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.
