A Note on Ecclesiastes

The words of the Teacher, son of David, Kiing in Jerusalem: “Meaningless!  Meaningless!”  says the Teacher.  “Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless.”  Ecclesiastes 1:1-2

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.  Ecclesiastes 3:1

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:  Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.  Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

In that day you will say: “Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.  Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.  Isaiah 12:4-5

I would encourage you to sit down and read the book of Ecclesiastes sometime soon. It is a short book and can be read in one or two settings. Ecclesiastes is the inspired record of the intense search to find meaning and satisfaction on earth. Ask a man on the street, “What is life?” and his answer might surprise and amuse you. Ask the preacher of Ecclesiastes that same question and his answer will stun you: “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” This response is the conclusion of one of the wealthiest, wisest, most influential men of the Bible: King Solomon. We all have been there at some time in our life. I know I have. We ask ourselves many questions. “Where am I looking for satisfaction? Have I found it there?  If not, why? And what might Solomon’s counsel be to me?” This quest for meaning in life is not new. Over the centuries man and women have struggled with the same questions. Solomon realizes that all his vast possessions and grand pursuits will not bring ultimate happiness and fulfillment. Only by including God in the equation can the pieces of life be put together into a meaningful whole. 

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus appeared in human history and offered this solution to mankind’s desperate condition: “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). With Christ in the center, you can view life from God’s perspective and can see purpose in each part. The scripture of Isaiah 12:4-5 also gives us a guide as to how we can respond and find meaning. The three most oft-repeated phrases in the book of Ecclesiastes are vanity (39 times), under the sun (29 times), and God (40 times). This repeating shows us what is the most important to us. Try to summarize the message of the book in a single sentence. 

Prayer: Lord, be with us and guide us as we look for the meaning in life. Let us hear and respond to what your work tells us. Amen.

Marilyn Albin (reprinted from the Eastridge Devotion book, 2008)