matthew 28 to “Go!” just as Ecclesiastes 9 commands us to “Go!” In both these passages, the verb “go!” is framed as “as you are going” — As you go about life, Ecclesiastes says, enjoy it. Christ says to tell everyone the good news about Him. These two things work together!
The Christian life is one of enjoyment and of mission. Because we know our eternal destiny, and we have a goal that is much higher than any goal on this earth, and a security about life that can't be found anywhere else. Christians ought to be the happiest people in the world! We know our creator, we know our Lord, our God, our friend Jesus.
Yes, that mission will be very difficult at times and potentially result in suffering. The Bible makes no apology about that fact. The Bible does not promise health and wealth and comfort in this life.
But it does point us to where we can certainly find joy.
That joy comes from the hope of the resurrection and the certainty of an eternal life in a sin-and-suffering-free world.
Our hope is found in eternity, and our security comes from knowing our Savior. Solomon would have known about this too. Sheol is not the ultimate destiny for God’s people. His father, David, wrote the 16th Psalm, and Solomon would probably have grown up hearing it:
Psalm 16:5–11 (CSB) 5 Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 7 I will bless the Lord who counsels me— even at night when my thoughts trouble me. 8 I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices; my body also rests securely. 10 For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay. 11 You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.
In the meantime, the Bible is also serious about enjoying the life we do have. Ecclesiastes 9 is not wrong. I also find it hopeful that the kinds of things Solomon says we should enjoy in this life are attainable for everyone!
He doesn't say enjoy fancy cars, expensive vacations, the latest toys, or gadgets. He encourages finding joy in simple things, such as meals, relationships, work, and hobbies.
And as serious as we usually are on Sunday morning, the uniqueness of this passage in the repetitiveness of Ecclesiastes is this simple encouragement to enjoy life. Knowing the security that we have through faith in Christ Jesus for life and eternity, how can we enjoy the simple things in this life? That's where I want to end up today.
ENJOY LIFE!
Paul gives his protégé Timothy instructions to pass on to the church. God does provide everything in creation for our enjoyment, but he also says don’t set our ultimate hope on those things. Enjoy them, share them, be thankful for them, but don't worship them.
1 Timothy 6:17–19 (CSB) 17 Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, 19 storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life.
God provides us with things in this creation to enjoy. Some of us have a greater quantity of those things available to us than others.
For the materially wealthy in this world, it is tempting to be arrogant or clingy about our stuff. The command here is that we share. We pastors are commanded to command the wealthy in this world to be generous with their possessions.
For all of us, I would like to take a moment at the end of our message to reflect on the many amazing things that we all have available to us to enjoy. All around us is God's creation— evidence of his presence and creativity. Romans 1 says that we can clearly see God's character revealed in creation.
Think with me of the Psalms that say that creation declares the glory of God. The song we sang earlier in the service is a wonderful reflection on that. Think of the classic hymn:
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
Some of us are really into birds, some of us are really into flowers. Some love Mountains, some love lakes, some love the ocean, some love sunrises, some love sunsets.
This past week, many of us in the area got to behold the northern lights, the aurora borealis. What an amazing, heavenly light show. The Lord is declaring his glory through his creation. Let's pay attention. And let these things bring us great enjoyment as we delight in the creation that our creator made for us to enjoy.
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