ECCLESIASTES 1
Words from the Teacher.
We will be studying Ecclesiastes over the summer. This wisdom book can appear to be extremely pessimistic and frankly, kind of a downer. However, the author gives us words of great wisdom and deep thoughts. This book is not meant to bash us over the head with the futility of life, but lead us to a fuller understanding of what truly matters.
- The teacher starts the book by saying that everything is futility. He argues that everything we do is just repeating what others have done. The word we translate as futility can also be translated as vanity, meaningless, vapor, breath or even as idol. This kind of rhetoric shows the teaching style of the author. He uses exaggeration and absolutes to make the reader carefully consider his premises. When we read that everything we do is empty, what does that make us think? Is my job an idol? Is farming crops for food meaningless? Compared to what? We should consider if there are tasks, goals or plans that we are pursuing that are not worth the pursuit. What should we be investing in with our time and efforts?
“The Lord knows the thoughts of mankind; they are futile.” – Psalm 94:11
- The teacher repeatedly uses the phrase, “under the sun.” This is a specific phrase used to set the reference of the book. He is giving us an earthly perspective on life. He doesn’t bring God into the equation for a solution. He doesn’t say, “life is futile, so turn to God.” This is an interesting observation on the life of people without God. If we read this book apart from an understanding of the gospel, we will come to the same conclusions that the teacher did. Without God, everything IS futile. Apart from Christ, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the world. We should consider how this affects those who do not believe in God or are apart from him. How would we expect them to feel about life and the pursuit of pleasure if they don’t know God’s true purpose and meaning for our lives?
“For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:9
- Verse 9 is a familiar refrain. “There is nothing new under the sun.” For the entirety of human history, people have sought the new and exciting to bring meaning and purpose to their lives. For hundreds of generations, each new iterative change in life brought positive and negative changes that may have made lives easier but did not bring a revolution in life. Did our lives really get much better going from the iPhone 10 to 16? Did a two-day Prime delivery from Amazon deliver new life to anyone? Although we see progress in technology, medicine and human rights, the only real change in life came through the intervention of Jesus into human history. Prior to Jesus, what hope did we have? Apart from God, our human limits create a ceiling and have an expiration date. We have a finite opportunity in life to achieve. The teacher tells us that all of our efforts will never bring us the kind of satisfaction and meaning that our souls crave. What does my heart really need? What needs do I have that this world cannot provide? How do I look for the new in the old?
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Life Application: A life inventory is a useful tool to determine direction. Take time this week to look at your schedule, your bank account and your relationships. Are we pursuing temporary, earthly things at the cost of the eternal?
For Prayer: Pray specifically for your neighbors. If you don’t know who they are, this would be a great time to take them a plate of cookies and introduce yourself to them.