Earthly Pleasure without God [Eccl. 2:1-11]
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Earthly Pleasure without God [Eccl. 2:1-11]
Exegetical Idea: The king attempted to do everything he desired for happiness. Paradoxically, in spite of the fact that he obtained what he wanted, he became frustrated because all was vanity and a striving after wind.
Homiletical Idea: “There is no true contentment in the lives of those who pursued earthly pleasure without God.”
Exegetical Points:
King’s life is all about himself. In other words, in his life, there is no ultimate King, the Lord.
King’s achievements cannot make him happy.
King’s lifestyle [live by sight not by faith] clearly shows that he loves himself and this world more than God.
Biblical Theology and Theological Proposition:
The life of the wise
Legalism vs Gospel-centered Living
God’s Wisdom is Jesus Christ.
Good News:
God sent His only son Jesus Christ to save those who work very hard for themselves without Him.
God only can remove human beings’ vanity caused by self-indulgence.
Insightful and Important Observations
verse 1: The king tries to test himself with pleasure. Interestingly, he commands himself to enjoy. However, it seems that he could not be satisfied with his pleasure because he said, “this also was vanity.”
verse 2: Then, the author took into account laughter and pleasure again. The writer thinks that the laughter and pleasure are not the answer he was looking for.
verse 3: Like many ordinary people, the king tried to cheer his body with wine. This is a typical way for those who love more this world and themselves than God and heaven. Further, he wanted to know how to lay hold on folly.
3 내가 내 마음으로 깊이 생각하기를 내가 어떻게 하여야 내 마음을 지혜로 다스리면서 술로 내 육신을 즐겁게 할까 또 내가 어떻게 하여야 천하의 인생들이 그들의 인생을 살아가는 동안 어떤 것이 선한 일인지를 알아볼 때까지 내 어리석음을 꼭 붙잡아 둘까 하여
3 I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
The preacher attempted to satisfy his body with alcohol and to avoid foolishness until he found the good purpose of man’s children under the heaven. The phrase “the few days of their life” reveals the preacher’s pessimistic view of men to some extent. I think the preacher’s behavior seems to be paradoxical in terms that the preacher drinks wine, and at the same time there is wisdom in his heart.
At this point, the author could not find any end purpose of his life and others. And even though he strived to cheer his body, he did not concern about his soul before God. One of the apparent reasons for modern people’s discontent is that they do not take care of their souls as much as needed.
verse 4-6: Unfortunately, the king continually seeks to do great things such as building houses, planting vineyards, making gardens and parks, and so on. In verse 4, the phrase, “for myself,” hints at why the preacher cannot be frustrated or displeased [cf. Matt 6:33]. And throughout this section [vv. 1-11], the king has never mentioned the divine name, God or the Lord. Instead, in these desperate trials of the king, readers find easily that this passage is all about what the king has done for himself. See the repetitive use of the first pronoun, I.
verse 7: His search for happiness goes further by buying servants and possessing many herds and flocks. He pointed out that he had great possessions than others in Jerusalem.
Verse 8 displays again that the king has been doing something for himself.
8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.
Even though the Bible does not convey any negative connotation of king’s gathering for gold, silver, and treasure, singers, and many concubines, readers can sense that king’s demeanor is not an ideal way of covenant king’s life. To be specific, his money is for himself. And he describes the many concubines as the delight of the sons of man. In this sense, he endeavors to pursue earthly pleasure instead of heavenly pleasure. Put differently, the king used to gaze at everything under heaven. In this regard, it is the king who makes himself discontented.
verse 9: there is a key word, “wisdom” in verse 3 and 9. It is hard to interpret the meaning of the sentence: “My wisdom remained with me.” The king wants to say, “I have wisdom now even though I am wrestling with money, pleasure, and so on.”
verse 10: This verse reveals what the king desired in his heart. “Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them” (cf. 2 Cor 5:7). Especially as I have pointed out above, the king’s lifestyle is typical of a worldly man.
verse 11: “behold” emphasizes the following words of it. What is that? “all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”
Brief Interpretation and Meditation
Application and Prayer
True wisdom leads us to love God and our neighbors.
There is no genuine happiness for those who love this world than God and His world.
Eyes-driven life cannot give us true contentment.
Money, sex and power are not the ultimate answer for humans.