"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation
(creature), the old things have
passed away; behold, all things have become new"
(2 Corinthians 5:17)
King Solomon of Israel was, without a doubt, one
of the most interesting characters in history. His
wisdom was recognized far and wide, and even today we use the phrase, "the wisdom of
Solomon" to describe someone who is very wise. And yet, as he concluded his life, he ended with the
words "vanity (futility) of vanities… all is vanity"
(Ecclesiastes 1:2). He was like a "giant" in his time, and yet he ended in
– bitterness.
He also said, "there is nothing new under the sun"
(Ecclesiastes 1:9), and there is "no remembrance of former
things" (Ecclesiastes 1:11), to register his discouragement. He was a very
smart guy, but it is in the phrase "there is nothing new under
the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9) that we see his mistake.
Jeremiah, author of the Book of Lamentations, wrote during a time of terrible distress.
The king of Babylon had laid siege to Jerusalem, from January, 588 BC, to July, 586 BC, and
both the city and the temple were subsequently burned to the ground. Thousands of
Jeremiah’s people were killed, during and after this terrible siege.
The prophet Jeremiah had been rejected by his people for many years because he told
them what would happen if they did not trust in God. They did not heed him and
they died in their sins. Lamentations is a book of
depression and despair (Jeremiah loved his people),
similar in many ways to Ecclesiastes, and yet with an important difference.
In the midst of his turmoil, Jeremiah said "…His
(God’s) compassions fail not; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore I trust in Him" (Lamentations
3:23-24). Jeremiah knew there is more to life than the discouragement of the moment and
the wreckage of the past.
Solomon made a lot of mistakes and he had a "right" to be discouraged, as did
Jeremiah. He had known all his adult life, as we see in the Book of the "Song of
Solomon" that the exclusive relationship of a husband and wife is God’s
gift. Indeed, Paul was to later reveal to us that the marriage of one man and one woman is
a true picture of Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). The way a
marriage should be, is a parable of Christ’s love.
Within those verses in Ephesians, Paul quoted Genesis 2:23-24, where we see
God's intention that the "two" (one man and one woman) "shall
become one."
Yet "King Solomon loved many foreign women" (1
Kings 11:1), though God had clearly said, "You shall not
intermarry with them" (1 Kings 11:24 and Deuteronomy 7:3,4). Solomon had
"700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines, and his wives
turned away his heart" (1 Kings 11:3). The king went against the very
principles he knew in his heart were right, and he ended in the sorrow expressed in the
Book of Ecclesiastes.
His conclusion was "there is nothing new under the sun"
(Ecclesiastes 1:9), which is essentially a statement that many of us have made:
"I’ve done it now… it’s too late… I’ve wrecked my life and
there’s nothing that can be done about it!" So he lapsed into depression and
unhappiness. He nursed his wounds when he could have trusted in the Lord.
Notice that this man of riches; this guy who got all the women and had all the answers,
was not happy! He lived the dream of many a boy but such dreams will not satisfy – anyone!
Solomon needed to be made NEW, but he did not BELIEVE that such things were possible. Once
he had made his mistake, he decided – that was it!
He should have listened to his father. Peter did listen to David (Solomon’s
dad),
and recognized that David believed in the Messiah, the Rescuer of Israel, Savior of the world.
He said (Psalm 16:8-11, as quoted by Peter, in Acts 2:25 & forward), "My flesh will also rest in hope, because you will not leave my soul in
hell." Christ did not stay in death. He is RISEN, just as He said. Leave
misery behind, for when you are in Christ, you can be ALIVE with and in Him -
forever.
Christ also died for the sins of Solomon, who "had
turned from the Lord God of Israel" (1 Kings 11:9). Though the Lord God had
spoken to him and led him, and blessed him, Schlomo (Hebrew for Solomon) still wanted to
do things HIS way. This attitude led him to despair, and he therefore began the Book of
Ecclesiastes (1:2) with the same words you find at the end (12:8), "Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity
(futility)."
Solomon may well be with the Lord right now, and we might meet him in eternity (we
really don’t know his heart). (I think we will meet him, for he also said "it will be well with those who fear God" – Ecclesiastes
8:12). But this man of incredible promise died in sorrow, because he thought "nothing" could be "new under
the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
You may have similar thoughts. "What have
I done?" or "How could I do that?" or "How could this happen
to me?" might be words that rule your life. You might feel
something like the character from years ago in a comic strip who always had a black cloud over his head and life.
Despair is NOT God’s intention for you! Solomon sinned but he could be FORGIVEN. Yes,
you and I have failed, but in Christ, ALL things can be new for you and for me.
Lift up your head and rejoice, for "if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation (creature); the old things have passed away; behold, all things are
become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). As Jeremiah noted in the midst of his sorrow,
"Great is Thy faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23).
Trouble may come but God is GREATER than your trouble!
Jeremiah understood that our God is faithful. David understood the forgiveness of God.
Peter experienced firsthand the death of Christ for our sins and then MET his
Lord Face-to-face after His resurrection from the
dead. Solomon missed the point, and we often do, too.
We are made NEW in Christ. Yes, we sinned, but the "vanity"
(futility) of our lives is done away in Him. Let us turn to the Lord in ways we have not
known Him before. Give Him EVERYTHING, give Him yourself; for in Him, "the old
things are passed away; behold all things have become new" (2 Corinthians
5:17). TRUST in the Lord!
Lord, we trust in You now. We have sinned in actions and attitudes, and cannot change
the past. We confess our sins and our sorrow. We receive you, now. Come fill us, Holy
Spirit, and make all things new. Thank You! In Jesus Name. Amen.
