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The House Of Mourning – Eccl. 7:2
The House Of Mourning – Eccl. 7:2
Going to a funeral is better than going to a party? Really? Maybe not as much 'fun', but much more instructive, sobering, and beneficial. This is because it reminds us of the fact of our own impending death.
The writer of Ecclesiastes keeps coming back to this as he things about life.
14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both." (Ecclesiastes 2:14).
16 For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!" (Ecclesiastes 2:16).
19 For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust." (Ecclesiastes 3:19–20).
6 “Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good things—do not all go to one place?”" (Ecclesiastes 6:6).
2 It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead." (Ecclesiastes 9:2–3).
This became the anchor that kept him from holding onto wrong ideas about life and its purpose.
One thing that the writer knew was that death brought one to judgment. Death was NOT the judgment, but rather one would answer to God. We also are told this in the NT: "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment," (Hebrews 9:27).
The writer here doesn't find this morbid, but rather liberating in that it allows us to live in accordance of eternal principles. Thus he counseled the young people:
9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things." (Ecclesiastes 11:9).
We need a philosophy of life that we not only can live with, but that we can die with! Maybe we do need a reminder of the brevity of our life.
Hugh DeLong
