A Wasted Life by Rocky Fleming

“So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”   (Ecclesiastes 2:9-11 ESV)

King Solomon was known for his wisdom and worldly greatness.  If measures by the world’s standards are used to determine wealth, influence and personal pleasures, then he had it all.  He was the envy of other kings at the time and likely most men and women today because of his opulent and self-pleasing lifestyle.  They would believe that all they would need to find happiness would be to have the security, safety, wealth and prominence that Solomon had.  Having 700 wives and 300 hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3) would make most men envious.  Having great wealth and mansions and servants would make most women and men think that would bring lasting happiness.  But if this was true, why would the one who had it all in overmeasure be telling us that it didn’t do it for him … that it wasn’t enough … that it wasn’t worth his effort?  Do you sense Solomon’s disappointment and sadness?  Do you read in his words, as I do, that he had come to a point where he was seeing that he had wasted his life on vain things?  Look at these words of his:

“I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity.”  (Eccl. 2:18-19 ESV)

Now let’s assess what happened to all the great stuff that Solomon built, produced and accumulated for himself in his lifetime.  Maybe this will help us see how we can also waste our lives on illusions and fantasies that leave us short in the end, and do not last.

• After Solomon's death, revolts broke out over who should be king. The kingdom of Israel was split and Solomon’s, now Northern Kingdom, later fell to the Assyrians.
• Then Solomon’s Southern Kingdom fell to the Babylonians. The people were enslaved and marched back to Babylon where they would remain for about 50 years.
• The things that Solomon built, including the magnificent and beautiful temple in Jerusalem were torn down and all his great treasures were confiscated and scattered to people who didn’t work for it. The only thing that Solomon is now remembered by is the wisdom God breathed through his life, in spite of his shortcomings.  His admission of a wasted life, and that might be his greatest wisdom that he shared, should be a caution for us.

As we look at Solomon’s life can we better understand that wealth is a burden that not many people can carry well and know God as He needs to be known?  Can we understand better Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:24 that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man into heaven?  It’s certainly not impossible for a rich man to enter heaven for I’ve seen several rich, godly, men and women who bless God’s Kingdom greatly, and heaven awaits them.  It’s just difficult, for wealth and prominence can easily become gods to the wealthy person.  Remember.  False gods and God Almighty will not co-exist in a life.

As we venture further into Ecclesiastes, which I believe to be Solomon’s expose’ of his own life in his own words, he gives us a final summation where a successful life can be found.  These are his last words in Ecclesiastes:

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”  (Eccl 12:13-14 ESV)

So, the question is where is the real treasure to be found in this lifetime?  There is a greater treasure to be found, but it is not like Solomon’s treasures which were only in his lifetime and were not enough for him.  The real treasure that we’ve been given as Christians goes beyond this limited existence we have on earth.  It is a treasure that keeps on giving.  Here’s what the Apostle Paul had to say about it:

 “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ,” (Colossians 2:2 ESV)

In other words, our treasure is found in Jesus Christ.  Look better at that passage and the promises made in it for those of us who follow Christ, whether we are rich or poor in earthly treasures.  We need to deeply appreciate what we’ve been given, so ask yourself this question:

If Solomon could have had these things promised during his lifetime and beyond, while knowing how the other was so disappointing and temporary, don’t you think he would give all the other things up to find the Treasure Paul speaks of?  Of course, he would, for that is the thing that all the other things could not do for him.  He discovered this truth and told us this with his admission of a wasted life.   Now ask yourself another question and make it real personal:

“Would I really desire to exchange the treasure of heaven that I’ve been given to have any or even all the things Solomon had?”  Really?  Let’s quit striving for that fleeting stuff and instead build up our treasure in Heaven where it will be waiting for us.  That would be really wise wouldn’t it?  Even Solomon would agree with that.