"Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 2:15 KJV)
"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? And comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose." (Philippians 2:1-2 NLT)
Maybe you didn't notice, but the mugshots of the parents which just got sentenced to 10-15 years for the shooting that their son did at school, looks just like Trump's mugshot when he was arrested. Just saying! There is something going on, which is beginning to wake some people up; and it is about time! I heard a girl in school wanted to start a prayer club but was denied; yet someone else was allowed to start a pride club. Yes, we are surely living in the last days; so, you better get ready!
Because there are so many different views on this portion of Scripture, I will hold back from going too far into the thoughts I have and will try to level the playing-field. We know that life is complicated and has many ups and downs; most of what goes on around us, we usually have no control over; things can come at us out of the blue and without even giving us a chance to sensibly react.
Whatever you might think about, when it comes to death and the struggle of this life, we have nothing that is even close to the life of Christ! What He did for us was beyond comprehension, more than anyone of that time period could believe or accept as something that God would do. Yet, those that wrote about it, hundreds, thousands of years prior, they knew and understood what they wrote, they just didn't know to whom it was meant for or when it would happen.
Basically, this is about focusing on this life; making it all about your beginning and end, as if this is it: you live, you die, and everything is over! We might not understand what that might look like, having known the truth, we have forgotten the feelings we felt prior to having been given eternal life. But it is still something that many believers still deal with, only on a slightly different level: Envy!
Yes, that is what happens when you start focusing upon this life, you begin thinking about what you might be missing out on, and if giving up on pleasuring yourself was all for nothing. Obviously, Solomon didn't have that same experience; but he did ponder what it was that he did, was exactly what could happen, and it did!
Thus, the question: "And why was I then more wise?" There has got to be something better than this...
"This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about the gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy."" (1 Peter 1:10-16 NLT)
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