Intro to Ecclesiastes

What is the meaning of life?

Were you to ask this to a thousand different people, you might get a thousand different responses.

Some responses we could immediately toss out as incorrect:

“Live and let live.”

“Eat, drink and be merry.”

Etc.

But what about the saying, “carpe diem,” or “sieze the day?”

Might have to think about that one a little more.

A Roman poet by the name of Horace uttered those words in the time shortly before Christ.

He wrote: “Life is short; should hope be more? In the moment of our talking, envious time has eb’d away. Seize the present (or “day” — carpe diem); trust tomorrow e’en as little as you may.”

What do you think about Horace’s thoughts there?

Well, we DO have to live in the present (instead of the past), and we are not to WORRY about tomorrow, but we DO have to PREPARE for tomorrow!

I think a lot of people take the view of carpe diem, though, as “Live for today. Who cares about tomorrow?!” (A very worldly philosophy to live by.

“Yolo” - “You only live once, so have fun” is essentially the idea.

I wonder if Horace was well-read in the writings of Solomon, and the Bible as a whole?

I don’t know the answer to that.

But I do know that I have read that Horace was a type of - Hedonist.

So he must not have heeded it if he were familiar with it!

(Hedonism is a philosphy of “do whatever you want in the here and now, because human pleasure is the ultimate pursuit in life.”

It’s materialism. It neglects the fact that there is something MORE to our existence than just the physical things we can observe with our senses.

It neglects the fact that we are spiritual beings that will answer to a GOD Who is above what we see.

Horace was of the Epicurean brand of hedonists.

The Epicureans were mentioned in Acts 17:18.

They were a milder form of Hedenism compared to some others, but their basic philosophy was still only concerned with living the “smoothest, most pleasureable life possible.”

And it was Atheistic as well.

Back to Solomon:

(Read 1 Kings 4:29-34).

Solomon was the wisest man on earth, but guess what?

He still fell into the trap of the same kind of sinful mindset.

Solomon was given extraordinary wisdom from God, but then he was influenced by 300 wives and 700 concubines to go into idolatry, and all kinds of sinful pursuits that drew him away from God!

Overview of the Book:

The Word “Ecclesiastes” means “the person who gathers the congregation,” or “the preacher,” and is in reference to Solomon as “the preacher,” and his words of wisdom to the congregation of God’s people.

So in a sense, the book of Ecclesiastes is like a sermon.

The theme of the sermon can be shown by the words:

“Vanity of vanities,” says the preacher, “vanity of vanities,” “all is vanity.” (verse 2 of ch. 1)

Solomon goes on to ask: What is the point of everything done “under the sun?”

(And that phrase “under the sun” comes up several times in the book).

And Solomon says, “There’s nothing new under the Sun.” (Another way of saying that: “Some things never change.”)

In 1:12-13, Solomon states — “I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.”

Let’s look at the beginning of that venture in 1 Kings:

(Read 1 Kings 3:7-14).

(Read 1 Kings 4:20-34).

(Read Psalm 72:1-5).

All of this, and yet Solomon would fall into apostasy! (Read 1 Kings 11:1-8)

How could a King so richly blessed by God, both in physical riches and power, as well as WISDOM, allow himself to fall?!

The answer is in that although Solomon was wise, he wasn’t always prudent! (Knowledge < Wisdom < Prudence)

And we are going to see what all sinful things Solomon dallied in when we study this book of Ecclesiastes.

I believe Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s repentance letter (or a repentance sermon, we might say), given at the end of his life in order to warn others not to make the same mistake he did in searching for happiness in all the wrong places!

At the end of the book, we read Solomon’s morale of the story: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”

I’ve looked at several resources preparing this class so far, including Know Your Bible by Frank Dunn. (You can look at that one for a synopsis of this and all books of the Bible).

I’ve also looked at the 1994 MSOP Lectureship book, and I’m going to break down the sections of the book the same way they do. You can jot these down if you wish to keep your thoughts organized as you study Ecclesiastes:

The Failure of Science to Bring True Happiness - 1:1-11

The Failure of Human Philosophy - 1:12-18

The Failure of Sensuous Pleasures - 2:1-11

The Failure of Materialism - 2:12-26

The Providence of God - 3:1-15

The Folly for Living for Self - 3:16 - 4:16

The Folly of False Religion - 5:1-9

The Folly of the False Attitude Toward and Use of Riches - 5:10 - 6:12

The Value and Use of Wisdom - 7:1 - 8:17

True Wisdom and Surmounting Life’s Problems - 9:1-18

The Folly of Violating True Wisdom - 10:1-20

Sowing unto Righteousness - 11:1-10

Man Goeth to His Everlasting Home; The Whole Duty of Man - 12:1-14

“To everything, turn turn turn, there is a season, turn turn turn, and a time for every purpose under heaven.”

That’s not just a song by The Byrds!

It comes from the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes chapter 3!

Just one of the many things we learn about from Solomon in this very important book that discusses the true meaning of life!

We’re going to see a LOT of what the meaning of life is NOT in this book …

And at the end, we’re going to see exactly what the meaning of life is — to glorify our Creator as Solomon says it this way — “Fear God and keep His commandments!”

Solomon had to learn the hard way!

He wants us to learn it much earlier in life!

And we will if we take Ecclesiastes to heart!