Eat, Drink & Be Merry For Tomorrow We Shall Die.
I'm sitting here, Sunday on an English summers day; the sun is shining brightly in the garden and a cool breeze comes through the open doors. Beside me a glass of Italian chianti, whilst tonight I will bake chicken thighs in the oven with olive oil, diced potatoes, thyme and Cumberland sausages.
Which brings us to " Eat, drink & be merry for tomorrow we shall die." Should I abstain from an ascetic flight from pleasures? Did not Jesus himself "came eating and drinking" ( Luke 7:34) ?
All things being equal it's not as simplistic as that. Solomon did not recommend wasting much time on religion or moral stirrings. In fact his lust for life took him to the harem, the banquet hall, the palace, but never the temple.
Perhaps good advice, except the grave makes a mockery of it all. If you resign yourself to what is termed "vanity" then all that's left is the parties. You may as well party hard.
It all revolves I think around one's belief in the resurrection. If the dead do not rise, then invest in parties.
There is an interesting aspect in Isaiah 22:19-23 where the more threatening the future of Jerusalem of its destruction by Assyria, the more insensible and madly the people gave themselves up to the sensual enjoyments of the present. This did not imply that they felt any pleasure in the thought of death, but instead indicated a love of life which scoffed at death.
Is this justifiable fatalism, or lack of moral courage, or is the main message one of acknowledgement of the existence of an ultimate judgement beyond man?
What you do with your life will determine your final worth. If you can look back honestly and say you have been; a good father to your family, loved without restraint both those closest to you and ( more difficult) those in need, and have attained over the years close friends, then tomorrow have no fear of death.