Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.09UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.05UNLIKELY
Fear
0.08UNLIKELY
Joy
0.65LIKELY
Sadness
0.54LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.74LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.51LIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.8LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.66LIKELY
Extraversion
0.07UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.38UNLIKELY
Emotional Range
0.61LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
The search continues
Solomon (Koheleth) has started his quest to answer the big questions of life, to no avail.
He has drawn a conclusion that all is vanity.
In our passage today the search continues with seeking pleasure in wine, folly, labor, wealth, and the end result.
Futility of cycles of life (Ecc1:4-11)
Generation to generation, nothing changes
Sunrise to sunsets, it is the same
Even the wind is the same
There is nothing new under the sun
Futility of earthly wisdom (Ecc1:12-18)
Having the wisdom given from God; he sought out the value of earthly or human wisdom.
Earthly wisdom causes grief and pain
This too is vanity, it is like striving after the wind
The end result of his first quest and even the intensified quest in chapter one
Now we come to our passage today where he goes to experiment, to test his conclusion.
Does he find the answer?
Does his conclusion change?
so as we venture on in our passage tonight we will look at.
Koheleth tested life (Ecc2:1-11)
Koheleth hated life (Ecc2:12-23)
Koheleth accepted life (Ecc2:24-26)
Koheleth Tested Life
Have you ever tested a theory?
Solomon (Koheleth) did. in our passage we see what he did and will look at other passages to reinforce his actions and we will see the conclusion he draws again, to back up his theory.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
He starts again with a conclusion (vv.1-2)
Laughter (aka mirth) and pleasure is futility (aka: vanity).
So that goes with all the other things previously mentioned.
He then describes how he went about that conclusion (vv.3-11)
He experimented with wine and folly (v.3)
Why did he do it?
(to stimulate his body and so he could understand if there is any good in it).
How did it do it?
(with his wisdom still in tact; so not to get drunk).
He experimented with created things (made things).
(Ecc2:4-6; 1Kn7:1-12; 1Kn9:15-19)
Summarizing 1Kings7:1-12
built own house over 13 year period (vv.1, 8-12)
House of forest of Lebanon (vv.2-5)
Hall of pillars (v.6)
Hall of throne (v.7)
In 1Kn9:15-19 you see how he came to have the labor, the forced labor to do the building.
Houses, vineyards, gardens, orchards, pools
He acquired anything his heart desired (Ecc2:5-8; 1Ki10:10; 1Ki10:14; 1Ki10:21; 1Ki11:1-3)
Servants, livestock, gold, treasures, singers , and the “pleasures of the sons of men (v.8) he could be referring to the instruments or the concubines.
- - - - now how about some scriptures showing he acquired anything his heart desired?
On annual basis Solomon was paid a tribute in talents of gold
So much gold, and silver too that his vessels were all pure God.
Silver was so plentiful it was not even considered valuable.
Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines
It seemed that he was happy, right (Ecc2:9-10)?
He had everything, experimented with everything, he did not hold back and he found pleasure in it
Still he lacked the answer to the big question, the meaning of life.
Still he was able to draw a conclusion (Ecc2:11)
Vanity of vanities (sound familiar?
1:2; 1:14)
Like striving after the wind (sound familiar?; 1:14, 17)
There is no profit under the sun
As weird as that sounds, he found joy, pleasure but it was all vanity.
This experiment is not going very well for him, is it?
Now that brings us to the next section.
Koheleth Hated Life
Have you ever had displeasure from pleasure?
Or no fulfillment in something that should be joyful?
Now Koheleth reflects on wisdom, madness, folly as well as wealth to give some direction on what one should do.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
There is nothing left for the next man to do, to try (v.12)
He had tried everything, had the resources to do anything, so there was nothing for the “next” guy to do.
Wisdom is still better than folly (v.13-14a)
Just as light is better than darkness; wisdom is better than folly
At least the wise man can see where he is going
Still human wisdom is vanity (vv.2:14b-16)
They, the wise and the fool, have the same fate, death, so all is vanity.
The wise and the fool are forgotten after death so does anything really make a difference?
He hated life, and it was all vanity, all grasping for the wind (v.17)
Maybe I better give us (v.17) again just so it is before your eyes
All work “under the sun” was grievous
Everything is futility
Everything is like striving after the wind.
That would be pretty depressing wouldn’t it?
Can you see why he hated life?
Remember he is looking at it and describing it from a humanistic world view without God in the picture .
He reflects on earthly wealth, riches (Ecc2:18-23)
Where work is a necessity, a blessing to have a job, the results of the labor is left to someone else.
Some may pick up and keep going where you left off, but oftentimes you see squandering of the things that were previously done by the generation before.
Things can be and squandered by next generation (Ecc2:18-19; 1Kn12:1-19)
Summarizing that passage, Solomon is dead, Rehoboam is assuming the throne over his brother Jeroboam
He placed heavier yoke on the people then Solomon did.
He did not take the advise from the elders but from his friends and it caused a divided kingdom, he over Judah and his brother Jeroboam over Israel.
From peace that surrounded them in reign of Solomon to a divided kingdom.
The fruit of our labor is left to the next generation regardless, who knows if the person, people will be wise or a fool, they will rule over the resources provided.
Solomon came to hate the fruit of his labor
He came to despair all his labor (Ecc2:20-23)
The next generation does not have to work for it, labor for it, it is an inheritance, it is just given to them without investment of labor.
No wonder it could bring despair here.
Solomon did not like it, did not think it was right, after all a man’s labor which is painful and grievous
This too is vanity and a great evil
Still no answer to the great question on the meaning of life, from all the works it ended in hate and despair for Koheleth.
Still knowing he had his wisdom about it, but it was a burden to him.
This now leads to the application section.
Koheleth accepted life
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9