Day 149: Ecclesiastes 6- We Should Be Uncomfortable

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place?
 
7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. 8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
 
10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. 11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? 12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?
 
Meditation
God’s word gives us permission to be uncomfortable with the status of society.  The disparity of resources, discrimination of human beings, lack of satisfaction, absence of peace, presence of hatred, sickness, and death…  Life is not the way it is supposed to be and we should not be comfortable with the status quo. We are created for more.
 
Today’s chapter begins lamenting evil present in society (1), and ends with the heaviness and vanity of a purposeless life concluding in death (10-12). In between the preacher laments the lack of control (2), satisfaction (3, 7), enjoyment (4-6), and progress (8-9). We can work like ants with no control over the outcome, no purpose, no real progress, no point, and no satisfaction.
 
God’s word gives us permission to be uncomfortable with the status of society while it gives us hope in an above the sun perspective. We desire a better country (Hebrews 11:16) as we journey toward a Heavenly society (Hebrews 13:14) as aliens and strangers in this world (1 Peter 2:11-12).
 
There will be a day when justice reigns, love overcomes, death is defeated, sickness is removed, and light outshines all darkness. Jesus will return to usher in the consummation of His rule and reign through a New Heavens and New Earth. Until that day comes (and it will!) we must not be comfortable with the status of society.  God’s word gives us permission to be uncomfortable and God’s grace lifts our eyes higher to an above the sun, heavenly, hope.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What aspects of the status of society lead you to dis-comfort? Where do you long to see change?
 
-How do you identify with the lack of satisfaction, purpose, and control of life under the sun?
 
-How do your longings for our heavenly home reveal you are created for more? How do they shape you in the struggle for perspective?
 
Key Verse
7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.