The End of the Matter
Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14
The End of the Matter
Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14
Main Idea: We wisely live in light of our death by rejoicing in the gift of life and remembering God.
I. Rejoice in the Gift of Life (11:7-9, 12:1-8)
As we consider our own death, the Preacher urges and commands us to rejoice in the life we have been given. Despite the Preacher’s often bleak assessment of life under the sun, this is a consistent refrain throughout the book (cf. Ecc. 3:12-13, 22, 5:18-20, 9:9).
“The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord” ~ George Mueller
The sin of pride causes us to miss out on this rejoicing; when we treat life as “gain” or something to be mastered, we miss that it is a gift to be enjoyed. We are following in the footsteps of the first sin of Genesis 3:
“This was the nerve the serpent had touched in Eden, to make even Paradise appear an insult” (Derek Kidner).
Despite the hardships of life, there is joy to be found in the midst of the pain. The incarnation of Christ reminds us that although death and vanity mark our lives here under the sun, God himself is with us - even in the mundane, the disappointments, and the ordinary.
The Preacher urges us to rejoice in the gift of life while we still can:
For those who are “young” (11:9, 12:1), we must not look ahead to some uncertain time in the future to find joy. If we do, we will run out of time as the dark clouds of death gather (12:2-7).
For those who lived “many years” (11:8), we are to rejoice in them all, not looking back with nostalgia (cf. 7:10). Those who are old are to look forward to their “eternal home” (12:5) which draws close, remembering that the enemy of death cannot defeat those in Christ (cf. Isa. 40:28-31).
II. Remove Vain Pursuits (11:10, 12:9-12)
The Preacher urges us to “remove vexation from your heart.” This does not mean we must remove the feeling of vexation and frustration, but instead set aside the impossible and futile pursuit of trying to make sense of every detail of our lives of “smoke.”
We practically “remove” this kind of vexation by:
Listening to the Word of God (12:9-11)
God’s Word reminds us of what is true, good, and beautiful. It guides us through the “narrow gate” and the “hard way” of discipleship that leads to life (Mt. 7:13-14), like goads that keep animals moving in the proper direction. We must locate and prioritize the voice of our “Shepherd” amidst all the other voices in our lives.Humbly embracing the limitations of life (12:12)
The Preacher warns us of the temptation to go “beyond” what God has given us to understand (cf. 2 Pet. 1:3, 2 Tim. 3:7). This quest will lead to vexation and weariness and we will never find what we are looking for.
“You will be tempted to think that you must move beyond the wisdom words of God in order to make a difference and find your purpose. His words will at times seem too small and quiet a thing amid the clamor and importance of the world. You will be tempted to think that you need something more than your relationship with God in order to prove worthy and credible under the sun. But I tell you, after everything is said and done, the end of the matter, the grand purpose for which we live, the ‘whole duty’ of your life is this: trust God, follow what he says, and this, right where you are.” ~ Zack Eswine
III. Remember Your Creator (12:1, 13-14)
As we contemplate our own death, the brevity of life, and all that the Preacher has said in Ecclesiastes, we are to remember our Creator. We do this by:
Fearing God
Keeping his commandments
Remembering our life beyond the sun
“If there is no God, and therefore no final judgment, then it is hard to see how anything we do really matters. But if there is a God who will judge the world, then everything matters. This is not all there is. There is a God in heaven who rules the world. There is a life to come. One day the dead will be raised and every person who has ever lived will stand before God. And when that day comes, it will become clear that there is eternal significance in everything that anyone ever thought, said or did.” ~ Philip Ryken
Philippians 1:21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
The Vanity of Wealth
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
The Vanity of Wealth
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
Main Idea: Joy and satisfaction are not found in money but in our contentment in God.
I. The Problem Outside (8-9)
Genesis 2:5,7 “When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground… then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”
II. The Problem Inside (10-11, 13-17)
“You can love money and have a lot, and you can love money and have a little. The issue is not how much you have; the issue is the heart. The issue is failure to be content with what you have. There was a time in your life when you would have jumped at the opportunity to have the income, family, and house that you presently have, but now it is not enough.”
-Jonathan Akin
Job 1:21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
III. The Solution Above (12, 18-20)
Universal
Narrow
Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Reverent Religion
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
Reverent Religion
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
Main Idea: Proper fear of God causes us to rightly relate to Him, guard our hearts, and in all of life worship Jesus as Lord.
As you look at our text today, you will see both paragraphs mirror each other. You will see a positive exhortation (v. 1; 4-5), negative exhortation (v. 2; 6), and a parable (v. 3; 7). Verse 1 and 7 frame up our whole passage and everything in the middle and help us answer the question, how do you approach God?
I. Religious Ritual (v. 1-3)
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3: “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.”
Understanding Our Identity (v. 1)
Understanding our identity in light of God’s identity calls us to listen first by the very nature of our relationship. This is a call for us to both think about what we are doing, and who we are doing it to. This type of listening is active. It implies hearing and obeying.
Our listening, how well we listen, and who we listen to as authority will directly impact our spiritual lives. Listening leads to understanding. Truly understanding leads to transformation. For God’s word to change you you need to understand it. Which means we need to listen.
“The ear is the Christian's primary sense organ. Listening to what God has said is our main spiritual discipline. […] When it comes to relating to God, we are out of order as far as using our sense organs goes. The things we see and the things we can touch dominate the way we perceive reality: We are fundamentally active creatures. We are what we do. But Ecclesiastes says that we become more human when we are what we receive. Life is a gift, and God's Word is the most precious of gifts, to be honored and loved and treasured above all others. Ecclesiastes is one long meditation on the need to use our ears for God's Word alongside our eyes in God's world.”
~David Gibson, Living Life Backwards
This is also why the church in the protestant tradition has centered corporate worship on the preaching of the word of God. Although other elements such as singing, praying, and taking communion are vital as well, listening is at the heart and center of our worship.
Understanding Our Actions (v. 2)
While the overarching theme may be to listen. This does not imply that we are to sit and do nothing either. If this was even possible. The preacher says “When” and not “if” you go to the house of God. There is a right assumption that all people must do something, the question for us is what, or better still who, are our actions our actions rooted in? Are they in ourselves, our peers, our cultural, political figures, media, or God.
“The sacrifice of fools indicates those who take part in religious ceremony and observances and who look to that participation in order to justify themselves as being close to God and good among people. But it isn’t sacrifice but mercy that God calls us to (Ps. 51:16-17)”
~Zack Eswine, Recovering Eden
Understanding Our “Dreams” (v. 3)
If you follow the preacher’s logic he creates a broad and all encompassing picture of human life. He is saying who you are (identity) affects who you listen to, who you listen to affects what you do, and what you do affects what you “dream” about or love. This circular pattern does seem accurate as we look at our own lives, doesn’t it?
II. Reverent Approach (v. 4-6)
Ecclesiastes 5:4-6: “When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?”
We live in a world filled with lies, broken promises, and unkept vows. For the Christian, this ought to both grieve and challenge us. We ought to be a people slow to make promises as if we have ultimate authority, and quick to fulfill the ones we do make. As we worship God for who he is, we can practice restraint while we practice reverence.
Matthew 5:37: “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”
III. Considering Christ (v. 7)
Ecclesiastes 5:7: “For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.”
Circling back to our initial question: How do you approach God? In what seems like an unlikely possibility Jesus gives us an option to consider: Himself.
John 10:30 “I and the Father are one.”
John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:10–11: “I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”
John 14:26: “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
John 19:30: “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
John 21:19 “Follow me”
“The fear of the Lord is the only fear that imparts strength [...] Those who fear God are simultaneously humbled and strengthened before his beauty and magnificence. [...] All of us are temperamentally inclined to lean one way or another. Some are natural rhinos: strong and thick-skinned, but not gentle. Others are more like deer:sweet and gentle, to be sure, but nervous and flighty. The fear of the Lord corrects and beautifies both temperaments, giving believers a gentle strength. It makes them – like Christ – simultaneously lamblike and lionlike.”
~Michael Reeves, Rejoice & Tremble
Psalm 130:3-4 “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.”
Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be
Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:1-3; 7:15; 8:14-16; 10:5-6
Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be
(Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3; 7:15; 8:14-16; 10:5-6)
“If we’re blindsided by injustice, we’re going to be blindfolded to hope.” (John Onwuchekwa)
Not the way it’s supposed to be.
Not the way it will always be.
A way to live in the meantime.
Main Idea: We live with a defiant hope by remembering the cross and awaiting the judgment.
I. Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be
“Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.” (Ecclesiastes 3:16)
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. (Matthew 23:2-3)
“You’re shinin’ your light, and shine it you should, / But you’re so heavenly minded you’re no earthly good” ~ Johnny Cash
”Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors, there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun..” (Ecclesiastes 4:1-3)
“There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 8:14)
“There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: 6 folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.” (Ecclesiastes 10:5–7)
II. Not the Way Things Will Always Be
“I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.” Ecclesiastes 3:17.
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)
“Our sins were the judicial ground of the sufferings of Christ, so that they were a satisfaction of justice; and his righteousness is the judicial ground of our acceptance with God, so that our pardon is an act of justice.” (Charles Hodge)
“And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)
III. A Way Forward in the Meantime
Observe (Ecclesiastes 3:16, 4:1)
Reflect (Ecclesiastes 3:17, 4:2)
Lament (Ecclesiastes 3:19-22, 4:2-3)
Time After Time
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
Time After Time
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
Main Idea: We learn to enjoy the cycles of time and embrace the tension of time by turning to Jesus, the Lord of time, and receiving eternal life.
I. The Seasons of Time (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
Relational Seasons
a time to be born, and a time to die;
“For man does not know his time.” (Ecclesiastes 9:12)
Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass. (Job 14:5)a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is! (Proverbs 15:23)
Vocational Seasons
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
Provisional Seasons
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11–13)
Generational Seasons
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
Emotional Seasons
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
But the cheerful of heart has a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:15)a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. (Psalm 30:11)
Let them praise his name with dancing. (Psalm 149:3)
“as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:9–10)
II. The Tension of Time (Ecclesiastes 3:9-13)
What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. (Ecclesiastes 3:9–10)
He has made everything beautiful in its time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. (Genesis 50:20)
Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man. (Ecclesiastes 3:12–13)
III. The Lord of Time (Ecclesiastes 3:14-15)
I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be already has been, and God seeks what has been driven away. (Ecclesiastes 3:14–15)
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Romans 11:33)
A time for Jesus to be born. (Galatians 4:4)
A Time for Jesus to heal the sick. (Matthew 12:15, 14:14, 14:36, 15:30, 21:14, Luke 4:40)
A time for Jesus to plant. (Matthew 15:13, Mark 11:12-14, 20-21)
A time for Jesus to build and tear down. (Matthew 21:12–17, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45–48, John 2:13–16)
A Time for Jesus to feast. (Luke 19:1-10)
A time for Jesus to eat and drink. (Matthew 11:19, Luke 7:34-36)
A time for Jesus to weep. (John 11:1-44)
A time for Jesus to mourn. (Isaiah 53:3, Luke 19:41-44; cf. Matthew 9:36)
A time for Jesus to rejoice. (Luke 10:21)
A time for Jesus to remain silent. (1 Peter 2:23)
A time for Jesus to speak. (Luke 4:17-21)
A time for Jesus to die. (John 7:30, Romans 5:6)
A time for Jesus to rise from the dead. (Hosea 6:2; cf. Luke 24:45-46; 1 Corinthians 15:4)
A time for Jesus to build, first with wood (Mark 6:3), then with words (Matthew 16:18), and now his church (Ephesians 2:19-22, 1 Corinthians 3:9-15).
A time for him to bring peace (John 14:27, Romans 5:1).
A time for Jesus to come again and make all things new. (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Revelation 1:7)
The Vanity of Work
Ecclesiastes 2:18-26, 4:4-8
The Vanity of Work
Ecclesiastes 2:18-26, 4:4-8
Main Idea: Despite the frustrations of our toil under the sun, we can joyfully receive work as a gift from God.
I. Why is Work so Frustrating? (2:18-23)
As the Preacher continues on his quest to find meaning and significance in a world of “smoke,” he gives himself fully over to work. But he runs into two problems with work under the sun:
1. Our work does not last (2:18-21)
The Preacher despairs that all of his life’s work will be left to another person after he dies, who is not guaranteed to treat this inheritance with wisdom. This is precisely what happens to Solomon, as his son Rehoboam ends up dividing and losing most of his father’s kingdom (cf. 1 Kings 12). Even when our work is fruitful in our lifetime, it usually lasts for a short time.
2. Our work is exhausting (2:22-23; cf. Gen. 3:17-19)
The word “toil” (used 22 times in Ecc.) hints at this reality. Toil is “excessive, endless, fruitless labor – the kind that leaves us exhausted, with nothing valuable to show for our effort” (Andy Crouch). As a result of the Fall, the ground itself is cursed and fights back against our labor. Work under the sun is marked by sorrow, vexation, and a restless heart.
“While God has made us to work, our work is now distorted. We face the triple challenge of our own sinful hearts, the sinfulness of others with whom we work, and the curse on the created order itself.” ~ David Jones, Every Good Thing
II. Why Can’t We Fix It? (4:4, 7-8)
Our motivations for work are complicated (4:4): Work in our culture is often a pursuit of trying to justify our existence, to make a name or reputation for ourselves, and to find an identity.
“One of the reasons work is both fruitless and pointless is the powerful inclination of the human heart to make work, and its attendant benefits, the main basis of one’s meaning and identity… [Work] becomes a way to distinguish myself from my neighbor, to show the world and prove to myself that I’m special. It is a way to accumulate power and security, and to exercise control over my destiny.” ~ Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavor
Our work is often alienating (4:7-8): The more we give ourselves over to our work, the more it becomes selfish, isolating, and alienating from God and others.
“I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, ‘Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?’ More smoke.” ~ Ecclesiastes 4:7-8 (Eugene Peterson, The Message)
Our work is never fully satisfying (4:8). Our inability to disengage and rest from our work, our feelings of guilt and procrastination, and our restlessness are symptoms of an endless chasing after the wind.
III. What is Something Better? (2:24-26, 4:5-6)
The Preacher suddenly brings God back into the picture in 2:24-26, after his self-absorbed quest in 1:12-2:23 ends up being “smoke.” These 3 verses are the “principal conclusion” and the “point of the whole book” of Ecclesiastes (Martin Luther).
When we view our lives under the sun in relationship to God, we discover two things:
We can enjoy the presence and the pleasure of God in the ordinary things of life
We can enjoy our work and toil, resting without being lazy, and working hard without being a workaholic (4:5-6; cf. 1 Tim. 6:17-19)
1 Corinthians 15:58: Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
The Vanity of Success
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; Mark 8:34-38
The Vanity of Success
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; Mark 8:34-38
In this passage, the author lays out his experiment in seeking happiness “under the sun” by pursuing success. The structure of the experiment follows standard scientific methodology:
The Hypothesis: Can attaining success “under the sun” result in happiness ? (v. 1a, 3)
The Experiment: A robust catalog of enjoyments and achievements attained. (v. 4-10a)
The Conclusion: Did the enjoyments and the achievements produce lasting happiness? (v. 1b, 10b-11)
As we walk through the experiment with the author, we’ll think about:
The LOGIC of success as a life-defining pursuit.
The LIMITS of success as a life-defining practice.
The Successful LIFE according to Jesus.
I. The Logic of Success as a life-defining pursuit.
Here is the logic behind the hypothesis that drives the Preacher’s experiment:
I like feeling good
It feels good to indulge/win/enjoy
Therefore, the more I indulge/win/enjoy, the better I will feel
In short, if I succeed in life, I will be happy and I will disprove the Preacher’s conclusion that all is vanity.
Here is the point of the experiment: If anyone ever achieved the kind of success that would provide a steady, sustainable stream of the finer pleasures of life, Solomon did. If anyone held onto the ability to remain scientifically objective about the whole thing, Solomon did.
The Preacher merely observes that he knew the most successful man of the day and this is the conclusion he reached after decades of success and the pleasures that go with it:
“Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.” (2:11)
II. The Limits of Success as a life-defining practice.
First, it is extremely Individualistic.
Did you notice how many times in these eleven verses that the personal pronouns I, me, my, myself were used? 39 times in 11 short verses!!
At least two nasty consequences tend to follow this individualistic self-obsession:
Selfward skew.
Social isolation.
Second, it is arrogantly Exclusive.
The Preacher brags that he undertook this experiment for the noble purpose of discovering what “was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.” (2:3) But two realities are immediately obvious:
There simply is no way that the broad sweep of “the children of man” were ever going to be able to achieve what Solomon achieved!
Solomon’s outrageous success actually came from the labor and was built on the backs of thousands of “children of men” who did not fare all that well from his brilliant success.
Lastly, this kind of success is ultimately Corrosive.
This kind of success destroys its owner.
This kind of success pollutes downstream.
Dismissing the pursuit of success and pleasure would not be solving the problem. If Solomonic success cannot lift us out of the conclusion that everything under the sun is vanity, REDUCING the definition of what I call my own personal success will not do that either.
My own smaller definition of success is no less limiting than Solomon’s and no more able to beat the label of vanity than was his. It is just as individualistic and isolating, just as exclusive and arrogant, just as corrosive and destructive, just as much chasing the wind, but only on a smaller scale.
Here is the secret we learn from Jesus on this mystery: It is not the PURSUIT of success and subsequent pleasure that is the problem, but rather our DEFINITION of success that is the problem. As it turns out, the success we seek - even to Solomonic proportions - is not too large, but rather, too small!
III. The Successful Life according to Jesus
In Mark 8:34-38, Jesus articulates a better logic of success. He lays out a better path to success, and endorses hard pursuit of a far better reward.
…If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by an offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.
~ C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
The Vanity of Wisdom
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18, 2:12-17
The Vanity of Wisdom
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18, 2:12-17
Main Idea: Wisdom under the sun is limited, so we must pursue wisdom from above in the fear of the Lord.
I. The Quest of Wisdom
In light of the ‘vanity’ (1:2; lit.: smoke) of life, the Preacher begins a quest “by wisdom” to search out “all that is done under heaven.” He has a unique privilege to explore why our experience in this world is the way that it is.
“Imagine someone with the wealth of Warren Buffet, the business sense and savvy of Jay-Z, sprinkled with the prestige of Oprah, and topped off with the power and respect of your favorite president. He's all that and more. And this rings true of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes. Not only does he have great wisdom, but he has access to anything and everything under the sun.” ~ John Onwuchekwa
The allure of this quest is a kind of wisdom and knowledge that grasps for control, able to explain away the vanity we experience. This quest has its roots in the fall of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden (cf. Gen. 3:5).
This pursuit ends up being an “unhappy business” and a “striving after the wind.” God “gives” this kind of pursuit to mankind not so that we might gain control over the world or solve all of its problems, but rather that we might embrace the vanity of life under the sun.
II. The Limits of Wisdom
Ecclesiastes (and the rest of the Bible) consistently affirms the value of true wisdom. But although there is “more to gain in wisdom than folly” (2:13), the Preacher runs into 3 limitations on his quest:
Wisdom can’t change the curse (1:15)
Wisdom can’t explain the enigma (1:16-17)
Wisdom can’t defeat death (2:14-16)
In the face of these limitations, the Preacher comes to an honest place of lament. As his wisdom increased, so did his vexation and sorrow with the world (1:18); as he saw all the grievous things under the sun, he hated life itself (2:17). Though this language might make us uncomfortable, it is an expression of true wisdom.
“The wise learn not to fear revealing what is true about their despair or hatred. God’s character and covenant anchor their voice and make every feeling and thought, no matter how beautiful or foul, a matter of prayer for God to enter… The wise learn to manage life, not by frantically trying to glue together the knocked-over vase, but by gathering all the shattered jagged pieces and powdered dust from the floor and bringing them to God.” ~ Zack Eswine
III. The Enjoyment of Wisdom
When we realize the vanity of wisdom for wisdom’s sake alone, we are in a position to pursue and enjoy a true wisdom that lasts. This is marked by:
The Fear of the Lord (cf. 7:16-18; Prov. 1:7).
Embracing Limitations & Enjoying Life
“Living under the sun, believers are happy to take comfort in knowing that they do not know. We learn, perhaps through great pain, to be deeply content with not knowing. To know all there is about everything there is to know, to know it in all ways and at all the right times so that I have every bit of relevant data in front of me, well, that is the kind of control over the world that Ecclesiastes has been teaching me to surrender. I cannot know, and so I don't have to know… The wisest thing you can do is to realize that not even being wise will tell you everything you want to know.” ~ David Gibson
Pursuing Wisdom from Above (cf. James 3:13-18). This kind of wisdom that is “pure, gentle, peaceable, and open to reason, full of mercy, sincere, and impartial” is seen supremely in the wisdom of God incarnate, Jesus Christ (Mt. 12:42).
Life Under the Sun
Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
Life Under the Sun
Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
“If Proverbs is like math, mostly dealing in equations in which one thing adds up to equal another, then Ecclesiastes is like music, all mood with melody and tone. If Proverbs is like meteorology giving us indicators so as to predict certain outcomes, then Ecclesiastes is like the actual weather, fickle and unpredictable in its ability to rant with storms or breathe easy with a mid-morning breeze.”
~ Zack Eswine
Main Idea: Life under the sun is fleeting and elusive, inviting us to humbly embrace this reality before the Lord.
I. The Preacher (1:1)
Though there is debate over the author of Ecclesiastes, it is clearly written in the “Solomonic” tradition after King Solomon, the “Son of David.” Whether he is the author or not, we are to read this book in light of his kingship, wisdom, wealth, and extravagance.
Within Ecclesiastes, we hear from two distinct voices:
The “Preacher” (Heb. Qoheleth), sometimes translated as the “teacher, philosopher, or quester.” His name literally means ‘one who speaks to the congregation.’
The Author (cf. Ecc. 12:9ff), who remains anonymous and comments on the preacher’s wisdom.
II. The Message (1:2-3)
Thesis statement 1A: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”
“Vanity” (Heb: hebel) lit. means smoke, breathe, or vapor. This multifaceted metaphor teaches us two realities:
Life is short & fleeting (cf. Ps. 144:3-4, Jas. 4:14)
Life is elusive & enigmatic
“Ecclesiastes is a meditation on how life seems to elude our grasp in terms of lasting significance. If we try to gain control of the world and our lives by what we can understand and by what we can do, we find that the control we seek eludes us.”
~ David Gibson
Thesis statement 1B: “What does man gain by all his toil at which he toils under the sun.”
The Preacher’s vantage point is human experience here in this world ‘under the sun,’ not beginning with divine commandments or prerogatives. Looking ‘under the sun’ for ‘gain’ - something leftover of value or permanence - will net us nothing.
III. The Reality (1:4-11)
To prove his thesis, the Preacher poetically tells us:
Nothing really changes (1:4-7)
Nothing really satisfies (1:8)
Nothing is really new (1:9-10)
Nothing (and no one) will really be remembered (1:11)
“The horror of the Same Old Thing is one of the most valuable passions we have produced in the human heart - an endless source of heresies in religion, folly in counsel, infidelity in marriage, and inconstancy in friendship.”
~ C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
IV. The Hope
The Preacher is inviting us to consider life under the sun in a different way: what if we stopped looking at life as ‘gain’ (1:4), and instead receive it as a gift?
Because life under the sun is ‘vanity,’ we should simultaneously enjoy it and embrace it for what it is. As we embrace the fact that life is short and elusive, we are freed up to enjoy its simple pleasures with thanksgiving for what it is, not what we wish it might be.
Mark 8:36: “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”
Romans 8:18–21: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
The glory and hope that awaits us is rooted in the eternal work of Jesus Christ.
Jesus really changes things
Jesus really satisfies the deep longings of our soul (Ecc. 3:11)
Jesus really will make all things new
Jesus really is remembered