Never Satisfied

Continuing with our study of Ecclesiastes…

Eccl. 6:3-6 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

In Israel it was considered a great blessing from God to live a long life and be blessed with many children.

Deuteronomy 4:40 “Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.”

Psalms 127:3 “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”

Solomon is basically saying that he has observed this not always to be so. One could have 100 children and live many years and have an empty life. In his opinion that man would have been better off never to have been born. One that was miscarried would never be remembered and would never experience anything that life has to offer—good or bad. In Solomon’s opinion, the peace of that unborn child was to be desired rather than to experience the unfulfilled life of such a man. In the end, everyone goes to the same place anyway.

It is obvious that Solomon had no understanding of the heart of a mother. Though I have not experienced miscarriage myself, I have talked to moms who have; and those lost little ones have a precious place in their hearts.

Also, you can’t help but speculate how one with such blessing would be so miserable. I think the answer has to be found in the character of the person. Your children are not going to love you if you are not a loving father. People are not going to respect and honor you if you are not a kind, honest and caring neighbor. Without the love and respect of others, this life is empty.

Eccl. 6:7-9 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

I think that Solomon is saying that man is continually working to feed the desires of his flesh, but he never seems to get enough; he always wants or feels like he needs more. Doesn’t that mean that the wise man is no better off than the fool who acts without wisdom? Neither finds satisfaction in life. I liked the understanding from the CJB of the next part. What good is knowledge or experience if you are poor? This just describes another category of unsatisfied people. I liked the NLT translation for verse 9: “Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind.”

It seems as though there is nothing new under the sun. Even in the days of Solomon many were never satisfied with what they had and always wanted more. Every person who is working to satisfy the flesh will never find satisfaction. I liked Adam Clarke’s comment: “When man learns to provide as distinctly for his soul as he does for his body, then he will begin to be happy, and may soon attain his end.”

Christians will find contentment and satisfaction if they will learn to deny the flesh and the pressure of the culture. We would do well to consider the words of Paul and the writer of Hebrews.

Philippians 4:11 “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

1 Timothy 6:6-8 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”