Day 170.  Reading Ecclesiastes 1 – 6

Ecclesiastes 1.

“Ecclesiastes” means the “Preacher,” or one who gathers a group or congregation of people together to hear a message. Older Solomon here is passing down what he’d learned about “life” to the younger generation.  And what has he discovered? Everything in human life is “vanity,” “vapor & smoke.”  It is all “meaningless.” 

A downer, right?

• Verse 2. “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” 

He says, “I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem, and I applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven.  It is an unhappy business.”

He continues, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I applied my heart to know wisdom … and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is a “striving after the wind.”  In much wisdom is much vexation…”

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Ecclesiastes 2.

First, Solomon, the Preacher, decides to test “pleasure and enjoyment.”  (And he had the wealth to buy anything he desired.)

• First, he searched for ways to cheer his body with wine.
• Then, he made great works, built houses, planted vineyards for himself, made gardens, and parks, and orchards.
• He made pools of water for himself.
• He acquired a multitude of slaves to serve him.
• He gathered for himself silver and gold, the treasure of kings and provinces.
• He got male and female singers to entertain him.
• He acquired many concubines (women) to “serve” him.
• He became great and surpassed all who were before him.
• Whatever his eyes desired, he did not keep from them.  He held back no pleasure from his heart.

And what did all this get him?  “Behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”

Next, Solomon tested wisdom, and… MADNESS AND FOLLY. What??  He discovered being wise is better, but in the end … both the fool and the wise man experience tragedy.  And both are eventually forgotten.

He thought about all the works he had done … and hated them.  Why?  Because another would enjoy them after he was gone.  Whether a wise man or fool, HE would enjoy the things Solomon left behind, not having worked a minute for it!!  “Vanity and a great evil!“

And so  what did Solomon decide?  “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil.”  (This is a simple, family man with a job…better off that a wealthy, wise king.)

BUT … he DOES ACKNOWLEDG GOD.  “But this is also from God. Apart from Him, who can eat or have enjoyment?  For the one who pleases Him, God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy….”

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Ecclesiastes 3.

This chapter gives a familiar list of opposite things for which there is a “season” or time. 

• birth, death
• planting, harvesting 
• killing, healing
• breaking down, building up
• weeping, laughing
• mourning, dancing
• cast away stones, gathering stones
• embracing, not embracing
• seeking, losing
• keeping, throwing away
• tearing, sewing
• silence, speaking
• love, hate
• war, peace.

“God has made everything beautiful in its time.  Also, He has put eternity into man’s heart….”

And, “All (man and beasts) are from the dust, and to dust all return.”

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Ecclesiastes 4.

Solomon also writes of the evil and oppression that he has seen “under the sun.”

The lonely, vulnerable person who has no one, no family or friend, is worse off.  For TWO can help each other if one falls, TWO can keep warm together, and TWO can stand against an attacker.

Better to be a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.

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Ecclesiastes 5.

And then a caution:  “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.”  “Be not rash with your mouth, no let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God. Let your words be few.  God is the One you must fear.”

Next, Solomon (the wealthiest man alive then) talks about MONEY.  “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income.”

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Ecclesiastes 6.

This statement is truly sad, for it shows Solomon’s dissatisfied heart.  “If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things …I say that a stillborn child is better off than he!”  EVEN IF THIS MAN LIVES 2,000 YEARS, he still has to die and go to the grave like everyone else. (Oh, boo-hoo, Solomon!)

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(I think, like sometimes Solomon does, that uber wisdom and wealth are NOT a blessing. The person who lives a simple life with a job and a family is WAY better off. 

THANK YOU, LORD, for the simple life you have given me. YOU are wise, and good.)