Ecclesiastes 2:1-24

Opening Question

Take a moment and think about a time in your life when you sought pleasure in the things of this world, rather than the things of heaven. What where the results? Would anyone like to share?

What about now? If someone asked you to fill in the blank of the following statement what would you say? For me to be happy, I need___________.

Introduction

Today we are going to be discussing Solomon’s teachings in Ecclesiastes 2. But first I want to help us gain an overall understanding of the layout of the book so we can see how the passage we are studying today fits into the overall message of the book.

Ecclesiastes can be broken down into three basic sections. In chapters 1-2, the Teacher introduces himself and the problem he faces. In chapters 3-10, he goes into an in-depth discussion of his problem, and in chapters 11-12 he shares the solution to the problem.

On your handout, I have shared with you an outline from Warren Wiresbe’s The Bible Exposition Commentary. This is a good bit different from how it in broken down in Daniel Akin’s Exalting Christ in Ecclesiastes. But I really liked how Wiresbe broke down the different sections and topics of Ecclesiastes.

Outline of Ecclesiastes

The Problem Declared (1-2)

Life is not worth living

The monotony of life (1:4-11)

The vanity of wisdom (1:12-18)

The futility of wealth (2:1-11)

The certainty of death (2:12-23)

Enjoy Life (2:24)

The Problem Discussed (3-10)

Consideration of the above arguments

The monotony of life (3:1-5:9)

Look up (3:1-8)

Look within (3:9-14)

Look ahead (3:15-22)

Look around (4:1-5:9)

Enjoy Life (3:12-15, 22)

The futility of wealth (5:10-6:12)

Employing wealth (5:10-17)

Enjoying wealth (5:18-6:12)

Enjoy Life (5:18-20)

The vanity of wisdom (7:1-8:17)

We make life better (7:1-10)

We see life clearer (7:11-18)

We face life stronger (7:19-8:17)

Enjoy Life (8:15)

The certainty of death (9:1-10:20)

Death is unavoidable (9:1-10)

Life is unpredictable (9:11-18)

Beware of folly (10:1-20)

Enjoy Life (9:7-10)

The Problem Decided (11-12)

Live by faith (11:1-6)

Enjoy life now (11:7-12:8)

Prepare for judgment (12:9-14)

Enjoy Life (11:9-10)

An appropriate title for the book could be “Be Satisfied” because that is really what the writer of Ecclesiastes is trying to teach us. Wiersbe states “Life is filled with difficulties and perplexities, King Solomon concluded, and there’s much that nobody can understand, let alone control. From the human point of view, it’s all vanity and folly. But life is God’s gift to us and He wants us to enjoy it and use it for His glory. So, instead of complaining about what you don’t have, start giving thanks for what you do have, and be satisfied!”

Using Wiersbe’s outline Chapter 2 makes up the second half of the first section of the book, which is “The Problem Declared.” Last week in our study of chapter 1 we covered the first 2 parts of the problem.Life is monotonous, as verse 9 states, there is nothing new under the sun. And wisdom is futile. Verse 17 tells us that pursuing wisdom is like chasing the wind.

This week we will discuss the futility of pleasure, wealth and work and the certainty of death. This is truly depressing for many in the world, who live only for what existes under the sun. But I hope that’s not any of us. In the outline I hope the words “Enjoy Life” stood out to you. As Christian’s we are called to enjoy life because we live a life that has been redeemed. So let’s get started.

Read

Ecclesiastes 2:1–11

Discussion

What do you and the people around you think is necessary to be truly happy?

Just like Solomon, many look to money, possessions, pleasure, alcohol, and much much more to satisfy them and make them happy.

Why do we continue to think possessing more that we have right now will make us happy when we are not happy with what we have?

We fall prey to the wiles of satan, who is the father of lies. He has convinced us that if we could just get this one more thing, then we’ll be set, but then when we have it, we fall prey to satan’s continual lies and go right through the cycle again and again and again.

Why do pleasurable experiences and the accumulation of money and things not ultimately satisfy?

People are despirate to feel something besides depression, drudgery, and despair.

Wiersbe says “Today’s world is pleasure-mad. Millions of people will pay almost any amount of money to ‘buy experiences’ and temporarily escape the burdens of life.”

Pleasure seeking usually becomes a selfish endeavor, and selfishness destroys true joy. People who live for pleasure often exploit others to get what they want and they end up with broken relationships and empty hearts.

Enjoyment will decrease unless the intensity of the pleasure increases. For example, the more one drinks the less enjoyment they get out of it and the more they have to drink to get any pleasure. The result is desire without satisfaction. You could substitute any number of things for drinking in this example and obtain the same result, drugs, money, gambling, sex, pornography, fame. The list could go on and on.

Also, pleasure appeals to only one part of the person and ignores the total being. But when the whole person is involved in enjoyment there is also enrichment.

1 Timothy 6:17 tells us that money is unreliable and can never provide everlasting joy.

1 Timothy 6:17–19 NLT

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

It’s important to note that God does not promise us earthly things. He promises joy and peace despite our earthly circumstances when we trust him and obey him and serve him.

Read

Ecclesiastes 2:12–17

Discuss

In what practicle ways does a life of wisdom make more sense than a life of foolishness? If this life is all there is, think through how those advantages are canceled.

Daniel Akin says that “Wisdom helps you navigate this world without stumbling because it allows you to see clearly the pitfalls, and it allows you to discern the right decision in each situation.

But death is the great equalizer. Both the wise and foolish share the same fate. The Psalmist agrees with Solomon in saying in Psalm 49:10,

Psalm 49:10 NLT

Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind.

Everyone’s time under the sun will eventually come to an end. So if there is nothing to look forward to after this life, why shouldn’t I live it up for all it’s worth? I should get everything out of this life that I can, right?

Instead of earthly wisdom we should seek wisdom from above. James 3:17 says:

James 3:17 NLT

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

Read

Ecclesiastes 2:18–23

Discuss

Why do most of us kill ourselves to succeed in work despite the Bible’s repeated warnings that we do not get to take our stuff with us when we die?

I think fear has a lot to do with it. We fear not having enough. (Example: my grandparents)

Some have retirement goals and want to be able to finally enjoying life. But there is no guarantee that any of us will make it to retirement, much less tomorrow. James 4:13-16

James 4:13–16 NLT

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

Others have what Akin called a restless ambition to achieve, so they put business before everything else, including family and church.

Wiersbe says that often overachievers/ workaholics, are unhappy people who are trying to escape themselves. And when they retire they often feel useless and sometimes die from lack of meaningful activity.

Some really just enjoy working and being active. There is nothing wrong with this but when the project or work is done, is the enjoyment replaced with disappointment and pain because all the enjoyment was in the work itself?

Some want to leave something for their kids to inherit, even though they may not trust how their kids will use or abuse it.

I guess I shouldn’t have been, but I was surprised by the statistic Akin shared that in 60% of cases, inherited wealth is completely gone by the end of the second generation. For Solomon, it was the first generation, his son Rehoboam lost everything to Egypt in the 5th year of his reign.

The Bible teaches us that we should be conduits of God blessings and not recepticles. Jesus teaches us in Luke 12:19-20 that storing up early treasures for ourselves is foolish. Rather we should seek to have a deep and abiding relationship with God.

Luke 12:16–21 NLT

Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Read

Ecclesiastes 2:24–26

Discuss

Were you given the impression growing up in church that pleasure was to be avoided? Why do you think that was what you were taught?

Who remembers the story of King Midas? How often have you heard “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” But there is actually more to this verse from 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” Money leads to evil when it is divorced from true faith in God. It is the loss or lack of true faith that often results in the love of money and the suffering of sorrow.

I grew up Southern Baptist, so I was taught at church that alcohol is always wrong. I’m not going to go a great deal in depth on this since, Pastor Danny just covered it on Sunday in his sermon, but suffice it to say that alcohol is a gift from God to be enjoyed in moderation.

People tend to set rules around the rules so as not to break the rules. This is what the Pharisees were notorious for in the Bible. But the Bible is clear that we should not add to or take away from the teachings of the Bible. So to try to make the Bible say more that it says is just as bad as trying to make it say less than it says. No where in the bible does it say, don’t have money or don’t enjoy alcohol, or other created things. What the Bible does teach is setting appropriate priorities.

What do we often think we need to do for God to be pleased with us? What does the Bible say is the path to God’s pleasure.

Some think that they have to get themselves right in order to please God. But this is futile. There is absolutely nothing any of us can do to fix ourselves.

Others attempt to reduce Christianity to checking boxes.

I went to church. Check.

I went to Bible study. Check.

I prayed at least once this week. So I’m gonna give myself that check.

I didn’t cuss the other day when that person cut me off in traffic. I’m doing great, check.

But, Christianity is not about checking things off. It is about a relationship with Jesus Christ.

God wants us to be content in our relationship with Him and the gifts that He has given us. 1 Timothy 6:6-7 says,

1 Timothy 6:6–7 NLT

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.

What are some ways we use pleasure, possessions, relationships, and work as God did not design them?

We look to the created things rather than the creator for satisfaction.

We place too much value on pleasure, possessions, relationships, and work.

In verse 5, Solomon says he filled his gardens will all kinds of fruit trees. This brings to mind a picture of the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2:8-9. Solomon was striving to recover what was lost because of sin and the curse. Yet there is nothing any mere human can do to recover and renew what has been destroyed by the effects of sin.

What are some ways we can enjoy pleasure, possessions, relationships and work as God did design them?

First things, first, we must be redeemed. We must have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Then and only then can we recover and pursue God’s design for our lives, which includes enjoying the material gifts He has given us.

James 1:17 NLT

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

How can we fight against satisfaction in created things and instead find it in God alone?

When we keep Jesus at the center of everything we do, and every relationship we have then we can receive true and lasting satisfaction, because we palce the appropriate value on them.

We spend daily time in the Word and in prayer. Relationships do not happen without Communication and this is how we communicate with our Savior. Hebrews 4:12

Hebrews 4:12 NLT

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Psalm 119:105 NLT

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

And we must obey God. 1 John 2:16-17

1 John 2:16–17 NLT

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

So, I want to leave you with 4 final thoughts to help us apply what we’ve learned and place proper value on things under the sun:

Application

Four final thoughts to help us apply what we’ve learned and place proper value on things under the sun:

True pleasure not only brings delight, but it also builds character by enriching the total person.

Work alone cannot satisfy the human heart, no matter how successful the work may be.

Love life, knowing that we live promises, putting the most into it and getting the most out of it, to the Glory of God.

You cannot take it with you and you cannot control how it is used or wasted after you die, so thank God for do have, and enjoy it to the Glory of God.