It's better to go to a house of mourning than a house of feasting.
We are in our annual Thanksgiving month. Therefore, today, we shall look at why and how to celebrate God.
Text Ecclesiastes 7:2-4
God’s word says it’s better to go to a house of mourning than a house of feasting.
Why is this better?
Humans are not to celebrate themselves because we are not divine; we celebrate God (Rev 22:8-9; Judge 13:16) or, in some religions, their gods. For this reason, God gave the OT believers annual festivals (Deut. 16:13-17). We have four festivals unto God: Easter, Jubilee, thanksgiving, and Christmas (the birth of Christ).
After every human-centred feasting comes a crisis that takes a long time to resolve (health, finances, relationship breakdown). Ungodly fun, entertainment, pleasure, and pride will bring a crisis.
In the house of feasting, people don’t think about God and eternity. But seeing the dead in the house of mourning may cause people to think about their own death, so they ask God for mercy and eternal life.
There is jealousy whenever someone is exalted. Human success invites praise as well as jealousy. If the jealous person has any power (spiritual, economic, political ...), the person is likely to use it to cause harm. For e.g. when David was praised for killing Goliath, Saul became jealous and plotted to destroy him (1 Sam 18:6-11); when God raised Joseph, out of Jealousy, his own siblings plotted to kill him (Genesis 37).
When we use our resources (time, money, love, energy) to feast in an ungodly way, our soul is drained of life, and this can lead to spiritual weakness and sometimes depression.
How should we celebrate or feast then?
Enjoy food, drink, your wife/husband, appropriate clothing, and labour (Ecc. 9:7-10). Do these, and you will not need expensive holiday trips.
Do you want parties? follow Job’s example (Job 1:1-5).
For weddings, follow Jesus’ example at the wedding: the occasion brought glory to God (John 2:1-11).
Do not plan to gratify the flesh (Rom 13:24). You will set yourself up troubles.
If life is good, the focus of the feasting should be thanksgiving to God, a project for the poor, a project for God’s work, something that would glory God. E.g., Queen Esther prepared a banquet for the King and pleaded with the King to spare the Jews from destruction (Esther 5-7).