Ecclesiastes 1 – 12

In a way, the book of Proverbs is Solomon’s encouragement to walk in the way of the LORD while the book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s discouragement from walking in the way of the world. In these twelve chapters we find exasperated futility resulting from a failed experiment that was expected to be wildly successful. Experience is a wise teacher, and the experience of Solomon taking everything God gave him and channeling it into worldliness in invaluable to us.

We like to think that is we only had a little more money, everything would be ok. For whatever problem a little more money would solve, there are two more to take its place. It’s hard for us to imagine that a man with a billion-dollar-a-year income could possible find no solution in his wealth. When God gave him everything and Solomon relied upon his wealth to find contentment he simply found that everything was nothing. It was all vanity, grasping at the wind.

One of the pervasive myths of life is that the perfect mate awaits us somewhere out in the world. I assure you the perfect mate will be found right next to the next unicorn you stumble across. Relationships are built by imperfect people who are willing to overlook and forgive the flaws in their mates, not by those who happen to find the perfect mate. Compatibility is not seamless. How many potentially wonderful marriages have been squandered for failing to see these truths? How many have abandoned a mate seeking the perfect mate in the pastures across the way? When God gave him everything and Solomon relied upon his 1000 women to fulfill him he simply found that everything was nothing. It was vanity, grasping at the wind.

The great American work ethic that built this land seems to be vanishing before our eyes. While hard work is desirable and beneficial, it cannot consume us and become the means to an end. Far too many spend a lifetime working and never stop to live the life they worked so hard to build. Work keeps us from family, friends and even God and the Lord’s church. When God gave him everything and Solomon relied on the power of his own might to produce for him he simply found that labor and toil were nothing. It was vanity, grasping at the wind.

Should we recognize our spiritual side and seek to find religion, surely we can find happiness, right? The current trend in our religious culture is to create our own way to God, even if that means refashioning God in our image. We want to be allowed the freedom to live our lives on our terms so we need a Savior who will give us grace on our terms and accept our sin as an offering. If the ways of God are too restrictive we redefine words and reinterpret scriptures to suit us. Finding worship on His terms displeasing to ourselves, we devise things that we enjoy and repackage them as worship, demanding that God accept them. We call it spirituality. When God gave him everything and Solomon relied upon the gold, silver wood and stone that comprised the Temple to stand in the place of God, he turned away after other gods and found that everything was nothing. It was vanity, grasping at the wind.

the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:7

Seems rather bleak and fatalistic. If you look at this book of wisdom literature as teaching us that in spite of the things, people, opportunities and religion you find in this world life will still stink, then you are missing the point. Instead, the book of Ecclesiastes teaches us that if we could take everything the world has to offer to the fullest in search of meaning and fulfillment all we will find is disappointment and emptiness. Just a little more of something bad will not make it good.

On the other hand, should we seek first the ways of God, then the material blessings, relationships, labor and fellowship with Jesus and His church will provide the daily needs and eternal hope for a soul journeying closer back to its Creator each and every day. Therein lies the only true fulfillment. It is substantive and real. Even seeming nothingness becomes something for God to work with.

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole (duty) of man

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Many translation add the word “duty” even though it does not appear in the Hebrew text. Somehow we think we need it to make sense of all of this. Ironically, by doing so we create yet another vanity of vanities. An emptiness, grasping after the wind. If obedience were a mere duty, then we could still earn our way to God by properly fulfilling this duty. The problem is that no philosophical understanding of money, mates, jobs and religion can get us one step closer to God.

Man’s purpose is not to accumulate or disburse wealth. Neither is our purpose to find true love and have a family. Our true purpose is not to find the perfect church. Certainly, God desires that we be generous, cling to one another in nurturing families and fellowship with each other in the body of Christ. Even so, God did not create us for these things. We need to see ourselves as God sees us, created in His image and re-created in the image of Christ Jesus so that we would be His own people by our own choosing. Life is not the relentless pursuit of perfection. The whole of man is to pursue God on the pathway He sets before us.

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!