Ecclesiastes Chapter Six cont... Don't put your own personal happiness before the pleasure of God.

11 “Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better”?

Strong’s defines "Things" as relating to "Speech", for example: "seeing many things are spoken what is man the better for it?" In one sense this could be a true statement, of foolish words there is nothing to be gained. But it is obvious when you look at Ecclesiastes on the whole Solomon lost the value of good words, good doctrine, good teaching which produces good fruit (which benefits man considerably). This phrase "what is man the better" is a bit troubling because in the context of the Song of Solomon we see Solomon does have a serious focus problem, he is focusing on the benefits which “Man” may enjoy from the hand of “God” but very little is said about how “Man” may please his “Maker”. In short, it is not all about mans pleasure but rather it should be how we might please God!

12 “For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun”?

Again herein is the problem that many fall into; life does not consist in mans ability to seek pleasures and be fulfilled outside of the boundaries God has set. There are two primary objectives of man 1. Love the Lord our God with all our heart, our soul and our strength and our neighbor as ourselves, and 2. That Gods plans and purposes for our life be completely fulfilled. O' how we must remember how we are measured before Christ according to the plan of God for our lives and O' how we must seek the Lord that this plan be fulfilled. In order for it to be fulfilled we must do as we are bidden.

Concerning the plans and purposes of God lets consider Samson, he is for us an example of a man who through selfish living missed Gods greater plan for His life. The Lord graciously allowed him to recover somewhat in the end but O' what a tragedy that Samson was not in Gods harness, he could have exacted a much greater toll on the enemy. The point to our comment on this verse is that Solomon is focusing on man when he should have been focusing on his creator. If one pursues vanities then life for them will be vain and unfulfilling but if one lives a life with a heart seeking the Lord and serving Him seeking to please Him then they will have true peace and joy.