What is the meaning of Ecclesiastes 7:1? A good name Solomon opens with “A good name,” pointing to the enduring value of character and reputation. Throughout Scripture, God elevates integrity over any outward show: • Proverbs 22:1 echoes, “A good name is to be chosen over great wealth.” • In Acts 6:3, the early church sought men “of good reputation” to serve, proving that a trusted name blesses both the one who bears it and those around him. • Jesus calls believers “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14-16), anticipating that people will associate His name with ours and glorify the Father when they see our works. When God redeems us, He attaches His own name to ours (Isaiah 43:7). Guarding that name through consistent obedience becomes both privilege and responsibility. Better than fine perfume Fine perfume was an expensive luxury in Solomon’s day. Its aroma filled a room briefly, then faded. By contrast, a good name lingers: • Mary’s alabaster jar (John 12:3) filled the house with fragrance, but Jesus said her deed would be told “wherever the gospel is preached,” showing how a godly reputation lasts beyond any scent. • Paul describes believers as “the aroma of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). Character, like fragrance, spreads, yet godly character never loses potency. Perfume delights the senses; a good name nourishes the soul. It points people upward, testifying that God transforms lives. One’s day of death The second half feels counter-intuitive: “one’s day of death.” Yet Scripture repeatedly frames death for the righteous not as tragedy but completion: • Psalm 116:15 assures, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.” • For Paul, “to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21) because it ushers believers into Christ’s presence (2 Corinthians 5:8). • Revelation 14:13 proclaims, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord… their deeds will follow them.” The believer’s life culminates, not crashes, at death. Nothing of enduring value is lost; what was faith becomes sight. Better than his day of birth Why is the end better than the beginning? Because: • At birth, potential lies ahead; at death, faithful works are complete (2 Timothy 4:7-8). • Birth thrusts us into a fallen world; death releases us from it (Romans 8:18-23). • At birth we bear Adam’s likeness; at death we enter fully into Christ’s (1 John 3:2). The verse assumes a life lived under God’s wisdom. A good name and a godly finish belong together. Death without Christ offers no advantage, but for those who fear Him, the graduation day truly surpasses the birthday. summary Ecclesiastes 7:1 contrasts what is fleeting with what is lasting. Fine perfume and earthly beginnings are momentary; a well-kept reputation and a faithful finish endure and please God. Live so that your name points others to His, and look ahead with confidence, knowing that the culmination of a life in Christ is far better than its earthly start. |
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