How to Be Glad (But Not the Way You Think) (Part 1 of 2)

Ecclesiastes: Comparing Life With and Without God

Ecclesiastes is a book concerned with breaking our view of the world. It shows that the way we might view the world could be in error. It provides a stark comparison of life with God and life without God, so we see that life is worth living when lived in relationship with and worship of God.

The book compares life with God and life without God to highlight these two paths. In chapters 1 through 6, Solomon makes logical arguments proving that life without God is vanity—pointless, without benefit or value.

In chapter 7, Solomon continues comparing life with God as better than life without, but now uses proverbs—short statements communicating general truths. These proverbs are guidelines for living, not guarantees.

Solomon uses these proverbs in verses 1–22 to change our attitudes and worldview. The goal is to shatter our current worldview and rebuild it as a godly, God-fearing one. This section focuses on changing our attitude about the world, including how we think about our emotions.

Challenging Our Pursuit of Happiness

We often think we should focus on things that make us happy. Ecclesiastes is concerned with our happiness, but true happiness comes with God. Solomon challenges our ideas of what brings happiness—ideas shockingly relevant to our time, even for younger generations.

The point is how to be glad, but not in the way you might think. Solomon focuses on gladness in ways that don't make sense apart from a biblical worldview.

Three key insights for being glad not the way you think:

1. Joy Through the Right Emotions

A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death than the day of birth.

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
and the living will lay it to heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of the face the heart is made glad.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise
than to hear the song of fools.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,
so is the laughter of the fools.

A good name—reputation—is better than precious ointment, a valuable commodity used medicinally. Do you have a good name? Do you even care about your reputation?

Two choices: hide your true self behind a mask, or run to Christ to establish a true good reputation. This attitude affects how you pursue happiness. Hiding leads to vain pursuits unbelievers chase.

It is better to go to the house of mourning than the house of feasting—literally, drinking parties, as in 1 Peter 4:3. Unbelievers pursue joy through social drinking and parties. Solomon says pursuing gladness like unbelievers is over for those in Christ.

It's better to grieve a loved one's loss at a funeral than attend an unbeliever's party. Sorrow is better than unbeliever laughter, for by sadness of the face the heart is made glad.

Sadness of face (external) contrasts with inner heart gladness. Unbeliever joy is superficial—external gladness masking inner sadness. It never reaches the heart's depths. Only God implants permanent, meaningful joy there.

Choose: visible happiness with inner depression from worldly pursuits, or sorrow toward unbelieving ways for true inner joy.

The laughter of fools is like crackling thorns—pointless vanity. The wise heart is in the house of mourning, rejecting external unbeliever joys. Better to hear the rebuke of the wise than the song of fools.

Rebuke exposes wrong, convinces of it, and corrects. It stings initially but leads to mourning over sin and realignment. This produces lasting heart joy that cannot be taken away.

2. Not Joy Through Remorse

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

...
Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
an advantage to those who see the sun.
For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money,
and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

Remorse looks back regretfully on a pre-Christ life or sinful times, asking, “Why were the former days better?” Solomon says this is not wisdom. The end is better than the beginning.

For Solomon, lavish living without God gave way to realizing fear of the Lord is best—like godly sorrow leading to repentance (2 Corinthians 7), not worldly sorrow leading to death.

Godly sorrow regrets sin against a holy God. Worldly sorrow misses sinful pleasures when restrained. Don't romanticize a vain past; now is better through sanctification.

In the day of death than the day of birth.

The day of death is better than birth—like New Testament ideas: crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), buried with Him (Colossians 2), putting to death the flesh (Romans 8). Don't miss or long for the old life.

The Superiority of New Life in Christ

If the day of death is better than the day of birth, then consider the day of your death to self—no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. This new life in Christ surpasses the life from physical birth until you put off the old self and put on the new. Though Solomon may not have meant exactly this, Paul echoes the concept.

In this new life of fear, reverence, awe, and worship of God, everything shifts. Just as a good name is better than precious ointment, imagine inheriting the name of Jesus Christ—His reputation. How much more enjoyable that life becomes.

To be in Christ is to be a new creation. The New Testament describes your death shared with Christ's on the cross: you were crucified with Him, ending your old, vain existence. Those former days are not better—don't say they are. Focus now on the gladness of bearing Christ's reputation.

Being Sad with the World's Joy

Recognize how to be sad with the way the world finds joy, freeing yourself to be joyful in your new life with Christ.