Journeys of a Former Firebrand

Solomon had one overarching goal in mind when he wrote Ecclesiastes. He wanted to teach the young all the lessons he learned through experience. He wanted to spare those who had not yet made all those mistakes from doing exactly that.

In short, Solomon wanted to show everyone what he had learned what was most important.

How did he do that?

He Demonstrated How Life Looks from a Purely Materialistic Stadpoint

That’s really what all the “vanity, vanity” stuff is all about. Although Solomon certainly came to that conclusion, he in no way is trying to prove that point. At least he isn’t demonstrating the superiority of that conclusion.

What he is demonstrating is how life is “vanity,” useless and empty, when divorced from what is most important. When life becomes nothing more than simply mechanical processes, everything is truly “vanity,” useless and empty.

He Contrasted This with a Different Conclusion

I will say that Solomon’s start to this book seems a little…um…dreary. Let’s look:

¹² I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³ And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. ¹⁴ I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. ¹⁵ What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. ¹⁶ I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” ¹⁷ And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. ¹⁸ Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.” (Ecclesiastes 1:12–18, NASB95)

This might lead us to think that Solomon is leading us to a fatalistic end. But he’s not. The proof is abundant.

A number of times Solomon seemingly breaks into song for no apparent reason:

¹² I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; ¹³ moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12–14, NASB95)

After this, Solomon reverts to a more fatalistic tone. But don’t miss the point of what we just read. Solomon adds an element of the eternal. He dons the garb of God as a Giver of all that man has and the Keeper of eternity.

This isn’t the only place where Solomon transitions from pessimism to optimism. Later he writes this:

“For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.” (Ecclesiastes 5:7, NASB95)

Solomon is finishing up a discourse on our attitude toward God. He gives his point away once again. He exhorts us to “fear God.” This stands in decided contrast to “vanity, vanity, all is vanity.” There’s a point to life. Fear God.

And then as he nears the end, Solomon gives away a little bit more of his point:

¹ Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them.” (Ecclesiastes 12:1, NASB95)

Not quite as fatalistic now, is it?

So What?

You see, Solomon had a very important point to make. A key, so to speak. A key that would open the door to the meaning of life.

What was that key? We’ll look at that next time.

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Missed the first lesson? Find it here!