Ecclesiastes' Rest and Joy in Christ

Towards the end of his shortened life, Solomon the Wise king wrote:

"Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

"Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

"Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 9: 7-9)

These words seem distant to the believer at first, until we read this Scripture, along with all over Old Testament writings, through the Finished Work of the Cross:

God accepts our works because He has accepted us:

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1: 6)

The works which we work out, He has already worked into us:

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2: 10)

It is not we who are pressured to work up and work through everything. On the contrary, we are called to work out, or rather work down, what has already been prepared and placed within us:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1: 3)

and

"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2: 12-13)

Everything about us has been formed and fashioned to the likeness and essence of Christ Jesus, who lives within us (Colossians 1: 27). We are called to draw out by faith what is already within us.

Therefore, we can go our way, for our way is Jesus Christ (John 14: 6), who has made us righteous in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21), and thus we are led by His Spirit (Galatians 5: 16-8) in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23: 3) for His name's sake (John 1: 12; 1 John 5: 14-15)

We can eat bread and drink wine with a merry heart for the bread and wine signify that our sins are forgiven (1 Corinthians 11: 23-26) and because He has given us a new heart (Ezekiel 11: 19; Hebrews 8: 10-12)

Our garments are always white, for we are clothed in righteousness (Isaiah 61: 10, Romans 13: 14) and we have the anointing of the Holy Spirit (1 John 2: 20, 27)

Most importantly, we are married to Christ (2 Corinthians 11: 3) a help meet who will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13: 5-6). Unlike the dark cynicism of Solomon, every believer in the Body of Christ has ceased from his own labors (Hebrews 4: 10).