Death: When We Are Dead, We Are Dead

Where Do We Find Wisdom? (139)

Ecclesiastes

James R. Davis

Where do we find wisdom? What steps must a person take to lay hold onto wisdom? There are at least two important prerequisites, according to scripture.

1. We must learn to reverence God.

Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (KJV)

Prov 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (KJV)

Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. (KJV)

Prov 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (KJV)

Prov 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. (KJV)

Not until we become humble and teachable, acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom be ours. It is feared that too many Christians spend all their time in a conceited frame of mind that leaves them unable to receive wisdom.

"A great teacher is teachable. If he is not, he will have precious little to teach. Flee from the teacher who knows it all, unless the teacher is God. I know teachers who, in their first year of teaching, made lesson plans for their courses and have used those same plans, unaltered, for years. They are not great teachers." --R.C. Sproul

The same thing happens when we become conceited.

Prov 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. (KJV)

2. We must learn to receive God's word.

Wisdom is divinely wrought in those, and only those, who apply themselves to God's revelation.

Psa 119:98-99 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. (KJV)

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (KJV)

2 Tim 3:15-17 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (KJV)

Many today who profess to be Christians never learn wisdom, thorough failure to study the word of God. How long has it been since you read the Bible? Do you spend as much time with the Bible each day as you do with the newspaper?

I. What Wisdom Is Not?

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (KJV)

There is no way that we can see the purpose behind everything. It is futile to try.

Some believe that when God's gift of wisdom is bestowed it deepens one's insight into God's providential meaning and purpose of events going on around us, it's the ability to see why God has done what he has done in a particular case, and what he is going to do next.

Some feel that if they were really walking close to God so that he could impart wisdom to them freely, then they would be able to discern the real purpose of everything that happened to them. It would be clear to them every moment how God is making all things work together for good.

These people spend much time wondering why God should have allowed this or that to take place, whether they should take it as a sign to stop doing one thing and start doing another. Or what should they deduce from what has happened. If they end up baffled they put it down to their lack of spirituality. Some religious people drive themselves almost crazy with this kind of futile inquiry.

Realism Needed.

What does it mean for God to give us wisdom? What kind of gift is it?

It is like being taught to drive. What matters in driving is speed and appropriateness of your reactions to things going on around you and the soundness of your judgment as to what the scope a situation gives you. You do not ask why the road should narrow or screw itself into a dogleg wiggle. You don't ask why that van should be parked where it is. You don't ask why the driver in front of you hugs the crown of the road. You simply try to see and do the right thing in each situation you find yourself.

The effect of divine wisdom is to enable you and me to do just that in the actual situations in every day life. To drive well, you have to keep your eyes skinned to notice exactly what is in front of you and behind you.

To live wisely, you have to be clear sighted and realistic in looking at life as it is. Most of us live in a dream world, with our heads in the clouds and our feet off the ground; we never see the world, and our lives in it, as they really are. This deep-seated, sin-bred unrealism is one reason why there is so little wisdom among us -- even the soundest and most orthodox of us.

What Ecclesiastes Teaches Us

"Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, all is vanity." Here is a mature teacher giving a young disciple the fruits of his own long experience and reflection. He learned a great deal of his wisdom from the "School of Hard Knocks" so we would do well to listen!

Ecc 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (KJV)

Ecc 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; (KJV)

He wants to lead this young believer into true wisdom. Apparently the young man was inclined to equate wisdom with knowledge. He supposes that one gains wisdom with much bookwork.

Ecc 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. (KJV)

He took for granted, that once this knowledge was gained, that it would give him insight into why God does various things in the course of his providence. But the preacher wants to show that most of what happens is inexplicable to us. That many things "under the sun" bear no outward sign of a rational, moral God ordering them. The text itself is a warning against misconceived quest for understanding.

II. The Vanity of It All

What do you see when you take off your rose colored glasses?

You see life's background set by aimless recurring cycles in nature.

Ecc 1:4-7 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. (KJV)

You see life fixed by circumstances over which we have no control.

Ecc 3:1-8

Ecc 9:11-12 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. (KJV)

You see death coming to everyone sooner or later, but coming haphazard; it bears no relation to whether it is deserved.

Ecc 7:15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. (KJV)

Ecc 8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. (KJV)

Humans die like beast, good ones like bad, wise ones like fools.

Ecc 3:19-20 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. (KJV)

Ecc 2:14-16 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. (KJV)

Ecc 9:2-3 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. (KJV)

You see evil running rampant. The wicked prosper, the good don't.

Ecc 3:16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. (KJV)

Ecc 4:1 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. (KJV)

Ecc 5:8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they. (KJV)

Ecc 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. (KJV)

Ecc 9:3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. (KJV)

Ecc 8:14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity. (KJV)

Seeing all of this you realize that God's ordering of events is inscrutable. Much as you want to make something out of it you can't.

Ecc 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. (KJV)

Ecc 7:13-14 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. (KJV)

Ec 8:17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it. (KJV)

The more obsessed and oppressed you grow with the seemingly aimlessness of everything, the more you are tempted to conclude that life is really as pointless as it looks.

Once you conclude that there is really no rhyme in things, what "profit" value, gain, point, purpose can you find in any sort of constructive endeavor?

Ecc 1:3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? (KJV)

Ecc 2:11-12 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. (KJV)

Ecc 3:9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? (KJV)

Ecc 5:16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? (KJV)

If life is senseless then it is valueless; What use is it working to create things, to build business to make money, even to seek wisdom?

This can do no obvious good.

Ecc 2:15-16 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. (KJV)

Ecc 2:22-23 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. (KJV)

Ecc 5:11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? (KJV)

It will only make you an object of envy.

Ecc 4:4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. (KJV)

You can't take it with you.

Ecc 2:18-21 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. (KJV)

What you leave behind will be mismanaged by others.

Ecc 2:19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. (KJV)

All is vanity.

Ecc 1:14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. (KJV)

If your optimism expects divine wisdom to give you keen insight into the purpose of what is going on around you, you will end up a pessimistic. Often what is worthless survives, while what is valuable perishes. Be realistic, says the preacher; face these facts; see life as it is.

You will have no true wisdom till you do.

We want to think that if we were wise we would be in the know of what God is doing. Then when things hit us that are inexplicable, we almost lose our faith because we cannot understand WHY? Our pride is wounded, we feel that God has slighted us!

Sometimes we learn through bitter bewildering experiences that which we could learn in no other way.

Ecc 1:15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. (KJV)

The truth is that God in his wisdom, to make and keep us humble and to teach us to walk by faith, has hidden from us almost everything we should like to know about the providential purpose which he is working in the church and in our own lives.

III. What Is Wisdom?

The preacher has helped us to see what it is not; does he give any guidance as to what it is?

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (KJV)

Trust, obey, reverence him, worship him, be humble before him, and never say more than you mean and will stand to when you pray.

Ecc 5:1-7 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. (KJV)

Do good.

Ecc 3:12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. (KJV)

Remember that God will take account of you someday.

Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (KJV)

Live in the present, enjoy it thoroughly.

Ecc 7:14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. (KJV)

Ecc 9:7-10 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (KJV)

Ecc 11:9-10 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. (KJV)

Ecclesiastes condemns flippancy. But he clearly has no time for those too pious ever to laugh and have fun.

Ecc 7:4-6 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. (KJV)

Enjoy your work as you do it.

Ecc 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (KJV)

Ecc 2:24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. (KJV)

Leave to God its issues. Let him measure its ultimate worth, your part is to use good sense and enterprise as you explore the opportunities before you.

Conclusion:

This is the way of wisdom.

We can rest assured that the God who redeemed Israel from Egypt, redeemed us from sin through Christ, knows what he is doing.

God "does all things well" even if at the moment he hides his hand.

The fruit of Wisdom

When God gives wisdom, he does not share all his knowledge of what is behind what is happening. He rather is working at creating a disposition in us to confess that he alone is all wise. A disposition to cling to him and live for him in light of his Word through thick and thin. The effect of God's wisdom is to make us humble, joyful, less troubled about this painful world.

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. (KJV)

2 Tim 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (KJV)

1 Cor 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. (KJV)

1 Cor 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (KJV)