Ecclesiastes 6 — “When Having Isn’t Enough”

Sermon Thesis

Ecclesiastes 6 teaches that life apart from God’s presence and purpose leaves even the greatest blessings empty, and only a heart satisfied in Him can truly enjoy what He gives.

Ecclesiastes 6 KJV 1900

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 3 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. 4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. 6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place? 7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. 11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? 12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

I. The Evil Affliction of Enjoyment Without God (vv. 1–2)

Ecclesiastes 6:1–2 (KJV) “There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.”

A. Wealth Without Enjoyment

As Americans, we are among the most wealthy—and the most wealth‑obsessed—people on earth. We may not think we need more preaching on wealth, but Solomon is not done with us yet.

He describes a man who has:

Riches

Wealth

Honor

Everything he desires

Yet he cannot enjoy any of it.

Someone else consumes what he worked for.

B. What Is “Evil”?

The word “evil” appears twice. How do we define it?

Isaiah 45:7 KJV 1900

7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew Words Defined and Explained Evil

The word “evil” has a broad application in English.

Jeremiah 26:3 KJV 1900

3 If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

Jeremiah 23:22 KJV 1900

22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

Jeremiah 11:8 KJV 1900

8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.

Jeremiah 16:12 KJV 1900

12 And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:

God creates darkness by withholding light. God creates evil (calamity) by withholding peace and blessing.

Evil here is not moral wickedness—it is the absence of shalom, the absence of peace, goodness, and blessing.

C. The Point

Solomon is describing a miserly spirit

An American Dictionary of the English Language MISER

MI´SER, n. s as z. [L. miser, miserable.] A miserable person; one wretched or afflicted. Obs. Spenser.

2. A wretch; a mean fellow. Obs. Shak.

3. An extremely covetous person; a sordid wretch; one who in wealth makes himself miserable by the fear of poverty. [This is the only sense in which it is now used.]

—a person who sacrifices everything, including enjoyment, for the sake of accumulation.

Like Dickens’ Scrooge, he has wealth but no joy, possessions but no peace, abundance but no satisfaction.

God allows this emptiness, but He does not cause it. This is life lived “under the sun”—life apart from God.

D. Application

Blessings without God become burdens. Possessions without peace become problems. Having is not the same as enjoying.

II. A Harsh Assessment: When a Stillborn Child Is Better (vv. 3–6)

Ecclesiastes 6:3–6 KJV 1900

3 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. 4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. 6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

A. Solomon’s Shocking Comparison

He imagines a man with:

A hundred children

Many years

Great longevity

Great prosperity

But no satisfaction.

Solomon says a stillborn child is better off.

B. Why?

Because the stillborn child:

Never suffers the misery of dissatisfaction

Never experiences the emptiness of life without God

Never tastes the bitterness of wasted years

C. The Point

A short life without dissatisfaction is better than a long life filled with it.

Dissatisfaction taints every experience it touches.

And in the end, both the prosperous man and the stillborn child “go to one place”—death.

D. Application

We chase longer life, but God wants better life. We chase bigger families, but God wants godly families. We chase more accomplishments, but God wants contentment.

III. The Endless Appetite of the Human Heart (vv. 7–9)

Ecclesiastes 6:7–9 KJV 1900

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

A. The Human Condition

Solomon says:

We work to satisfy our appetites

But our appetites never stay satisfied

Desire always returns, stronger than before

The Believer’s Bible Commentary puts it well: “Contentment is the carrot on the stick that forever eludes him.”

B. The Two Basic Goals of Wealth

Solomon reduces wealth to two basic aims:

Eat

Live indoors

Yet even these simple goals never fully satisfy the soul.

C. The Wisdom of Verse 9

“Better is the sight of the eyes”—better to enjoy what you have— than “the wandering of desire”—constantly craving what you don’t have.

D. Application

Why is it that the more we accumulate, the more we want?

Is the wise man really better off than the fool? Is the wealthy man really better off than the poor?

Solomon says no.

Desire is a fire—feed it, and it grows. Contentment is a well—draw from it, and it refreshes.

IV. The Sovereignty of God and the Limits of Man (vv. 10–12)

Ecclesiastes 6:10–11 KJV 1900

10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. 11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

A. God Is Sovereign

Solomon reminds us:

God has named all things

God has ordained all things

God governs all things

B. Man Is Limited

We cannot:

Contend with God

Control the future

Predict what is truly good for us

Know what comes after us

C. The Point

We are all “adam”—formed from the same dust. We all have one substance. We all have one God. We all have one end.

How is anyone better than anyone else? They aren’t.

And all the accumulation in the world cannot change that.

D. Solomon’s Final Question

Ecclesiastes 6:12 KJV 1900

12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

Who knows what is truly good?

Solomon leaves the question hanging.

V. The New Testament Answer: Godliness With Contentment

Paul answers Solomon’s question:

1 Timothy 6:6–8 KJV 1900

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Jesus modeled this perfectly:

No job

No wealth

Only the clothes on His back

Food given to Him

Shelter provided for Him

A perfect relationship with His Father

A life lived on mission, with purpose, passion, and eternal accomplishment

Jesus had nothing, yet He lacked nothing.

Conclusion — When Christ Is Enough

Ecclesiastes 6 shows us the emptiness of life without God:

Wealth without enjoyment

Longevity without satisfaction

Desire without contentment

Life without meaning

The New Testament shows us the fullness of life with Christ:

Joy the world cannot steal

Peace the world cannot understand

Satisfaction the world cannot match

Life the world cannot offer

When Christ is enough, everything else becomes a blessing.

When Christ is not enough, nothing else ever will be.