Ecclesiastes 1
Is Life Meaningless?
Author: Solomon – son of King David, 10th century BC
Setting- written as a philosophy of life- beware of the individual statements – should be interpreted in the whole of the book.
Stats on a football team look bad but they still won the game. Some statements look bad but the final conclusion is Biblical
Key Words:
- Vanity- emptiness (vapor)
- Under the Sun – outlook without God from a human only perspective
- Profit – that which is left over , opposite of vanity
- Labor – work without meaning
- Evil – leads to pain, sorrow and bad circumstances, – favorite word describing life under the sun.
- Joy – we should enjoy Gods gifts how they were meant to be.
- Wisdom – the real purpose of life and living accordingly.
- God – mentions 40 times, God did not make Solomon disobey to write this book but used Solomons experience to prepare him for this task.
Application
Solomon saw Injustice, crooked politics, corrupt leaders, guilty people committing more crimes, materialism,
Solomon experimented with life, He had all the money, women, wine, power a man could want. But there was no lasting satisfaction in all these things. Life can either be monotonous or meaningful.
Remember Solomon knew God and was blessed by God but disobeyed God and brought in many foreign wives that brought foreign gods. Solomon began to look at things “under the sun”
When you step out of the will of God we lose perspective.
Life can be like Living in Circles
A. Nothing Is Changed (1-7)
v.4 nature is permanent but man is transient or temporary.
v. 6 Man comes and goes but the wind goes on doing its thing
v.7 Scientist tell us that 97% of all water on earth is ion the oceans, only.0001% are in the atmosphere for rain – ten days of rain. It cooperates with the sun and wind to keep water circulating and it never changes.
If all we look at is “under the sun” the world becomes a closed system (Deist) Focus on what is above the sun – creator God.
B. Nothing is New (8-11)
In Ecc. 3:11 states “God has put eternity in the hearts,
“Thou has made us for thyself and our hearts are restless until we rest in thee” Augustine
The world really provides nothing new.
Did God know about vehicles before Henry Ford?
Did God know about planes before the Wright brothers?
Did God know about light bulb before Thomas Edison?
Did God know about the internet before Robert Kahn , Tim Berners?
Did God know about electric cars before Elon Musk
These people made things out of things that already exist….Only God can create.
Categories of transportation, communication, medicine ect. GOD KNOWS.
“Methods are many Principles are few, methods always change but principles never do”
C. Nothing Is Understood (12-18)
v.13 Life is tough but it is a gift from God
v.14 Life doesn’t get easier if you try to run away from it
people try to run away from life being a workaholic, alcoholic, busy holic, social medis holic
v.15 Not everything can be changed
We cannot change the past, but God can change the way the past affects us. The past can be an anchor that drags you down or a rutter that guides you
v.16-18 Wisdom and experience will not solve every problem
We can live on “explanations” or by “promises”
