Ecclesiastes: The Meaning of Life

1 Kings 4:29–34 CSB

29 God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than anyone—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol. His reputation extended to all the surrounding nations. 32 Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs numbered 1,005. 33 He spoke about trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing out of the wall. He also spoke about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. 34 Emissaries of all peoples, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom.

Prologue: Under The Sun, All Is Futile

Ecclesiastes 1:1–11 CSB

1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.” 3 What does a person gain for all his efforts that he labors at under the sun? 4 A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, it hurries back to the place where it rises. 6 Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles. 7 All the streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. 8 All things are wearisome, more than anyone can say. The eye is not satisfied by seeing or the ear filled with hearing. 9 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Can one say about anything, “Look, this is new”? It has already existed in the ages before us. 11 There is no remembrance of those who came before; and of those who will come after there will also be no remembrance by those who follow them.

**Does that cause you to be encouraged this morning? haha

**PRAY**

The Question: What is the Meaning of Life

Ecclesiastes 1:3 CSB

3 What does a person gain for all his efforts that he labors at under the sun?

The Conclusion:

Ecclesiastes 1:1–2 CSB

1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”

Futile definition is - serving no useful purpose— hebel is vapor --- to grasp at the wind.

The Poem:

Chiastic In Nature

Ecclesiastes 1:4–6 CSB

4 A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, it hurries back to the place where it rises. 6 Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles.

**Although generations of humankind come and go, the Earth is cyclical.

The Main Point in the Center:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

7 All the streams flow to the sea,

yet the sea is never full;

to the place where the streams flow,

there they flow again.

8 All things are wearisome,

more than anyone can say.

The eye is not satisfied by seeing

or the ear filled with hearing.

More Evidence As To the Main Point

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

9 What has been is what will be,

and what has been done is what will be done;

there is nothing new under the sun.

10 Can one say about anything,

“Look, this is new”?

It has already existed in the ages before us.

11 There is no remembrance of those who came before;

and of those who will come after

there will also be no remembrance

by those who follow them.

The Preacher’s Conclusion:

To Find meaning in this Life with this world alone is like trying to grasp the wind.

"If I get a what's-it-all-for sort of feeling, then I say to myself, What's the point of it all? There isn't any point. And somehow, for me – I know it's not true for other people – that is really comforting. It slows me down. It reminds me that I didn't ask to be born here, I'll be gone, and I won't know what'll happen, I'll just be gone, so get on with it. I find that comforting, to say to myself that there is no point, I live in a pointless universe. Here I am, for better or worse, get on with it.”

It is only when we include God and His purpose that the true sense of meaning can be experienced.

Ephesians 2:4–10 CSB

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.