Ecclesiastes 7:1-4:

1.      A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.

A.    Good name precedes you. So does a bad.

B.     Good name is lasting. R.A. Baker, Lee Register, V.P. Black, etc. unlike perfume that just fades away.

C.      The day of death being a blessing for the Christian.

D.    Naked I came in, and naked I go out. Blessed be the name of the Lord. But, we go out with HOPE!

E.     Talk about the Dash (1930-2011) making all the difference.

Revelation 14:13 …   'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."

Or as Paul said:

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  ²² But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.  ²³ For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

2.      It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.

A.      Solomon suggests that we would be better off going to a funeral than a party because that is the end of all men.

B.     Hebrews 9:24 - it is appointed unto man once to die, and after that to come the Judgment.

3.      V. 3-4 - Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

A.      Sorrow makes us think about life, its meaning, and our priorities. A party rarely does. Sorrow and suffering often brings one to God, while pleasure seldom does.

B.     Even these sad times give us hope, peace, and strength for there is a mellowing and maturing that takes place in affliction and sorrow that cannot be attained any other way. Solomon is not condemning happiness, just the opposite, he is advocating an appropriate peace and contentment that is not based on temporal circumstances alone. Adversity is better than prosperity.

Imagine reading your own obituary. Alfred Nobel had that opportunity. Around the turn of the 20^th century, Nobel’s brother passed away. Alfred picked up his morning paper the next day to see what was written about his brother and was stunned to discover his own obituary! The paper mistakenly printed that Alfred had died, describing him as the inventor of dynamite. Nobel realized the legacy he was leaving was associated with death and destruction. Alfred had a second chance to rewrite his legacy. With input from friends, he decided to invest some of his wealth to honor those who furthered the cause of peace in the world. Today many know that Nobel invented dynamite, but he is better known for another of his creations—the Nobel Peace Prize.

Revelation 21.1-7

I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

'See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.'

And the one who was seated on the throne said, 'See, I am making all things new.' Also he said, 'Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.' Then he said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.'