Ecclesiastes 4 is brief and speaks of the evil that occurs under the sun. The one bright spot in the chapter is the reminder that when we have a friend life is more bearable. After all, when we have a friend, if we fall down, the friend can pick us up. He also tells us “a cord of three strands is not easily broken.” Some have read into this that King Solomon meant Jesus as the third strand. That is possible, but not apparent from the context. It is true in any relationship, that when Jesus is at the center of it the relationship is not easily broken.
The first seven verses of Ecclesiastes 5 remind us how important it is to fear God, to follow through on our commitments and vows to Him. Once again, King Solomon has struck on the key, but moves immediately to focusing again on the vanity of wealth and honor. In the end, the conclusion is once again to enjoy one’s food and drink, and the labor God has given us to do.
Ecclesiastes 6 repeats the vanity of having wealth that will be left to one’s children without having the opportunity to enjoy it or to know how it will be used. The wise and foolish will both die, and King Solomon tells us perhaps the stillborn child is better off than one who lives a long time, but never gets to enjoy life. The fatalistic nature of these words of Solomon tell us he was not focusing on the hope of an after life as he wrote these words. That hope makes all the difference in how we think and how we live each day.
As we return to Luke 24, we come to the amazing reality of Jesus’ resurrection once again. Jesus resurrection is the pivot point of history. The moment Jesus revealed Himself to the women, to the men on the road to Emmaus, to Peter, and then to the remaining disciples the world was forever changed. That small band of men and women, who had believed Jesus was the Messiah, now knew beyond any reasonable doubt He was and is the Messiah! While it would be ten days after Jesus returned to heaven, before the Holy Spirit to those same believers, empowering them to do the “greater things” He promised them they would do in His name (See John chapter 14), Jesus resurrection assured them of who He was and is: the Holy One of God. Many in our day doubt the resurrection of Jesus, but the transformed lives of those early believers is powerful evidence. They had run from the Jewish and Roman authorities the night Jesus was arrested. After His resurrection, they stood boldly and proclaimed Jesus’ resurrection before anyone who would listen. They stood their ground when threatened with imprisonment and death. They remembered Jesus admonition not to fear those who could destroy the body, but rather the One (that is the LORD!) who is able to throw both the soul and the body into hell.
One of the most important applications of Luke 24 in our lives today is to remember the centrality of Jesus’ resurrection in our lives. Because Jesus lives, we live also. Jesus promised to return when He returned to heaven. That means we must be ready. We don’t want to found unprepared when He comes. Nor do we want to miss the opportunity to tell others about Him. This life is so short, and we must be sure we share Jesus and His salvation with those in our spheres of influence who will listen.