16. Talking of Earthly Position and Honour

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Hymns: 360 My God, Is Any Hour So Sweet 371 Sweet Hour of Prayer 394 Deeper and Deeper

Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes

(Remember Now Thy Creator)

– Talking of Earthly Position and Honour

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. 15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

 

OUTLINE

  • The Young Replace the Old (v13-14)
  • Dissatisfaction with Both Young and Old (v15-16)

 

INTRODUCTION

Solomon tells us the futility of seeking after earthly position and honour. This prestige and honour are fleeting and transitory. Popularity is a fad. The heart of men not resting on God is unstable, restless, fickle and changing. There is little stability to talk about in assessing their likes and dislikes. Seeking position and honour for oneself will lead one to disappointment. The chase for a position in this world will not give true satisfaction to the heart. We are to seek to please God rather than please self or other men. This is true wisdom.

We are to build our life upon the solid foundation of Jesus Christ and our life will be stable.

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

“Enter the Strait Gate” is God’s call to men throughout the ages to a life with God. The word “strait” means narrow, restrictive, expressing the difficulty to enter. What is the strait gate? It is the gate of salvation. It is the gate of conversion and regeneration. This entrance through the strait gate describes the beginning of this blessed life.

What is the message in the heart of God that He wants to convey to mankind? It is the truth that there is no life lived that is more abundant than the life of true godliness. Jesus urges His listeners to individually make a decision — “enter ye in” if they have not so entered.

It is God’s desire that all be saved. All who will hear this message are urged to hearken to the command to enter. Jesus is bidding His listeners by a command and by a determinate action to make the entry. And the answer to the question — “where to enter?” — is given emphatically by the preposition “at”. It is through this gate, the strait gate. There is none more authoritative on earth and in heaven to represent God as His Son, Who is God, the second Person of the Godhead, coming in human flesh, making this appeal. The wide gate is an all-encompassing, anything-goes gate. It is a description of this lawless and godless world.

It is a package deal — the wrong gate will lead to the wrong way and the wrong destination with the wrong company. The wide gate leads to the broad way and the end of the journey is destruction. You will find many walking that way but it is, nonetheless, the wrong way.

Solomon tells us that those seeking that way will be disappointed. Recently, two teenage girls took their own lives. They were churchgoing and even actively serving. What happened? I believe they were hooked to this world’s system of popularity and success and they saw the futility of it.

There is only one entrance that leads to life and it is through the strait gate. As we have mentioned, this narrow and restrictive gate is the gate of salvation, of conversion and of regeneration. All who would enter must be Born Again! The change must come from within, old things are passed away and all things become new. The old man is put off and the new man put on. There is a new heart and a new spirit.

The gate is strait because it also expresses the difficulty in finding it. Why is it difficult to find? Because only Jesus saves! There is no other gate to salvation except in Jesus. The Bible tells us in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Jesus Himself says in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” In John 11:25-26, Jesus says, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” Truly, the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. The message that only Jesus saves is a message that we have the great privilege to proclaim. Be warned that it is offensive to the world. Many will stumble at it and perish.

Jesus says in a parallel passage in Luke 13:24, “Strive (agonise, it speaks of a conflict, a struggle) to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” Why is this so? Because it will cost us our pride. Jesus tells us at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). We need to have a poverty of spirit as opposed to a proud spirit to enter this gate. This is the struggle against the “I”, “me”, “mine”, the self in us which is self-seeking, selfish and self-righteous.

We have to surrender our fallen self that it may be crucified with Christ on the cross. All who stand tall and proud cannot enter. We need to be lowly bent in humbleness of heart to enter this narrow gate.

The popular “broadway” of this world that Solomon is telling us you will avoid if you would be willing to walk the Jesus’ way.

Thomas Constable observed well our text, “It is also futile to work to gain advancement and popularity, thinking that these advantages will provide ultimate satisfaction. He has reached a pinnacle of human glory, only to be stranded there.”[1]

Two thoughts:

  • The Young Replaces the Old (v13-14)
  • Dissatisfaction with Both Young and Old (v15-16)

 

(1) The Young Replaces the Old (v13-14)

13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

It can be seen in the world of politics how the young replaces the old. The man who was a prisoner came to take power to rule. We are reminded the biblical story of Joseph. In this case, it was the will of God for Joseph to rise to fulfill God’s will for his life. He did not seek it. He seeks to walk with God and it was God who promoted him to manage the 7-year famine that came over the region in an around Egypt, forcing the family of Jacob to move to Egypt. In doing so, God’s will was fulfilled to make Israel a nation to witness for God. In the 400-years they were in Egypt, they grew into a multitude of people.

Bridges observed well, “For the man who has no counsel from his own store, and refuses to receive it from another’s has an undoubted claim to the character of a fool. Indeed old and foolish – feebleness of mind and obstinacy linked together throw a cloud over the splendour of an earthly crown. For ‘place and dignity can never make a man happy, as his follow will make him miserable.’”

It can happen that the aged lack wisdom and acts foolishly – Job 2:20 “He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.” He lacks the wisdom of accepting advice and counsel. The king proves to be foolish when he no longer knows how to receive instruction. His term of advisers, he will not take heed. The aged king refused to listen to his counselors.

There is the example of Solomon himself.

1 Kings 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; 2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away — your heart after their gods: Solomon cleaved unto these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away — his heart. 4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away — his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. 7 Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

The consequences of Solomon’s sins…

9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not — that which the Lord commanded

1 Kings 11:11-13 Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend — the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. 12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. 13 Howbeit I will not rend away — all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.

Solomon himself had become foolish and one of his servants Jeroboam whom Solomon and driven into exile in Egypt (1 Kings 11:26–40) would supplant Solomon’s son, Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1–24), though Rehoboam would still retain power over one tribe.

 

(2) Dissatisfaction with Both Young and Old (v15-16)

15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

It is seen here that the young heir to the throne that shall come up who replaces the old king soon loses the popular support of the people. So it seemed that it is futile to seek the prestige of position and honour for oneself because the people ultimately turned on him.

Hence, Solomon concluded, since it is impossible to achieve full acceptance, it is foolish to spend one’s life seeking it. It is better to stay poor and wise. Popularity is another vanity and vexation of spirit. No earthly position is abiding. Upon the throne sits an old and foolish king. He is dethroned and is replaced by a youth out of prison. Even the young man is disappointed because they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. 

The people of God are not to seek for the fleeting popularity of this world. But rather to abide in the will of God and to keep His commandments, this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear — God, and keep — his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring — every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Our objective in life is to build our life on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ and it will be stable and strong.

Matthew 7:25-27 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Matthew 25:34-40 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 

CONCLUSION

May God help us to enter the strait gate and walk the narrow way that leads to life through Jesus Christ our Lord and avoid the broadway of this world’s philosophy that leads to destruction. Amen.

 

[1] http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dcc/ecclesiastes-4.html