The Way to the City

“The labor of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city” (Ecclesiastes 10:15).
IN some respects the book of Ecclesiastes is the saddest in all the Bible. It gives the search of the natural man for the supreme good under the sun, leading at last only to bitter disappointment and the heart-broken cry: “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity... all is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Eccl. 1:2, 14).
There is a city presented to the eye of faith in the blessed Bible for which every Christian heart yearns, a city toward which the saints of God in all ages have turned their eyes. We are told that Abraham, the father of the faithful, looked for that city “which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:10). So dear was it to him that he went forth not knowing whither he went, and turned his back on all worldly prospects, that he might be sure of a place in that city.
In the New Testament, our blessed Lord tells us: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you” (John 14:2), and then He adds, “I go to prepare a place for you.” In that last wonderful book of the Bible, the book of the Revelation, the description of that city is beyond anything that these poor finite minds of ours can comprehend. It is a city with a street of gold, with foundations of precious stones, with gates of pearl, and walls of diamonds; for the jasper of the book of Revelation is clear as crystal, and not the opaque jasper that we know, but evidently the diamond in all its glory. In this way we are given to understand something of what God has provided for those who love Him. What a solemn thing to miss the way to that city! We dwell in this world for some fifty, sixty, seventy, or even eighty years, and if, after we have passed our little life here, we find ourselves going out into a dark eternity, what a tragedy life will really be!
In this book, Solomon uses a very striking figure. He imagines a countryman on his way to the city, desiring to go perhaps to the great capital of Palestine — Jerusalem, or to some other city upon which his heart is set. But that man starts out trying to find his way with neither guidepost to direct him, nor authoritative information to tell him which route to take. He tries first one road and then another, only to be disappointed every time, until at last, utterly wearied, he throws himself down in despair as the shades of night are falling, and says, “It is no use, I cannot make it; I cannot find my way.” “The labor of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.”
If we think of that city as heaven, or as the glorious New Jerusalem, then indeed we may see how aptly Solomon’s words apply to myriads of mankind about us. Speak to men about their hope of heaven and they will say uncertainly, “Oh, yes, I trust I shall enter heaven when earth’s short day is over; I hope I shall find my way to the city of God; I hope that someday my feet will walk the gold-paved street of the New Jerusalem.” If you ask them what assurance they have that they are really on the road that leads to heaven, you will find that they are all in confusion. Many of them will not even thank you for trying to give them authoritative information from the Word of God. Instead of “Thus saith the Lord,” you will find them substituting, “I think.” What a common thing it is to hear men say, “I think that everything will come out all right in the end; there are many different roads to eternity, many men of many minds, but we are all going to the same place at last; every road will eventually lead to heaven, we hope.” But you know that this is not logical, it is not reasonable. It is a principle that does not work in this life, nor in this world, and what reason have we to believe that it will work when we come to another life, and another world?