Ecclesiastes, A Case of the Vapors

Everything is Hevel

Ecclesiastes 1:1 NLT

1 These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem.

Author and Teacher are different people

Ecclesiastes 1:2–11 NLT

2 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” 3 What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? 4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. 6 The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. 7 Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. 8 Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. 9 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. 10 Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. 11 We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.

Hebel or Hevel

Smoke or Vapor

The NIV Application Commentary: Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Original Meaning

It is not, however, just the ephemerality of reality, from the mortal point of view, that Qohelet has in mind in using hebel. It is also the elusive nature of reality, that is, the way in which it resists our attempts to capture it and contain it, to grasp hold of it and control it. This is true at the level both of understanding and of action.

NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture Chapter 1

Modern readers are inclined to read statements like this through the lens of existential pessimism, amounting to a statement meaning “life is not worth living.” If the Teacher is prefiguring stoicism, however, his point is not so much on the “lack of meaning in everything that is” and more on “meaning is found elsewhere.” The stoic objective is not existential despair, but the devaluing of things to which most (nonphilosophers) assign value, so that the real value of really valuable things (virtue and philosophy for stoics, fear of the Lord for Ecclesiastes) can be properly demonstrated. An adequate English word for translating this concept is elusive, but it is the opposite of ultimate self-fulfillment.

Time

Death

Chance

Healthy Attitude since we have no control...

Receive and enjoy God’s gifts

Friends, Family, Warm sun, Good meals

Accept life as it comes not as we think it should come or we deserve.

Final Author’s conclusion

Fear God, Obey Commandments.