Tag: Ecclesiastes 1-6
Life without the “God” connection!
Scripture reading for July 14th: Ecclesiastes 1-6
Solomon, the richest and wisest man who ever lived outside of Jesus Christ, decided to try to find meaning in life by pursuing riches, fame, and fortune to the maximum. The result is this book of Ecclesiastes! After trying everything, Solomon found no meaning in endless days of toil and the work of man. (Ecclesiastes 1: 9-11) He observed that man spent his time working and gathering things and suddenly death took him away. In a few years or less, no one remembers him or his works!
Solomon tried to find meaning with the pursuit of pleasure and things that brought laughter. He tried wine and pleasure common to his culture! He then tried great building projects to find satisfaction in what he had accomplished. He built houses and planted vineyards and fruit orchards. His herds and flocks were numerous and his treasury filled with silver and gold. He hired singers and entertainers and even bought a harem of beautiful women to enjoy as he pleased. He enjoyed his life under the sun but as he thought about it, it was meaningless! (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11)
Solomon noted that all his hard work would be left behind when he died and given to someone else who did not work for it. (Ecclesiastes 3:21-23) His conclusion was that if man would eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work each day, that was a gift of God. For without God, we can’t find meaning or enjoyment! (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)
“He (God) has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) Solomon concluded that God had made a time for everything under the sun. These times are in His hands and man should accept each day with gratitude. Man has a God-given knowledge of eternity in his heart. Each knows that he is an eternal being who will be judged by God one day. This understanding helps bring meaning to all of life!
Take a moment to thank God for revealing eternity and the plans of His heart through Jesus Christ! In Christ we now have eternity restored in God’s presence! All our life has purpose and meaning under the Son!
Utterly meaningless!
Scripture reading for July 13th: Ecclesiastes 1-6
Life is hard to make sense of without God’s Word or knowledge. Man is left with darkness in his understanding and the futility of life under the sun. This life without God has no real purpose or meaning. It appears that we come about by accident and leave earth by calamity or slow death. Some live short lives and others relatively long lives. Some are blessed and others struggle with troubles and pain. Our days are short and they fly by.
Solomon, the richest and wisest man who ever lived outside of Jesus Christ, decided to try to find meaning in life by pursuing riches, fame, and fortune. He wrote the book of Ecclesiastes as a result of his quest! Solomon found no meaning in endless days of toil and work of man. (Ecclesiastes 1: 9-11) Man spends his time working and gathering and suddenly death takes us away. In a few years or less, no one remembers us or what we have done!
Solomon tried to find meaning through the pursuit of pleasure and material things. He tried wine and folly but found them meaningless! He built houses and planted vineyards and fruit orchards. He built lakes and had many servants. His herds and flocks were numerous and his treasury filled with silver and gold. He hired singers and entertainers and even bought a harem of beautiful women to enjoy as he pleased. He had no lack of anything his heart desired but by themselves, all was meaningless! (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11)
Solomon noted that all his hard work would be left behind when he died and given to someone else who did not work for it. (Ecclesiastes 3:21-23) His conclusion was that if man would eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work each day, that was a gift of God. Without God, we can’t find meaning or enjoyment! (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)
“He (God) has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) Solomon concluded that God had made a time for everything under the sun. These times were in His hands and man must accept that with gratitude. Each person knows that he is an eternal being who will be judged by God one day. Life is not meaningless, but counts for eternity!
Life Lessons Under the Sun
Scripture reading for July 14th: Ecclesiastes 1-6
Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, except for Jesus Christ, and one of the richest men as well. He explored life in all it’s aspects. God appeared to him twice and he got to ask God for his heart’s desire. He asked for wisdom and God gave him wealth and fame as well. In Solomon’s later years, he tried to find happiness and meaning “under the sun” apart from God. His verdict is found in this writing.
Solomon, being wise, considered wisdom as an end in itself. He looked at the fool and found that the same fate came to the wise and the foolish. Neither the wise or the foolish will be long remembered after they pass from this life–and both will! His conclusion was that pursuit of wisdom as an end apart from God is meaningless! (Ecclesiastes 2:13-16)
Solomon considered his work and toil as a source of meaning. Work produces many nice things and accomplishments but ultimately the worker dies and must leave all his work to another. The one who inherits all the beautiful works may lack wisdom and desire to use and care for them. These thoughts brought despair and a sense of meaninglessness to Solomon. Work ultimately can’t bring satisfaction either. We must enjoy what we have and realize that God is the source of all true satisfaction and happiness! (Ecclesiastes 2:17-26)
Money and an abundance of goods also cannot bring or buy happiness. The love of money brings a restlessness for more and more. As we gain more things, they are consumed, and others come to help in the process. A fortune may be gained only to be lost in a moment by accident or misfortune. When it comes time to depart this life, we take none of this with us. “Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.” (Ecclesiastes 5:15)
Solomon’s conclusion so far was that life apart from God appears to have no real meaning. We are born, we live, and then we die. Whatever we accomplish and how we lived our life is all left behind at death and we are soon forgotten. A life without God is “meaningless”!