Ecclesiastes 7:1-29

1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. 2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. 5 It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools. 6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools.  This too is meaningless. 7 Extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart. 8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. 9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. 10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions. 11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun. 12 Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor. 13 Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? 14 When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future. 15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:  a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness. 16 Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise-- why destroy yourself? 17 Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool--why die before your time? 18 It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all [extremes]. 19 Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city. 20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. 21 Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you-- 22 for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others. 23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said, “I am determined to be wise”-- but this was beyond me. 24 Whatever wisdom may be, it is far off and most profound-- who can discover it? 25 So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly. 26 I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare. 27 “Look,” says the Teacher, “this is what I have discovered: Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things--28 while I was still searching but not finding--I found one [upright] man among a thousand, but not one [upright] woman among them all. 29 This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes.” Ecclesiastes 7:1-29 (NIV)
“Make the Word come alive to us, Father make it come alive….”
While to be sure this passage seems to be a bit confusing, I believe that King Solomon was pointing all of his readers back to the benefit of walking in wisdom’s way by using comparisons. And what exactly does that look like?  
The pursuit of wisdom  apart from God started all the way back in the Garden of Eden with our original parents. In Genesis 3:4-6 we see Satan tempting Eve by stating she would gain knowledge if she ate of the fruit: 4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3:4-6 (NIV)
Wisdom is never attained by disobeying God’s Word. Wisdom comes from God. Proverbs 2:1-6 tells us:
1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,
3 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  Proverbs  2:1-6 (NIV)

Accept, store up, turning, applying, call, cry, look, search – all verbs used here commanding and pointing us towards wisdom, understanding, discernment and insight of God’s perfect Word.  Much effort must be expended for one to become wise. It takes a lifetime and is to be our constant pursuit until He takes us home. Getting wisdom involves openness, retention, hearing (with the ear), applying (with the heart), requesting, and diligently searching.  It is not just the teacher/preacher called to this rather it is the responsibility of every child of the King.  Seeking and valuing wisdom leads to a person’s understanding and to discerning the fear of the Lord and to knowing God. The Lord is the source of wisdom. James 1:5-8 tells us:
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:5-8 (NIV)

According to James, the only thing that hinders our growth in wisdom when we diligently seek it is our lack of faith. A person who fears the Lord and finds confidence in Him gains wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When Solomon first became King and walked with God, God asked him in 2 Chronicles 1:7: 7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” 2 Chronicles 1:7 (NIV)

Solomon’s correct response followed on the heels of God’s sweet offer:
8 Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 2 Chronicles 1:8-10 (NIV)
Because Solomon was “young and inexperienced” when he became King - as His father King David had pointed out in 1 Chronicles 22:5 - he was apprehensive about his ability to rule this great nation – a people as numerous as the dust of the earth - over which God had placed him. As indeed he should have been – so far so good Solomon! Therefore, he requested that he might receive wisdom and knowledge to lead God’s people rightly. “Wisdom” here refers to discernment and judgment while “knowledge” means practical know-how in everyday affairs. The unselfish character of Solomon’s choice prompted the Lord to grant not only what Solomon had asked for, but also for far more. We see in 2 Chronicles 1:11-12:
11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” 2 Chronicles 1:11-12 (NIV)

Yet being “young and inexperienced”, sadly and tragically he did not handle it well. He ended up relishing what God’s hand had provided over relishing God – falling away from God’s commands and decrees. Big mistake. The chariots and horses (from Egypt no less), the masses of silver and the gold we have previously discussed, and the foreign women (oh, the foreign women) all served to turn this king’s heart away from the God of all creation.  It is no wonder that Agur (an unknown yet humble servant of God) writes in Proverbs 30:5-9:
5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” 7 “Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Proverbs 30:5-9 (NIV)

God’s generous gifts ended up becoming Solomon’s nemesis. He ended up trusting in his chariots and horses, silver and gold, and even in himself yet not in the Lord. He began to follow the foreign gods of his many wives, neglected the wisdom of the Word of God, and he himself became wanton. Interestingly, Solomon had written in Proverbs 16:20:
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. Proverbs 16:20 (NIV)

Yet Solomon failed miserably at this. Scripture was clear about the priority of the Law of the Lord particularly regarding the king. We find in Deuteronomy 17:18-20: 
18 When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. 19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees 20 and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.   Deuteronomy 17:18-20 (NIV)

Solomon not only neglected this command, but as just mentioned, his foreign wives (another command neglected) also turned his heart away toward other gods and he began serving and worshipping them.  Solomon, Solomon. No wonder everything seemed meaningless and without purpose in his eyes.  

This poses some good questions for us to ponder as well – I  would much rather learn in a classroom than on a fieldtrip, Right?  What pitfalls can we discern from Solomon to avoid? Do we desire God and His will and His ways and His promises more than anything else? Do we believe that He can and will honor our faith and obedience by being unashamed to call Himself our God?  Do we believe that He will use all his wisdom and power and love to turn our path of obedience into our path of life and joy? That is the crisis we face now: Do we desire him? Will we trust him? Do I seek to find wisdom in His Word? The word of God to us is: God is worthy and God is able and God is faithful and He loves us with a never ending love.  His way is the right way, the good way, the one without regrets, the life of abundance and the life that is truly life. Even though, oftentimes unimaginatively hard.  God writes to us through the pen of Jeremiah in 6:16:
16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)

Proverbs 13:13 tells us:
13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded. Proverbs 13:13 (NIV)

And King David adds in Psalms 32:8-10:
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.  10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.  Psalms 32:8-10 (NIV)

Wisdom is man’s true strength; and under its guidance he best accomplishes the noblest ends of his being.  Wisely handling the word of life gives humankind the richest enjoyment as well as the highest occupation. Without wisdom we jump from here to there wasting energies that could be used more profitably elsewhere. It keeps us from wandering in a trackless waste through life – giving us purpose and direction. If trained by God’s Word, the pilgrim will handle matters wisely and journey safely to their heavenly home. God has told us that true wisdom lies in trusting in Him with all our hearts and leaning not on our own understanding. In all or ways acknowledging Him and He will make our paths straight.

In our Chapter for today Solomon concluded that wisdom cannot explain all of life’s mysteries – just as Job discovered, there are some things we will not fully understand until we get to heaven - but wisdom can at least make three positive contributions to our lives:

First, wisdom Can Make Life Better (7:1-10): Better is a key word in this chapter and King Solomon uses it at least eleven times.  

Sorrow is better than laughter (vv.1-4): If given the choice most people would rather go to a festive party rather than a funeral, Amen? Yet Solomon advised against it because sorrow can do more good for the heart than frivolous laughter ever could. Solomon was not a morose man with a gloomy sad sack lifestyle as he wrote in Proverbs 15:13A:
13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful. Proverbs 15:13 (NIV)

And again in Proverbs 15:15B:
But the cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15 (NIV)

And lastly in Proverbs 17:22A:
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine. Proverbs 17:22A (NIV)

Laughter can be like medicine that heals the broken heart, but sorrow can be like nourishing food that strengthens the inner being. It takes both for a balanced life yet few realize this important fact. In every good painting there must be both light and darkness, so too in life.

Solomon begins Chapter Seven by stating in verse one:
1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. Ecclesiastes 7:1 (NIV)

The connection between the two halves of this verse are not as incidental or insignificant as some commentators may claim. By using the Hebrew word for “oil” (perfume), which was both a symbol of joy and prosperity as well as metaphor for reputation, Solomon combined the ideas of joy, prosperity, and reputation with the ideas of birth and death. So he suggested that it is better to come to the end of life with a good reputation or a good name than to have a joyful and auspicious beginning which, because of folly, might result in nothing. If a person dies with a good name, his or her reputation is sealed and the family need not worry. In that sense, the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. The life is over and the reputation is settled.  “Every man has three names,” says an ancient adage, “one his father and mother gave him, one others call him, and one he acquires himself.” Proverbs 10:7 states:
7 The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. Proverbs 10:7 (NIV)

Proverbs 22:1 adds:
A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1 (NIV)

Mary of Bethany anointed the Lord Jesus with expensive perfume and its fragrance filled the house. Jesus told her that her name would be honored throughout the world, and it is. On the other hand, Judas sold the Lord Jesus into the hands of the enemy; and his name is generally despised. When Judas was born, he was given the good name “Judah,” which means “praise”. It belonged to the royal tribe of Israel. By the time Judas died, he had turned that name into something shameful.

In verses 2-4, Solomon advised the people to look death in the face and learn from it. We are not to be preoccupied with death rather let it teach us to realize how fleeting our lives truly are and take life seriously as we should. Moses tells us in Psalms 90:12:
12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalms 90:12 (NIV)

What Solomon is seeking here is balance. While there is certainly a place for healthy humor in life, frivolous laughter is often found in the house of the foolish (verse 4B). Often when people jest about death, it usually evidences their fear of it and their lack of preparation to meet it.

In verses 5-6 we discover Solomon comparing the praise of fools to the burning thorns in a campfire. You hear a lot of noise, but you do not get much lasting good. If we allow it, a wise person’s rebuke will accomplish far more in our lives than will the flattery of fools. Proverbs 27:6 tells us:
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.  Proverbs 27:6 (NIV)
In verses 7-9 of Ecclesiastes Chapter 7, Solomon tells us the “long haul” is better than the shortcut. Easy routes often become expensive detours that are difficult and painful. When we seek to cut corners we often get cut, Right?  Bribes may appear to be a quick way to get things done but it only turns a wise man into a fool and encourages the corruption already dwelling in the human heart. It is far better for us to wait patiently and humbly for God to work out His will than for us to get angry and demand our own way. A person who schemes and works underhandedly to get his way and to oppose others is hated because he is untrustworthy. He goes astray erring from the path of upright living. Proverbs 14:17 tells us:
17 A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.  Proverbs 14:17 (NIV)

James also tells us in James 1:19-21 – pointing us back to God’s Word:
19 My dear brothers, take note of this:  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:19-21 (NIV)

Next, Solomon writes that “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning” and applies when we are living according to God’s wisdom.  The beginning of sin leads to a terrible end – death. James 1:13-15 states:

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:13-15 (NIV)

Yet if God is at the beginning of what we do, He will see to it that we will reach the end successfully. Paul tell us in Philippians 1:6:

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
The believer can claim Romans 8:28 because he knows that God is at work in the world, accomplishing His purposes for their good and His glory: 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV)

We are to watch our beginnings (in whatever we put our hands to) because easy beginnings rarely mean good endings. Remember the Prodigal Son began with happiness and wealth, but ended with suffering and poverty; Joseph began as a slave but ended up a sovereign! God always saves “the best wine” until the last (John 2:10), but Satan starts with his “best” and then leads the sinner into suffering and perhaps even death.

Today is better than yesterday (verse 10). When life has become difficult and we become impatient for change, it is uber easy to long for “the good old days” when we felt things were better. When the foundation for the Lord’s second temple was laid, the old men wept for “the good old days” while the younger men sang because the work had begun to re-build the temple in Ezra 3:12-13. It has been said that “the good old days” are the combination of a bad memory and a good imagination, and often this is so true!

Yesterday has passed and cannot be changed and tomorrow may not come so we are to therefore make the most of today. We must live today in the will of God and not be paralyzed by yesterday or hypnotized by tomorrow. Do we seek to do eternal works today? Meaning, whatever our hands are given, we do it as unto the Lord – not for man. We all live Coram Deo (before the face of God). Why should we die before we have really lived? Each of our lives matter and each of them are pregnant with purpose. We must learn to live life – it is never too late to do our parts.

No matter how prosperous we may be, true pleasure is found only in a life of faith and it is available to all. To live well is to live twice and even in oppression, the cheerful, faith-filled heart can have a continual feast. If we seek a stronger walk of faith we must focus our spiritual eye on things above. As determined soldiers we are to be useful in the Master’s Hands in the kingdom of light. Moses focused his eye on the invisible and was enormously blessed by doing so. God may call us to rise like David to face an enormous foe, or speak up like Caleb to challenge unbelief and cowardice, or imitate Daniel and not be defiled by the “delicacies” of the world, or be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who would not bow to a false god, or simply be called  to a life of mundane faithfulness. As Richard Sibbes wrote: “It is not sufficient for judgment to be right, it must be likewise real and strong.”  It is one thing to know what is right. It is quite another thing to have the courage and faithfulness to do it. It is not about knowledge as much as resolve. Our faith must rise to every occasion knowing we are equipped with His power within us to do all He has called us to do. Faith is admitting our neediness and Christ’s sufficiency.

The Victorian essayist Hilaire Belloc wrote: “While you are dreaming of the future or regretting the past, the present, which is all you have, slips from you and is gone.” Be present in your present – it is God’s gift to you (and not everyone gets it).

The second positive contribution wisdom makes to our lives:
Wisdom Helps Us To See Life Clearly (7:11-18):
One of the marks of maturity is the ability to look at life in perspective and not get out of balance. When you have God’s wisdom, you will be able to accept and deal with the changing experiences of life.

Wealth (vv. 11-12). Wisdom is better than a generous inheritance in that money can lose its value or be stolen, yet true wisdom keeps its value as it cannot be lost unless we become fools and abandon it deliberately (as we see in the case of Solomon). The person who has wealth but lacks wisdom will only waste his fortune, but the person who has wisdom will know how to get and use wealth rightly. We should be grateful for the rich treasure of wisdom we have inherited from the past, and we should be ashamed of  ourselves that we too often ignore it or disobey it. Proverbs 1:28-33 warns us against ignoring wisdom:
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. 29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, 30 since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. 32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 but whoever listens to me (wisdom) will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”  Proverbs 1:28-33 (NIV)

Wisdom is like a “shelter” to those who obey it; it gives greater protection than money. Proverbs 3:13-15 states:
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Proverbs 3:13-15 (NIV)

Providence (v. 13): Here, Solomon gives us a sensible invitation to a life yielded to the will of God. We so often find ourselves kicking against what God allows, Amen? Solomon closes his treatment with the wise response to both adversity and prosperity by reminding his readers that God disposes them both. It is He Who is Sovereign, not we! Admittedly, oftentimes we are clueless, scratching our heads over what possible benefit could come to His heirs of mercy from some of the things permitted – yet everything He allows is motivated by love and is purposeful and useful in being good for us and bringing Him much glory. I think it interesting that we never seem to question when life is going swimmingly well why He is allowing that yet when trials occur it is always “Why?  Why? Why? We should mimic Job in this when he rightly responded to his horrific tribulations:

9 His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. Job 2:9-10 (NIV)

The Living Bible puts verse 13 of Ecclesiastes this way: “See the way God does things and fall into line.” This is an invitation to a life yielded to the will of God. If God makes something crooked, He is certainly able to make it straight; and perhaps He will ask us to work with Him to get the job done. Yet, if He wants it to stay crooked we are not to kick against it. We cannot fully understand the works of God but we can know that we can trust Him.

Adversity and Prosperity (v.14): Wisdom gives us proper perspective so that we do not become discouraged when times are difficult or arrogant when things are going well. As we see in Solomon’s case, prosperity was not very beneficial for this King of Israel. Prosperity can often damage without much wisdom. Paul discusses in Philippians 4:10-13 the great secret of contentment:
10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV)

God often balances our lives by giving us enough blessings to keep us happy and  enough burdens to keep us humble – balancing blessings in our hands with burdens on our backs to keep us standing, stable, steady and yielded to Him. Just about the time we think we may have an explanation for things, God changes the situation, and we have to throw out our formulas. He simply will not let us put Him in a proverbial box of our own makings. No matter how much experience we have in the Christian life, or how many books we read, the call to all is we must walk by faith – and faith that is seen is no faith at all. As Hebrews 11:1 tells us:

1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. Hebrews 11:1-2 (NIV)

We remain convinced of unseen hopes and realities. This is honorable as Scripture tells us the ancients were commended for it. Remember as well, He is also the Master of making beauty out of our ashes, turning our burdens into blessings and making up for the years the locusts have eaten.

Righteousness and Sin (vv. 15-18): If there is one problem in life that demands a mature perspective, it is this: “Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper?” The good die young and the wicked seem to enjoy long lives, and this seems contrary to the justice of God and the Word of God. This is the exact thing Asaph struggled with in Psalms 73 when he envied the ease of the wicked. Yet, God brought him to his senses by having him look up – their destiny was dire and his blissfully wonderful. A mature perspective comes from looking to Jesus – the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Who for us went through Hell to give us Heaven. The wicked only appear to prosper in the short view of things.  Their reward is only here (of which they also are accountable for BTW) and it is the only reward they will ever receive. Yet our citizenship is in Heaven and we eagerly await our Savior from there. They may gain the whole world yet lose their very souls and how does that profit them? This is the fate of all who follow their example and sacrifice the eternal for the temporal. Not a good choice to say the least!  We live in a dark and desperate world. As my friend Donna says: “Christians should be the most hopeful people in the world. All those who are in Christ have: The Hope of God’s Word, The Hope of Salvation, The Hope of Christ in Us, The Hope of Heaven, The Hope of the Resurrection, and The Hope of Glory.”    
Solomon tells us not to claim to be righteous or claim to be wise. In other words, he warns against self-righteousness and the pride that follows when we think we have arrived and know it all. Big mistake! We will never get there!  He was condemning the self-righteous and the hypocrite and the false wisdom of the proud, warning us that these sins lead to destruction and death. Verse 18 balances this warning: We should take hold of the true righteousness of Christ and should not withdraw from true wisdom. The way to do this is to walk in the fear of the Lord. True wisdom comes from God’s Hand we are not to seek to manufacture these blessings ourselves. Proverbs 9:10 tells us:
10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)

Solomon reminds us that balance is key. We are to avoid all extremes.  When we believe ourselves to be getting out of balance we must learn to reign ourselves back in. We are to ask God to search our hearts and point out offensive ways and leads in the way everlasting. King David writes in Psalms 139:23-24:
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms 139:23-24 (NIV)

Lastly, the third positive contribution wisdom makes to our lives is:
Wisdom Helps Us Face Life Stronger (7:19-29)

Solomon states in Verse 19 that wisdom makes one more powerful than ten rulers!  Sounds good to me! The wise person who fears the Lord does not fear anything or anyone  else. Walking with the Lord in His power for His glory, God will see to it that we have everything we need to adequately face all challenges of life – including war. And everything else. Some of the problems we face in life and must overcome are:
Sin (v. 20):
We are guilty of both sins of omission and sins of commission. Wisdom guides and guards us in our daily walks. As we follow His wisdom we will be able to detect and defeat the wicked one when he comes to tempt and assault.  

What people say about us (vv. 21-22):
The wise person pays no attention to the gossip of the day – the wagging tongues that are never satisfied – because they have much more important matters to be about.  Spurgeon told his pastoral students that “the minister ought to have one blind eye and one deaf ear. You cannot stop people’s tongues, and therefore the best thing to do is to stop your own ears and never mind what is spoken.” Of course if we are honest we can be guilty of the exact same rabble. We are to watch our own words, this will keep us busy enough!

Our inability to grasp the meaning of all that God is doing in this world (vv. 23-25):
Even Solomon with all his God-given wisdom could not understand all that exists, how God manages it, and what purposes He has in mind for every action. He searched for the reason or scheme of things but found no final answers to all his questions. However, the wise man knows what he does not know, and this is what helps to make him wise!

The sinfulness of humanity in general (vv.26-29):
Solomon concluded that the whole human race was bound by sin. We are all born sinful and broken, and that hurts. We therefore seek to find ways out of our brokenness which just ends up with more brokenness. For example some believe gender reassignment will fix their brokenness, but that only makes suicide 20 times more likely. Some people think intimacy will fix their brokenness so they go from relationship to relationship trying to fill the void ending up hurt and unsatisfied each time as they look harder and harder for something they will not find. Others look to success in a job, or making lots of money, or thousands of other things – none bringing lasting satisfaction. So much of our futility and brokenness is due to our own sin and our own idolatry in which we turn good things into ultimate things. We worship money, pleasure, sex, success, power, and much more.  Instead of seeing those things as gifts from God to be used as He intended, we see them as ultimate and seek to get from them what they cannot give. All too often, the things we think we want so badly fail to provide what we think they will, and we end up empty – think the quail in the wilderness experience of the Israelites. That is the brokenness of departing from God’s good design. We all sin, and we are all broken – every.last.one.of.us. Certainly it is true: there is no one righteous – not even one. That’s why we need a Savior and Praise Jesus we have One. All of our misery is to expose our need for God and drive us to contentment in Him. Jesus is the answer to our brokenness.

Billy Graham’s Grandson Tullian Tchividjian:     
“In a season of sin and self-destruction back in 2015, I lost everything and hurt many people in the process. At 41 years old, I broke my life, I broke my family, and I broke the hearts of those who trusted me and looked to me for leadership. Through heaving tears of sorrow and shame, regret and remorse, I sent this note to a friend of mine the night my granddad died two years ago today: “Watching my grandfather’s life, it has hit me afresh just how selfish I was, how much I squandered. And for what? FOR WHAT?? What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?  Character matters. It does not gain us favor with God, but it does give us credibility with others so that we can deliver God’s favor to the world. I blew it.  I’m undone.” He responded with six words: “There was a man named David…” I lost it. He had the perfect words at just the right time. It was the powerful and comforting reminder I needed at that moment that God loves and uses people who fail because people who fail are all that there are. Maybe you need that reminder too. Yes, “There was a man named David…” But even more powerful and comforting is the good news that there is a man named Jesus. Unlike my grandfather, I soiled my record. Regardless of how I live my life from now until the day I die, my season of self-destruction will always be remembered and talked about.  The hurt I caused myself and others will linger in many hearts and cause some people to doubt me, disparage me, and distrust me for the rest of my days. I’ve accepted that my blemished reputation is here to stay.  There is no going back. But I believe that if Daddy Bill were still alive, he’d say something like this to me: “Tullian, I may not be guilty externally of the same sins you are, but I assure you that my heart is no less sinful than yours. According to God’s standard of perfection, I’m a failure just like you. The tributes speak to what people saw. But God sees what others can’t. All of our records are stained with sin. But the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus’ perfect record is ours by faith. When God looks at our account, He doesn’t see all of our nasty withdrawals. Rather, he sees all of Christ’s perfect deposits. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that because of Jesus, the sins we can’t forget God chooses not to remember. So take heart failed one, before God the righteousness of Christ is all any of us need. Before God, the righteousness of Christ is all any of us have.”   That righteousness, that gift of God, speaks louder than any voice of accusation. I may have a blemished reputation, but not in the eyes of God. When my Father sees me—and when he sees you—he sees someone who looks just like Jesus, the unblemished Lamb of God.”

These are Beth’s personal notes, due to this fact sources are not often stated.