Title: Life is a rehearsal of eternal life
Ecclesiastes (4) Life is a rehearsal of eternal life (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18)
Many modern people today live a life of 'quiet desperation'. Vacations, trips, escapades, eating out, owning luxury goods, and entertainment do not give great satisfaction. After the brief excitement, the inevitable monotony comes again. Solomon said that there is nothing under the sun that is not troubled (verses 12-13). In Ecclesiastes, the expression that life is like a chase after the wind (verse 14) is used 10 times. In particular, when I see that I am not able to correct something even though I know it is wrong, I feel the futility of life even more (verse 15).
King Solomon was free to indulge in a variety of pleasures as he wished. He had a thousand women in his palace who could satisfy their lusts by day or by night. But after the pleasure ended, the same conclusion was reached. That is, there is no satisfaction with pleasure. A momentary ecstatic experience was the only satisfaction of pleasure, but that satisfaction was only for a moment. Also, the satisfaction of wisdom was short-lived (verse 16).
Wisdom is more important than knowledge. Although knowledge improves the quality of life, it does not increase the value of life. Some people live wisely without graduating from a top-notch university. Life is not a competition of knowledge, it is a competition of wisdom. No. 1 in school is not No. 1 in society. If you do not have the knowledge, you can use it by paying a knowledgeable person. Although wisdom is so important, Solomon confesses that human wisdom is also futile (vv. 17-18).
Why didn't Solomon's wisdom become the holy wisdom of peace? Solomon had the highest education in the royal family. Because his father David was faithful, he received a good religious education. Besides, I received amazing wisdom from God. According to 1 Kings 4:29-34, his wisdom was superior to all the wisdom of Egypt, he spoke 3,000 proverbs, wrote 1005 songs, and had wisdom in various fields including botany, zoology, ornithology, and ichthyology.
How can such a wise man fall so terribly in the last years of his life? This is because his wisdom was obtained through theoretical study. On the other hand, David was not as knowledgeable as Solomon, but his wisdom was gained through the experience of suffering, so his lifespan was long. If such problems, prayer topics, and experiences of suffering are wisely and well overcome with faith, they will become the foundation stone for greater blessings in the future. Therefore, do not be afraid of suffering and do not seek satisfaction from worldly possessions and status.
<Life is a rehearsal of eternal life>
When TV first came out back in the day, it only had two or three channels. Still, many people find pleasure in watching a bad screen in front of a TV. Even with close to 100 channels now, you can't find the joy you had when watching TV in the past. It is a prime example of how many possessions never satisfy modern man.
Other than the very important people recorded in history, most of the wealthy or high-status people are hardly remembered by ordinary people. So don't dwell on success too much. Do not feel too superior or too inferior with your present possessions and status. When you die, you will be forgotten in a generation or two. What is important is how you live fulfilling God's holy purpose with your present time, ability, and status.
If you try to take advantage of pride in your heart, it's good to imagine for a moment what it will be like right after you die. Then the children will either bury the coffin in the grave or put the cremated bones in a bottle. And on the way home, we will eat LA ribs at the ribs restaurant and chat about various things. From then on, his presence gradually disappears. Imagine it. How vain are you? That is life. So there is no need to dwell too much on success, possessions, and pleasures.
How can life be truly rewarding? We must prepare for eternal life while striving to accomplish God's will. After all, life is like a rehearsal to prepare for eternal life. Compared to eternal life, life is like a dot. Preparing well for that eternal life is the reason for the existence of life. Without such preparation, no matter how well you live, that life is a wasted life. How can I prepare well for eternal life? I want to live according to the will of the Lord. What does the Lord want? In a word, it is a 'cross'.