The Vanity of Toil

Bible Reading

Ecclesiastes 2:17–26 NIV84

17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. 24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Introduction

“Reading Ecclesiastes is like sitting in a philosophy class with a professor who provokes you with thorny questions and strange case studies, who pulls you into a dialogue to lead you to discover truth for yourself.” (Tim Keller)

The Philosopher (Solomon) pushes you to look at the foundations of your life and to ask the basic questions that we might otherwise avoid:

“Is there any meaning to your life?

What are you really doing it all for?

Why is there so much wrong with the world?

How will you cope with it?”

As Solomon does this, he looks at all of these things in the world that typically provide meaning, and then systematically debunks the idea that meaning can actually be found in these aspects.

In this book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon has been making his case for futility in this life in stages.

The book began with three “life projects,” each project being an effort to discover a meaningful life under the sun.

The first was an effort to make sense of life through learning and wisdom (Ecclesiastes 1:12–18; 2:12–16).

The second was an effort to make life fulfilling through the pursuit of pleasure (2:1–11).

The third project that the Philosopher undertakes to chase away his sense of pointlessness is the pursuit of achievement through hard work (Ecclesiastes 2:17–26).

2 weeks ago, we considered Solomon’s attempts to find meaning through Wisdom (vv.12-17)

Being the wisest man alive, blessed indeed by God to have a wisdom that was envied by the wise, he was the one who most certainly would have been in first position to find satisfaction and meaning in his wisdom (that is wisdom divorced from God).

But in that endeavor to find meaning, he was confronted with this reality called “death”.

His argument was that just as death comes to the foolish, so death comes to the wise, and thus the same fate overtakes them all.

And this led all of his efforts at finding meaning to end with those climactic words in verse 17...

“So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

Solomon despaired of life itself.

He was truly at an all-time low in life.

As we begin this morning, we will consider Solomon as he looks to labouring and toiling in the sun.

At this low point in his life, Solomon has a rather negative perception of work under the sun.

This morning, we will see that Solomon goes on to speak to his audience about his hatred of wealth.

Not only does he draw the conclusion that he hates life (Ecc. 2:17) but he draws the conclusion that he hates wealth.

As he draws this conclusion, he outlines three reasons for his hatred of wealth.

1. Solomon’s Hatred of Wealth (vv.18-19)

1.1. His Expression of Hatred

“I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.” (Ecclesiastes 2:18, NIV84)

Notice that he is fixing his attention on all these things that he has toiled for under the sun.

Recall all that he had built up and accumulated for himself… (buildings, temple, palace, massive gardens, dams, wealth etc.)

All of those projects that he had spoken about - where he had tried to find meaning in doing those things.... he now looks at the product of his labours / toils, and then considers all of that in light of the fact that he will die.

But he now begins to think about the future when he leaves the world.

Recall, in the previous section he had already begun to think about death when he considered his wisdom.

When applied to wisdom, his thought was that whoever comes after him is not going to learn anything particularly new. (v.12)

He had also thought of death by relating the fact that both he himself as a wise man, along with the foolish man, will be overtaken by death.

So death is this theme on his mind here, as he considers his own life... what he's managed to achieve... who he is as the most accomplished person living in that day.

But this time he applies this to his possessions... and to what he's been able to toil for.

His conclusion is that he "hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun"

The very things that he had hoped would bring him pleasure.

The very things that so often our own minds think will bring us pleasure..

Instead of them bringing him pleasure, he says he hated them.

It's a strange thing, that sometimes that which we so deeply desire, thinking that this thing that we so deeply crave in our lives, can suddenly be turned within our hearts to a source of bitterness and hatred.

We may develop a hatred for that very thing that we once desired.

Think about Amnon (son of Solomon) and his deep desire for Tamar (2 Sam 13)

After violating her, he had a deep hatred for her... His hatred was even more intense than his longing for her. (2 Sam 13:15)

One commentator writes:

“When man excessively love and delight in any created thing, the Lord is thereby justly provoked to turn that love into hatred, and indignation: and in much wisdom and mercy doth he so, seeing they will not take off their affections from these things, till they be made odious to them; nor will they till then place them where they should be.” (Alexander Nisbet)

It may have been that Solomon was deeply moved to hatred for these material things, but while that hatred was certainly an unpleasant experience to him, God was yet using that hatred of wealth to draw Solomon to an important conclusion.

The conclusion will come in due course - but in essence, Solomon was learning through all of this where satisfaction and meaning in life were to be found.

1.2. His Reason for Hatred (v.19)

Next, consider his reason for hatred.

“And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun...” (Ecclesiastes 2:19, NIV84)

Herein lies the real concern for Solomon.

Firstly, all that he has worked so hard to attain will go to someone else...

But more importantly, that the person that his accumulated wealth would go to could very well be a total fool.

It’s one thing to work hard, and to know that you have built something up for someone that and apply wisdom and maintain the benefits of it.

But it’s another thing altogether to consider that the person who comes after you may be a fool, and everything that you’ve laboured for is destroyed.

Solomon was a man who had worked and laboured hard!!!

He was not a lazy man... it would be impossible for him to achieve what he did and to develop what he did if he were a lazy person.

Solomon was a diligent and hard worker.

And this was really part of what drove him to such despair.

I've worked so hard... I've applied my life and my all so diligently to all that I've been able to develop and achieve.

But his concern is that he has no control over the character and characteristics of the one who comes after him.

Is my successor going to be wise as I was?

Is my successor going to be an outright fool who is going to squander all that I've laboured to build up?

The reality in Solomon’s case was indeed that the king that followed him would be foolish, and would make foolish decisions.

King Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1-24)

And so Solomon’s concern was indeed seen to come true.

Solomon’s father David was correct when he penned these words in Psalm 39...

Psalm 39:6 NIV84

6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

Psalm 39:11 NIV84

11 You rebuke and discipline men for their sin; you consume their wealth like a moth— each man is but a breath. Selah

Sadly, Solomon needed to really go through the entire experience himself before he came to this realisation.

And so he draws his conclusion...

“This too is meaningless.” (Ecc. 2:19b)

2. Solomon’s Despair of Heart (vv.20-21)

2.1. His Expression of Despair (v.20)

“So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 2:20, NIV84)

Notice the terminology here!!

"Toilsome labour...”

That phrase takes one back to that moment in history when God placed a curse on the world due to the sin of Adam and Eve.

Genesis 3:17 NIV84

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

Solomon has developed much in his life.

He has had great success, and accumulated wealth.

But none of that was easy.... it was through “toilsome labour”

When we have worked hard for something, or achieved something by the sweat of our brow, do we not want to see the lasting fruits of that labour?

We certainly don’t want to see it go to waste.

Apply to today...

A CEO of a company does much hard work, striving to build up a large corporation, only to have the company collapse when the next CEO takes office.

It could be you working in a team on a project, and you put extensive effort into the work from your side, hoping for a great end result, but the lazy team member nullifies all of your own hard work.

A parent puts as much spare money aside, saving up so that their child can have a head-start in life... and the child squanders the money.

A parent works hard to provide a solid education for their child. The child grows up and is lazy, doesn't apply himself, and doesn't even make it into college / university

Consider how this scenario would affect you!!

"After all the effort I've put into helping you... doing this or that for you, this is the way that you thank me??!!"

Even we would begin to despair when our hard labours and toils are of no value, or not appreciated, or are wasted by others...

Many people have tried to write their wills in such a way that their estates could not be wasted.

In spite of the instruction and good example they may give, the fathers and mothers have no way of knowing what the next generation will do with the wealth that they worked so hard to accumulate.

Solomon’s response was to descend into despair.

2.2. His Reason for Despair (v.21)

“For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.” (Ecclesiastes 2:21, NIV84)

Back to Solomon...

He says that he has worked hard for everything that he has, but he’s going to need to leave it behind to someone.

And this person that he leaves it to has not worked for it...

They haven’t understood the pain and sweat and tears that it’s taken to grow and develop and accumulate these things.

They have not toiled themselves in order to obtain.

Instead, they walk into a big inheritance.

Something that is common in life for those who simply walk into an inheritance is that they don’t appreciate it, they don’t perceive what is necessary to maintain what has been built up, and so it quickly fades to nothing.

This can be seen through looking at people who win significant amounts of money through something like the lottery.

People who live ordinary, mundane lives suddenly win the lottery, and they have a huge amount of money at their disposal.

Do they know and understand how to manage that?

Very often, not at all!!

In 2004, Sharon Tirabassi, a single mother who had been on welfare, cashed a check from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. for more than $10 million Canadian dollars. She spent her winnings on a "big house, fancy cars, designer clothes, lavish parties, exotic trips, handouts to family, loans to friends," and in less than a decade she was back "riding the bus, working part-time, and living in a rented house." "All of that other stuff was fun in the beginning, now it's like, back to life," she told The Hamilton Spectator.

Many others have similar stories...

Many people, having obtained huge amounts, simply have no concept on how to manage and spend the money.

They have no sense of restraint.

This happens over and over again.

And so Solomon realises that his successor will come, and may very well be a fool...

And so his conclusion... this is meaningless (vanity) and a great misfortune.

3. Solomon’s Toil In Grief (vv.22-23)

“What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 2:22, NIV84)

Again Solomon is pondering the whole situation.

He speaks of his work that he was doing as "anxious striving"

For anyone with some weight of responsibility, it could very well be that you have a measure of anxiety.

You are anxious to ensure that your venture succeeds.

You're anxious to ensure that all your labours in the home bear some fruit.

You're anxious to ensure that you get the promotion that you've worked so hard for.

People toil anxiously, hoping for the reward.

The extent of Solomon’s Toil in Grief is seen in verse 23:

“All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 2:23, NIV84)

This is the extent of the pain of it all!!!

Even at night, his mind does not rest!!

He lies awake, concerned for all that has been accumulated and all that needs to be preserved... to make sure that he deals wisely with all that he has, rather than to be negligent with it!!!

Contrast this with the Eternal God who laboured 6 days, and on the 7th day rested.

Or contrast it with the Saviour, who knew what it was to sleep well, even in the tempestuous storm.

There was no worry or concern about the labours that needed to be done.

Certainly, Jesus was here in the world, going about His Father’s business. But He didn’t lose sleep over it.

What is it in life that keeps you awake at night?

Are you engaged in toil and striving after things that would lead you to lose sleep over them?

4. Solomon’s Final Advice (vv.24-26)

In light of all that Solomon has considered in terms of the vanity that is to be found in life, he draws a conclusion in verses 24-26.

This is the first of six “conclusions” that we will find through the book of Ecclesiastes (cf. Ecc 3:12-15, 22; 5:18-20; 8:15; 9:7-10; 11:9-10)

And so here is his advice:

“A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.” (Ecc. 2:24a)

Firstly, we must understand that “nothing better” should be seen in context.

This is not an absolute statement - but rather in light of the vanity of toil and wisdom etc. and within that specific context, there is a

There is some enjoyment to be found in both wisdom and wealth.

There is a measure of enjoyment…

While all of this ultimately is vanity (without God), it is not as if these things are unable to bring any kind of joy or pleasure, at least in a momentary sense.

Be Satisfied 3. He Accepted Life (Ecc. 2:24–26)

Solomon is not advocating “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die!” That is the philosophy of fatalism not faith. Rather, he is saying, “Thank God for what you do have, and enjoy it to the glory of God.”

There are four reasons that Solomon gives as he presents this final bit of advice...

4.1. This is from the hand of God (v.24b)

“...This too, I see, is from the hand of God,” (Ecclesiastes 2:24b)

The things that are in this world are given by God for our enjoyment.

(They must be enjoyed in light of who He is)

Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV84

18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

Solomon made it clear that not only were the blessings from God, but even the enjoyment of the blessings was God’s gift to us (v. 24).

He considered it “evil” if a person had all the blessings of life from God but could not enjoy them… (Ecc. 6:1-5)

Consider 1 Timothy 6:6 and following…

Turn in Bibles to 1 Timothy 6:6

Godliness with contentment is great gain.

v.7 - we can take nothing out of the world. Speaks directly to what Solomon has been saying.

vv.8-10 - express the dangers of wealth, and wanting to become rich.

Then down to verse 17 and following - God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Some people live their lives with a sense of guilt for enjoying what God has provided for them.

This is the wrong extreme.

Then there are those who have no guilt whatsoever, but splash out on themselves, and have little care for those in need… no sense of obligation to the provisions of God’s work in the church… no sense of responsibility with what they have… it’s all about enjoyment...

We need to prayerfully get the balance right, and evaluate and guide our own deceitful hearts in these matters...

4.2. Apart from God we cannot eat and have enjoyment (v.25)

The second reason...

“for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?” (Ecclesiastes 2:25, NIV84)

It is God alone who provides us with the capacity and ability to enjoy the things of this world.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, He is the one who does this for us.

But further than that, Solomon is recognising and demonstrating that life is empty without God.

4.3. God gives Wisdom and Joy to those who please him

Third reason...

“To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness...”

God wants to give us wisdom, knowledge, and joy;

These three gifts enable us to appreciate God’s blessings and take pleasure in them.

Many people see God as a kill-joy… He just wants to stifle our enjoyment and pleasure in the world.

That’s a sad perspective to take.

God is a good Father to his children, and a good Father knows the best way in which to satisfy His children.

Yet so often we run our own way, thinking that we know better than God where we can find pleasure and joy.

God delights to give wisdom and joy to those who please Him, who live for Him; whose lives are devoted to Him.

It is not enough to possess “things”; we must also possess the kind of character that enables us to use “things” wisely and enjoy them properly.

4.4. For the sinner, that which he gathers will go to those who please God

Finally, the fourth reason that Solomon gives...

“...but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 2:26, NIV84)

Firstly, we should recognise that the sinner may heap up all kinds of riches, but he can never truly enjoy them because he has left God out of his life.

Secondly, as Solomon points out here, his riches may finally end up going to the righteous.

This is not always the case, but it does seem to be a biblical principle in certain respects, particularly with the Israelites.

Proverbs 13:22 NIV84

22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

We see a practical example of this in the account of the Exodus, as Israel left Egypt.

After the passover, where the first-born sons of all the Egyptians were put to death, the Israelites spoiled their Egyptian masters (Ex. 3:22; 12:36), a

If you look further throughout Jewish history their armies took great spoil in their many conquests.

Much of the wealth that went into the temple came from David’s military exploits.

So there is that principle.

But we should not merely think in terms of our physical blessing from God.

As Christians, our key perspective should be that of a future hope.

In other words, we are looking to store up treasures in heaven, rather than on earth.

I would suggest that for the sinner, who lives in this life with temporary joy in temporary things, the true joy will ultimately be with those who are content in Christ.

You will recall Psalm 73 (I referred to it 2 weeks ago)...

The Psalmist said his foot had almost stumbled when he envied the arrogant and saw the prosperity of the wicked.

But he eventually came to the realisation that there would be a day of reckoning!!

Psalm 73:18–20 NIV84

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

Application and Conclusion

As we draw to a close, I want us to do so by considering two Old Testament examples and one New Testament example in terms of the way in which they lived / worked, and then encourage us towards living in similar fashion.

The fact is that when we make the things that we strive for the end goal, we will be sorely disappointed in life.

Vanity will be the hallmark of our existence if this is how we live.

If instead we turn our eyes to God, and we live for Him alone, then we will know joy and contentment in all things in this life.

Example 1: Joseph

Joseph had a rough time, being sold as a slave...

The conditions and circumstances of his life would not have been favourable.

If you were sold as a slave… what do you suppose your response would be? What would your work ethic be?

Gen 39:2-6 - Consider how Joseph worked.

Then the fact that he refused to indulge in sinful pleasure with Potiphar’s wife.

Genesis 39:9 NIV84

9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

Joseph was concerned that he not sin against God.

He was living his life in such a way that he wanted to bring glory to God, and God certainly rewarded him for that.

God was with him and prospered him.

But then he was thrown into prison, and could easily have descended into a state of depression himself… What a horrible life.

And yet, from what we can tell through Scripture, he maintained such a demeanor, such a Godward orientation, that even in prison God was with him and prospered him.

Genesis 39:21–23 NIV84

21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Here was a man who lived and worked with the aim of bringing honour to God.

Example 2: Daniel

Remember, Daniel was among those who were taken from Jerusalem after Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem.

He was a captive of war...

He was brought in to serve as a slave for Nebuchadnezzar.

He refused to defile himself with the kings food. - He wanted to bring honour to God.

God prospered him because of that.

Later on, under king Darius, a decree was issued that anyone who prayed to any other god or man apart from Darius should be put in the lions den to be eaten.

You will know that Daniel was a man worshiped God, and would pray 3 times a day by his window.

He disobeyed the king, was thrown into the lion’s den.

God protected him.

This led Darius to praise God...

Daniel 6:26–28 NIV84

26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. 27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” 28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

The point of this is that Daniel lived a life that was oriented towards God, irrespective of the consequences.

As a slave in a foreign land, he simply went about working to the glory of God.

He went about living to the glory of God.

Example 3: Paul

Paul was called by God to suffer for the sake of Christ (Acts 9:16)

And how Paul suffered… (2 Cor 11:16 ff)

But Paul lived his life not focusing on the earthly things.

Phil 4:11-13

... I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

My encouragement to us today is this:

God has richly blessed us.

Even if we have some struggles in terms of our financial situations, has not God blessed us richly with every spiritual blessing in Christ?

My call to you this morning is to live for Christ… (not in the cliched sense of it… but truly).

We so often say “I live for Christ...”

But do we really?