OASIS – Summer 2024 – Tuesday August 20, 2024 – Book of Ecclesiastes The Kings of Israel and Judah: SOLOMON, part 3
• The first two weeks of our Solomon study looked at the rise and fall of King Solomon, the 3rd king of Israel, from 1 Kings 1-11.
• Next week, we will look at the aftermath of the death of Solomon, and the reality of civil war and division for the people of God in 1 Kings 11-12.
• Today we look at the book of Ecclesiastes, believed to be written by Solomon.
Opening question: What is the MEANING of LIFE?
What do we know about the Book of Ecclesiastes?
• The author is believed to be Solomon. Consider the following:
Ecclesiastes 1:1: “The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.”
• “The Teacher” = Hebrew word is qoheleth, which means “one who gathers.”
o In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), the word for teacher (qoheleth) is ekklesiastes, from which the English title of the book originates.
o Different translations use a different English word for qoheleth in both chapter 1 and chapter 12. NIV and NLT use “TEACHER”, while KJV, ESV and NASB use “PREACHER.”
• “Son of David” = We assume Solomon, although his name appears nowhere in the twelve chapters of the book. The Hebrew word for “son” can refer to either a descendant (even many generations removed) or someone who follows in the footsteps of another.
• “King in Jerusalem” = This would narrow down the possibilities if someone other than Solomon was considered as author.
Ecclesiastes 12:9-11: “Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote
was upright and true. The words of the wise are like goads, their collected saying like firmly embedded nails – given by one Shepherd.”
• The Teacher/Preacher is described as the following:
o WISE
o Imparted KNOWLEDGE to the people.
o PONDERED and SEARCHED out.
o Set in order many PROVERBS
o SEARCHED to find just the right words.
o His writings were UPRIGHT and TRUE
• The words of the Teacher/Preacher were “GOADS” and like “firmly embedded NAILS.” Commentator Derek Kidner writes that these sayings “spur the will” and “stick in the memory.”
GT’s thesis: Solomon is the author of Ecclesiastes, and we can and should learn much from studying it!
Opening statement of the book of Ecclesiastes:
Ecclesiastes 1:2: “’Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.!’”
o ESV (and KJV) read like this, “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”
o This key term “Meaningless” occurs 35 times in the book of Ecclesiastes, and only one other time in the Old Testament, in Job 27:12.
o The Hebrew term hebel (translated vanity or meaningless) refers to a “mist” or “vapor” or “mere breath,” something that is fleeting or elusive.
What an interesting way to begin a book we know as WISDOM literature.
Back to our opening exercise: What is the meaning of life? What is meaningless?
Here is a summary of some of the teachings of the Book of Ecclesiastes:
First: Wisdom is Meaningless – Ecclesiastes 1:12-18:
12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. 16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. 18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief
• Don’t miss James 3:13-18 and his teaching on “two kinds of wisdom.”
• v. 18: HUMANISTIC wisdom – wisdom without God – leads to grief and sorrow.
• Chad Ragsdale from Ozark Christian College reminds us there is a difference between information, knowledge, and wisdom
Second: Pleasures are Meaningless – Ecclesiastes 2:1-11:
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives. 4 I undertook great projects:
I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well the delights of a man’s heart
9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. 10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun
• Big idea: Mere pleasure cannot give meaning or satisfaction.
• This text is being lived out regularly in 2024 all over the world!
• The Teacher lived the life of INDULGENCE and yet it brought very little SATISFACTION!
Third: Toil (work) is Meaningless – Ecclesiastes 2:17-25:
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 that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil 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 person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.
24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the person 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.
• The American ideal: Work hard and you will be rewarded eventually!
• Solomon: Toil/Work is ultimately meaningless!
• What does this mean? Should we cease to work hard and no longer undertake important projects?
Book recommendation: Full Time: Work and the Meaning of Life by David Bahnsen.
• v. 24: “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God.”
Fourth: Riches are Meaningless – Ecclesiastes 5:10-12 and 6:1-2:
10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. 11 As goods increase, so do
those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? 12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.
1 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
• “Whoever loves money never has enough” and “whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income” = great wisdom for men and women starting out in life vocationally.
• Here is what the NLT does with v. 11: “The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth – except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!
o Consider the account of former NBA player Darius Miles from East Saint Louis, Illinois, the #3 pick in the 2000 NBA draft. He made over $62 million dollars during his 9-year NBA career. He declared bankruptcy in 2016.
• Verse 12: The contrast between the worker who sleeps just fine and the rich person, who cannot rest BECAUSE of their abundance!
• The reminder of 6:1-2? If you put your ultimate hope in RICHES, it’s a bad investment quite possibly!
o Matthew 6:19-21: Store up TREASURES in HEAVEN! Where your treasure is, there your HEART will be also!
o Luke 12:13-21: The Parable of the Rich Fool: you can’t take it with you! We could continue on, but I think the point of the Teacher (Solomon) is pretty clear:
The stuff of this world is MEANINGLESS! The things of this world will not ENDURE!
Closing call of the book of Ecclesiastes:
Ecclesiastes 12:13: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of all mankind.”
• Solomon literally tried it all and “couldn’t get no satisfaction!
• v. 13: “Fear God and keep his commandments” is very similar to the words of his Father David on his deathbed to Solomon: “Walk in his ways (the LORD) and keep his decrees and commandments.” 1 Kings 2:3.
Three lessons from Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes:
#1: Believing that God is SOVEREIGN allows us to live with MYSTERY.
• Ecclesiastes 7:14: “When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.”
• Romans 8:28: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
• Song recommendation: Michael W. Smith’s Sovereign Over Us
#2: Trusting that God is GOOD allows us to live with ENJOYMENT
• Ecclesiastes 3:12-13: “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in his toil – this is the gift of God.”
• Learn to enjoy the GIFTS that God has given us in life!
• Haddon Robinson: “In O.T. theology it is not just a shame to not enjoy life, it is a sin to not enjoy it. If it comes from the hand of a good God, enter into it with thanksgiving and enjoy it.”
#3: Knowing that God is JUST allows us to live RESPONSIBLY
• God will do what is RIGHT because Yahweh is HOLY and JUST
• Ecclesiastes 12:14: “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
• Modern-day wisdom: “You must be (or get on) the right side of history.”
• Godly wisdom: “Know and live out the heartbeat and commands of the LORD, no matter the temporary consequences.”
OASIS next week: Solomon, part 4: The North vs. The South, Old Testament version. 1 Kings 11-12 and the account of Rehoboam and Jeroboam.
Evening Oasis returns on Wednesday September 11 at 6pm.
This Sunday August 25 in Main Auditorium: Tracy Thomas is preaching on Matthew 6:1-18 and Paul DeArmond sharing about the Walk for Life. We will also honor Terry and Molly Goodwin in all five services for many years of ministry at Second Church!