Reality of Death

The second half of Ecclesiastes begins with a series of proverbial observations that all have to do with the question what is good? In Hebrew ‘better’ is literally ‘more good than’.
[7:1] A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
[2] It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
[3] Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
[4] The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
[5] It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
[8] Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
[17] Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
There are eight sayings making observations about the reality of death and our reaction to it, laying down some great truths which seem irony to the unthinking part, that is, the far greatest part, of mankind.
1. There is an end of man as to this world, a final period to his state here; crossing over to were he will spend eternity. We must thus be left by our friends, as the mourners are, and thus leave, as the dead do. What is the lot of others will be ours; the cup is going round, and it will come to our turn to pledge it shortly.
By way of warning: The living will lay it to his heart. Those that are spiritually alive will lay it to heart, and, as for all the survivors, some perhaps will lay that to heart, and consider their latter end, who would not lay a good sermon to heart.
2. A good name - a good reputation is of more value to its owner than the things money can buy, that is, a name for wisdom and goodness with those that are wise and good - the memory of the just; this is a good that will bring a more grateful pleasure to the mind, will give a man a larger opportunity of usefulness, and will go further, and last longer.
Day of death - That, all things considered, our going out of the world is a great kindness to us than our coming into the world was: The day of death is preferable to the birth-day; though, as to others, there was joy when a child was born into the world, and where there is death there is lamentation, yet, as to ourselves, if we have lived so as to merit a good name, the day of our death, which will put a period to our cares, and toils, and sorrows, and remove us to rest, and joy, and eternal satisfaction, is better than the day of our birth, which ushered us into a world of so much sin and trouble, vanity and vexation. We were born to uncertainty, but a good man does not die at uncertainty.
Day of one’s birth - The day of our birth clogged our souls with the burden of the flesh, but the day of our death will set them at liberty from that burden
3. Sorrow is better than laughter - Sorrow is better than laughter – that gravity and seriousness better become us, and are better for us, than mirth and jollity. The common proverb says, "An ounce of mirth is worth a pound of sorrow;" but the preacher teaches us a contrary lesson: Sorrow is better than laughter, more agreeable to our present state, where we are daily sinning and suffering ourselves, more or less, and daily seeing the sins and sufferings of others.
While we are in a vale of tears, we should conform to the temper of the climate. It is also more for our advantage; for, by the sadness that appears in the countenance, the heart is often made better.
Sadness is often a happy means of seriousness, and that affliction which is impairing to the health, estate, and family, may be improving to the mind, and make such impressions upon that as may alter its temper very much for the better, may make it humble and meek, loose from the world, penitent for sin, and careful of duty. Vexation sharpens the intellect -- I should have perished if I had not been made wretched. It will follow, on the contrary, that by the mirth and frolicsomeness of the countenance the heart is made worse, more vain, carnal, sensual, and secure, more in love with the world and more estranged from G-d and spiritual things, till it become utterly unconcerned in the afflictions.
4. Of a wise man that his heart is in the house of mourning; he is much conversant with mournful subjects, and this is both evidence and a furtherance of his wisdom. The house of mourning is the wise man's school, where he has learned many a good lesson, and there, where he is serious, he is in his element. When he is in the house of mourning his heart is there to improve the spectacles of mortality that are presented to him; nay, when he is in the house of feasting, his heart is in the house of mourning, by way of sympathy with those that are in sorrow. We should praises joy and the enjoyment of life in spite of its short-lived nature, life is too short to be wasted. The contemplation of sorrow and mourning should be done so that the heart is made glad while there is yet time for the living to do so. It is wiser to remember that life is short because remembering helps us to cherish it than foolishly to think and act as if there were no end to our personal existence.
5. Sorrow is better than laughter – that gravity and seriousness better become us, and are better for us, than mirth and jollity. The common proverb says, "An ounce of mirth is worth a pound of sorrow;" but the preacher teaches us a contrary lesson: Sorrow is better than laughter, more agreeable to our present state, where we are daily sinning and suffering ourselves, more or less, and daily seeing the sins and sufferings of others.
While we are in a vale of tears, we should conform to the temper of the climate. It is also more for our advantage; for, by the sadness that appears in the countenance, the heart is often made better.
6. Hear the rebuke of the wise - Many that would be very well pleased to hear the information of the wise, and much more to have their commendations and consolations, yet do not care for hearing their rebukes, that is, care not for being told of their faults, though ever so wisely; but therein they are no friends to themselves, for reproofs of instruction are the way of life, and, though they be not so pleasant as the song of fools, they are more wholesome. Hear not only with patience, but with pleasure for the rebuke of the wise is a sign and means of wisdom.
7. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning - Looking back on someone else’s life, we can see the sense in which it is complete. By faith see what the end will be, and with patience expect it will prove better in the end than it seemed at the beginning; their power will be broken, their wealth gotten by oppression will be wasted and gone, they will be humbled and brought down, and reckoned with for their injustice, and oppressed innocency will be both relieved and recompensed.
8. Why shouldest thou die before thy time - In the acts of righteousness govern yourself by the rules of prudence, and be not transported, no, not by a zeal for G-d, into any intemperate heats or passions, or any practices unbecoming your character or dangerous to your interests. There may be over-doing in well-doing. Self-denial and mortification of the flesh are good; but if we prejudice our health by them, and unfit ourselves for the service of G-d, we are righteous overmuch. To reprove those that offend is good, but to cast that pearl before swine, who will turn again and rend us, is to be righteous overmuch. "Make not thyself over-wise. Be not opinionative, and conceited of your own abilities. Set not up for a dictator, nor pretend to give law to, and give judgment upon, all about you. Set not up for a critic, to neither find fault with every thing that is said and done, nor busy yourself in other men's matters, as if you knew every thing and could do any thing. Why should you destroy yourself, as fools often do by meddling with strife that belongs not to them? Why should you provoke authority, and run yourself into the briers, by needless disagreements, and by going out of your sphere to correct what is amiss? Be wise as serpents; beware of men. Do not run to an excess of riot, avoid those sins that ruin their health and estate, and expose them to public justice.
Yea, also from this withdraw not your hand; never slacken your diligence, nor decrease your resolution to maintain a due good behavior, and a good government of yourself. Take hold of the bridle by which your head-strong passions must be held in from hurrying you into one mischief or other, and withdraw not thy hand from it, for you wilt not easily recover your hold again. Be conscientious, and yet be cautious, and to this exercise yourself. Govern yourself steadily by the principles of religion, and you shall find that he that fears G-d shall come forth out of all those straits and difficulties which those run themselves into that cast off that fear." The fear of the L-rd is that wisdom which will serve as a clue to extricate us out of the most intricate mazes. Honesty is the best policy. Those that truly fear G-d have but one end to serve, and therefore act steadily. G-d has likewise promised to direct those that fear Him, and to order their steps not only in the right way, but out of every dangerous way, Ps. 37:23-24.
Eight is the number of new beginnings – meaning death is not the end but a new beginning in eternity!