Ecclesiastes 6

Ecclesiastes 6:1

6:1, 2 There is a cruel irony in life that lays a heavy burden on men. It concerns a man to whom God has given everything that his heart could desire in the way of riches and wealth and honor, but unfortunately God does not give him the capacity to enjoy these things. Notice that Solomon blames God for depriving him of the enjoyment of his wealth. Then premature death robs this man of the power to enjoy his riches. He leaves it all to a stranger, not even to a son or a close relative. This certainly makes life look like an empty bubble or a malignant disease. 6:3 Even if a man has a big family and lives to a ripe, old age, these superlative mercies mean nothing if he can’t enjoy life or if he doesn’t have a decent burial at the end. In fact, a stillborn child is more to be envied than he. 6:4 The untimely birth comes in vanity and departs in anonymity. His name is covered in the obscurity of one who was never born and who never died. 6:5 Though the stillborn child never sees the sun or gets to know anything, nevertheless he enjoys more rest than the miser. He never experiences the maddening perversities of life. 6:6 Even if the miser should live a thousand years twice over, what good is it if he has not been able to enjoy the good things of life? He shares the same fate as the stillborn child by going to the grave. 6:7 A man’s main reason for working is to buy food for himself and his family. But the odd thing is that he is never satisfied. The more his income rises, the more he wants to buy. Contentment is the carrot on the stick that forever eludes him. 6:8 So in this futile quest, the wise man doesn’t have any advantage over the fool. And even if a poor man knows how to face life better than the rest of the people, he isn’t any further ahead. 6:9 It is far better to be content with the meals that are set before one than to be always craving for something additional. This business of always lusting for more is as foolish as grasping for the wind. As Leupold said, it’s like “lustful straying about from one thing to another in quest of true satisfaction.” 6:10, 11 Whatever one is, rich or poor, wise or foolish, old or young, he has already been given the name of man. Man here represents the Hebrew word adam and means “red clay.” How can red clay dispute with the Creator? 6:12 The simple fact, according to the Preacher, is that no one knows what is best for him in this vain life of shadows. And no one knows what will happen on the earth after he is gone.