The Book of Ecclesiastes

Introduction

Hermeneutic Approach

Author

Background

Title

Relevance

Vocabulary

Ecclesiastes 01

Ecclesiastes 02

Ecclesiastes 03

Ecclesiastes 04

Ecclesiastes 05

Ecclesiastes 06

Ecclesiastes 07

Ecclesiastes 08

Ecclesiastes 09

Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 11

Ecclesiastes 12

Bibliography

ISV

Outline

INTRODUCTION AND PROLOGUE (Ecc 1:1-3)

I. Author(1:1)

II. Theme: The meaninglessness of human efforts on earth apart from God (1:2)

Prior to describing his search for meaning - Ecc 1:14

Throughout the course of his search 'under the sun':

  • The vanity of pleasure - Ecc 2:1
  • The vanity of industry (labor) - Ecc 2:11; Ecc 2:22-23; Ecc 4:4
  • The vanity of human wisdom - Ecc 2:15
  • The vanity of all life - Ecc 2:17
  • The vanity of leaving an inheritance - Ecc 2:18-21

Throughout his words of counsel and wisdom:

  • The vanity of earthly existence - Ecc 3:19-21
  • The vanity of acquiring riches over family - Ecc 4:7-8
  • The vanity of political popularity - Ecc 4:16
  • The vanity of many dreams and many words - Ecc 5:7
  • The vanity of loving abundance - Ecc 5:10
  • The vanity of wealth without the gift of God to enjoy it - Ecc 6:2
  • The vanity of wandering desire - Ecc 6:9
  • The vanity of foolish laughter - Ecc 7:6
  • The vanity of injustice in this life - Ecc 8:14
  • The vanity of the days of darkness - Ecc 11:8
  • The vanity of childhood and youth - Ecc 11:10

At the conclusion of the book - Ecc 12:8

THE PREACHERS SEARCH FOR MEANING IN LIFE (Ecc 1:4-18; 2:1-26)

III. Introduction: The profitlessness of human toil to accumulate things in order to achieve happiness (1:3-11)

IV. Discourse, Part 1: In spite of life’s apparent enigmas and meaninglessness, it is to be enjoyed as a gift from God (1:12;11:6)

A Since human wisdom and endeavors are meaningless, people should enjoy their life and work and its fruits as gifts from God (1:12;6:9)

Introduction (1:12-18)

a. Human endeavors are meaningless (1:12-15)

b. Pursuing human wisdom is meaningless (1:16-18)

Seeking pleasure is meaningless (2:1-11)

Human wisdom is meaningless (2:12-17)

Toiling to accumulate things is meaningless (2:18;6:9)

a. Because people must leave the fruits of their labor to others (2:18-26)

THE PREACHERS OBSERVATIONS FROM LIFE (Ecc 3; 4; 5; 6)

b. Because all human efforts remain under the government of God’s sovereign appointments, which people cannot fully know and which all their toil cannot change (3:1 ;4:3)

c. Because there are things better for people than the envy, greed and amibition that motivate such toil (4:4-16)

d. Because the fruits of human labor can be lost, resulting in frustration (5:1 ;6:9)

B. Since people cannot fully know what is best to do or what the future holds for them, they should enjoy now the life and work God has given them (6:10; 11:6)

Introduction: What is predetermined by God is inalterable, and people cannot fully know what is best or what the future holds (6:10-12)

THE PREACHERS COUNSEL FOR LIFE (Ecc 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12:1-7)

People cannot fully know what is best to do (chs. 7-8)

People cannot fully know what the future holds (9:1; 11:6)

V. Discourse, Part 2: Since old age and death will soon come, people should enjoy life in their youth, remembering that God will judge (11:7:12:7)

A. People should enjoy their life on earth because their future after death is mysterious, and in that sense is meaningless for their present life (11:7-8)

B. People should enjoy the fleeting joys of youth, but remember that God will judge (11:9-10)

C. People should remember their Creator (and his gifts) in their youth, before the deteriorations of old age and the dissolution of the body come (12:1-7)

EPILOGUE AND CONCLUSION (Ecc 12:8-14)

VI. Theme Repeated (12:8)

VII. Conclusion: Reverently trust in and obey God (12:9-14)

From the NIV Study Bible, Introductions to the Books of the Bible, Ecciesiastes Copyright 2002 © Zondervan.

Is Life Worth Living?

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.Psalm 90:12

Introduction

PURPOSE:

Human philosophy,apart from God, must inevitably reach the conclusions in thisbook; therefore, there are many statements which seem to contradictthe remainder of Scripture.

It almost frightens us to know that thisbook has been the favorite of atheists, and they (e.g., Volney andVoltaire) have quoted from it profusely.

Man has tried to be happywithout God, and this book shows the absurdity of the attempt.

Solomon, the wisest of men, tried every field of endeavor and pleasureknown to man; his conclusion was, “All is vanity.”

God showed Job, a righteous man, that he was a sinner in God’ssight.

KEY WORD:

“Vanity” occurs 37 times.

“Vanity of vanities,” lamented Solomon, “all is vanity!”

The word means “emptiness, futility; a vapor thatvanishes quickly and leaves nothing behind.”

Solomon used it 38 times in Ecclesiastes as he wrote aboutlife “under the sun.”

The phrase “under the sun” occurs 29 times.

From the human point ofview, life (“under the sun”) does appear futile; and it is easy for us to getpessimistic.

The Jewish writer Sholom Aleichem once described life as “a blister ontop of a tumor, and a boil on top of that.”

The American poet Carl Sandburg compared life to “an onion—you peelit off one layer at a time and sometimes you weep.”

British playwright George Bernard Shaw said that life was “a seriesof inspired follies.”

Dr. Edward Teller once suggested:

“A pessimist is one who is right,but doesn’t enjoy it.

An optimist is one who thinks that life is uncertain.”

“It’s our duty to be an optimist, because then we,at least, try!”

It has been quipped that a pessimist is simply the onewho has more information…

Vanity or Victory?

What a relief to turn from these pessimistic views of life and hear Jesus say,

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it moreabundantly...John 10:10

Or hear Paul declare,

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, alwaysabounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your laboris not in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor 15:58

Life is “not in vain” if it is lived according to the will of God, and thatis what Solomon teaches in this neglected and often misunderstoodbook.

All things under the sun are vanity.

This is man under the sun, entirely separated fromthe “Sun of righteousness” who is the Son of God.

A right relationship with God, in any age, through the way He hasmade, brings the only abiding satisfaction.

What a difference betweenthe man “under the sun” and the man “in Christ” seated in the heavenliesfar above all suns!

Hermeneutic Approach

Ecclesiastes is unlike any other Old Testament book, and has no parallelin other literature of the Biblical world.

Ecclesiastes is a philosophicaldiscourse.

Ecclesiastes makes no claim to bring man a wordfrom God.

Instead the writer specifically states that he includes onlywhat he can determine by his own reason, and limits himself to data thatis available “under the sun.”

The doctrine of inspiration, however,assures us that this book conveys the message that God intended thatwe should receive but, it does not guarantee that allSolomon’s statements and opinions are true!

Different kinds of Biblical literature must be understood within theframework of their purpose and form.

Poetic expression should not be taken in the same way as a carefully reasoned teachingparagraph in a New Testament epistle.

In order to understand anypassage of Scripture, it is important to define its purpose and frame ofreference.

We need to remember this when we approach the Book ofEcclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes is different from any other book of the Bible.

It isincluded in the category of “wisdom literature” (with Job and Proverbs), yet it remains unique.

“Wisdom literature” is universal in its scope;

  • it doesnot dwell on the covenant,
  • the election of Israel,
  • redemption,
  • prophecy,
  • sacred history, or
  • the temple.

Wisdom literature's focus is on

  • man the creature,
  • his life onearth, and t
  • he inscrutability of God and His ways.

Ecclesiastes goes beyond the other wisdom literature to emphasize thefact that human life and human goals, as ends in themselves and apartfrom God, are futile and meaningless.

The Author: Solomon

The book is the “dramatic autobiography of his life when he got awayfrom God.”

Nowhere in this book did the author give his name, but the descriptionshe gave of himself and his experiences would indicate that the writer wasKing Solomon.

(There have been critics to attack this assumption, butthey have been largely discredited).

He called himself “son of David” and “king in Jerusalem” (1:1, 12),

He claimed to have great wealth and wisdom (2:1–11, and 1:13; Cf. 1 Kgs4:20–34 and 10:1ff).

In response to Solomon’s humble prayer, Godpromised him both wisdom and wealth (1 Kgs 3:3–15); and He kept Hispromise.

  • 12 times in Ecclesiastes the author mentioned “the king,” and
  • Hemade frequent references to the problems of “official bureaucracy” (4:1–3; 5:8; 8:11; 10:6–7).

Solomon ruled over a great nationthat required a large standing army and extensive government agencies.

  • He carried on many costly building projects and lived in luxury at court(1 Kgs 9:10–28 and 10:1ff; 2 Chr 1:13–17).

Somebody had to manage allthis national splendor and somebody had to pay for it!

Solomon solved the problem by ignoring the original boundaries of thetwelve tribes of Israel and dividing the nation into twelve “tax districts,”each one managed by an overseer (1 Kgs 4:7–19).

In time, the wholesystem became oppressive and corrupt; after Solomon died, the peoplebegged for relief (2 Chr 10).

As you study Ecclesiastes, you will sensethis background of exploitation and oppression.

Background

King Solomon began his reign as a humble servant of the Lord, seekingGod’s wisdom and help (1 Kgs 3:5–15).

But Solomon’s strength was alsohis weakness.

Having been given access to God's Wisdom does not make one wise.

Following the life paths laid out by God's Wisdom does...

Solomon tended to trust in his wisdom rather than in theguidelines given in God’s Word.

As he grew older, his heart turned awayfrom Jehovah to the false gods of the many wives he had taken fromforeign lands (1 Kgs 11:1ff).

Many of the things Solomon did thatseemed to bring glory to Israel were actually contrary to the Word ofGod.

Deut 17:14-20 looked ahead to the future monarchy

...the king moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himselfor make the people return to Egypt to get more of them.

… He must not takemany wives, or his heart will be led astray.

...He must not accumulate largeamounts of silver and gold.

David had followed these injunctions.

He did take several wives, butnothing like Solomon’s multiplication (700 wives and 300 concubines!).

These marriages were motivated primarily by politics, not love, asSolomon sought alliances with the nations around Israel.

David hadestablished a policy of cutting the tendons of enemy war horses so theycould not be used in battle, and refused to build a chariot-based militaryestablishment.

But Solomon reasoned that these were not prudent policies.

Solomon failed to seethe danger in each

—that foreign wives might entice him from whollyfollowing God, and

—that by becoming a military superpower he mighttrust his might rather than God.

No amount of money or authority could stop the silent ripening of divinejudgment.

The king’s latter years were miserable because God removed His handof blessing (1 Kgs 11) and maintained Solomon’s throne only becauseof His promise to David:

Since this is your attitude and you have not kept My covenant and Mydecrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdomaway from you and give it to one of your subordinates. Nevertheless, forthe sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tearit out of the hand of your son. Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom fromhim, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David My servant and forthe sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen. 1 Kings 11:9–13

After Solomon’s death, the nation divided and the house of David wasleft with but two tribes, Judah and Benjamin.

It is interesting to contrastthe reigns of David and Solomon:

David could be viewed critically: his adultery and murder (and indeed,the sword never left his house). Yet God consistently, throughout theentire Bible, extols David above all others. “He was a man after God’sown heart.”

Solomon would seem to be an ideal—from man’s perspective. However,notice that NT allusions to Solomon were always somewhat derisive: Cf.Mt 6:29; 12:42; Lk. 11:31; 12:27.

Solomon probably wrote Proverbs (Prov 1:1; 1 Kgs 4:32) and the Songof Solomon (1:1) during the years he faithfully walked with God;

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.Proverbs 3:5–6

Solomon wrote:

  • Proverbs from the viewpoint of a wise teacher (1:1–6), and
  • Songof Solomon from the viewpoint of a royal lover (3:7–11);

In the Song of Solomon, we learn that if we turn from the world and set our affections on Christ, we cannot fathom the infinite preciousness of His love.

  • When hewrote Ecclesiastes, he called himself “the Preacher” (1:1, 2, 12; 7:27; 12:8–10).

In Ecclesiastes, we learn that without Christ we cannot be satisfied, even if we possess the whole world.

Ecclesiastes appearsto be the kind of book a person would write near the close of life, reflectingon life’s experiences and the painful lessons learned.

There is no record whether King Solomon ever repented and turned tothe Lord, but from his message in Ecclesiastes it would seem that he did.

The Title

Ecclesiastes means “preacher” or “philosopher.”

The Hebrew word is Kohelethand is the title given to an officialspeaker who calls an assembly (see 1 Kings 8:1).

The Greek word for“assembly” is ekklesia,

thus the LXX gives us the Englishtitle of the book, Ecclesiastes.

The Preacher did more than call an assembly and give an oration.

Theword Kohelethcarries with it the idea of debating, not so much with thelisteners as with himself.

He would present a topic, discuss it from manyviewpoints, and then come to a practical conclusion.

It was similar to taking a class where the Professor presents ideas and information from many different aspects and viewpoints for the students.

He sought to determine the standard for what waswise and what was foolish, not merely to see both sides of the question.

Ecclesiastes mayappear to be a random collection of miscellaneous ideas about a varietyof topics, but Solomon assures us that what he wrote was orderly (12:9).

Relevance for Today?

Among other things, Solomon saw

•injustice to the poor (4:1–3),

•crooked politics (5:8),

•incompetent leaders (10:6–7),

•guilty people allowed to commit more crime (8:11),

•materialism (5:10), and

•a desire for “the good old days” (7:10).

It sounds relevant for us, too.

Solomon has put the key to Ecclesiastes right at the front door:

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. Whatprofit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun? Eccl 1:2–3

Just in case we missed it, he also put the same key at the back door (12:8).

But don’t assume he is cynical or pessimistic: that would miss his realpoint!

Whether he considers his wealth, his works, his wisdom, or hisworld, Solomon comes to the same sad appraisal:

all is “vanity andvexation of spirit” (2:11).

However, this is not his final conclusion, noris it the only message that he has for his readers.

Vocabulary

“Vanity of vanities.” Solomon used the word“vanity” 38 times in this book.

It is the Hebrew word hevel, meaning“emptiness, futility, vapor.”

Whatever disappears quickly, leavesnothing behind and does not satisfy is hevel, vanity.

Vanity as used in scripture does only have the sense that something is not worth doing but often means a thing is not lasting, temporary, without permanent value.

“Under the sun.” (29X) and with it the phrase “under heaven” (1:13; 2:3;3:1).

It defines the outlook of the writer as he looks at life from a humanperspective and nothing from beyond this space-time universe isconsidered.

He applies his own wisdom and experience to the complexhuman situation and tries to make some sense out of life.

Solomon, like the others scripture writers, wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (12:10–11; 2 Tim3:16),

What he wrote was what God wanted His people to have.

As we study, we must keep Solomon’s viewpoint in mind: he is examininglife “under the sun.”

G. Campbell Morgan perfectlysummarizes Solomon’s outlook:

This man had been living through all these experiences under the sun,concerned with nothing above the sun...until there came a moment in whichhe had seen the whole of life. And there was something over the sun. It isonly as a man takes account of that which is over the sun as well as thatwhich is under the sun that things under the sun are seen in their true light.1

Another related key phrase appears seven times and reflects the samelimitation: “I thought in my heart” or “thought to myself”in reaching his conclusions.

His methodology was empirical, but thedata he gathered was evaluated by the standard of his own intelligence.

Profit. The Hebrew word yithron, usually translated “profit,” isused 10X in Ecclesiastes (1:3; 2:11, 13 [excelleth]; 3:9; 5:9, 16; 7:12[excellency]; 10:10, 11 [better]).

It may be translated “surplus, advantage,gain.”

The word “profit” is just the opposite of “vanity.”

Solomonasks, “In the light of all the puzzles and problems of life, what is theadvantage of living? Is there any gain?”

Labor. At least eleven different Hebrew words are translated “labor” inour Authorized Version, and this one is amal, used 23 times inEcclesiastes.

It means “to toil to the point of exhaustion and yetexperience little or no fulfillment in your work.”

It carries with it the ideasof grief, misery, frustration, and weariness.

Looked at only “under thesun,” a person’s daily work might seem to be futile and burdensome, butthe Christian believer can always claim 1 Corinthians 15:58 and laborgladly in the will of God, knowing his labor is “not in vain in the Lord.”