November 7, 2022
A good name is better than precious ointment, And the day of death than the day of one’s birth. Ecclesiastes 7:1
The wisest, wealthiest, and most influential king in Israel’s history was the “Preacher” (1:1) addressing the assembly in the book of Ecclesiastes. For a lengthy time, Solomon had abandoned the wisdom that God had so generously given him (see 2 Chronicles 1:10-12). But by the end, he learned—all too well—the emptiness of popularity, prestige, pleasure, and power “under the sun.” * Our fallen world elevates these as life goals. A cursory reading of our opening verse seems to raise a note of incongruity. So, why did King Solomon make the ‘double statement’ above?
Could it be that he saw firsthand the devastation that his own wayward lifestyle had on others? At the end of his days, he surely desired for others to understand that faithfulness to the LORD is the only foundation of a good name, a winning influence upon others. Faithful obedience to the Lord, by example, can help to bring healing spiritually by turning wayward lives toward the Savior: indeed a precious ointment for the soul!
How could the day of death [be better] than the day of one’s birth? At the time that one dies, the direction he has chosen for his life will be irrevocable. If he is committed to the upward call of Christ Jesus, each day of his life under the sun brings him to reflect God’s image more closely. The faithful follower of Jesus has already died to sin; at death, his life will continue to be hid with Christ, the author and finisher of his faith. He leaves a legacy of encouragement to the living. The dreamless sleep of death, regardless of when he dies, will seem only a moment until Christ returns to call him from the grave with His own voice.
The life, and yes, the death of the faithful brings glory to God. The resurrected Jesus, immediately after restoring Peter, explained to him that he would also be crucified . . .
This He spoke, signifying by what death [Peter] would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” John 21:19
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. Psalm 116:15
*“under the sun”, used 27 times in Ecclesiastes, is Solomon’s unique way of referring to this fallen world
**also referenced: 1 Kings 11; Philippians 3:14; Colossians 3:3; Hebrews 12:2; Ecclesiastes 9:5; John 5:28; 21:15-18