Ecclesiastes chapter 1
Let’s do a brain teaser; it’s just something to get you thinking:
There’s a bus full of people driving down the road. The bus stops to pick up another passenger, the thing is, this passenger is blind. So some kind person on the bus gives up their seat for the blind person to sit down. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
It’s a bad thing because the person who gave up their seat was the bus driver. It’s interesting how when you fill in the missing pieces, it can change how you look at things. Similarly with my understanding of the Book of Ecclesiastes.
When I committed my life to the LORD, I began reading the Bible (the entire Bible) cover-to-cover, and within the first couple of years, I’d read the Bible around a dozen times. I’ve continued to read through the Bible for the past 40 years, and every time I’d read Ecclesiastes, I’d think, oh that’s nice. It’s poignant, touching, poetic. The words were fodder for the lyrics of at least one 60’s folk song. But I never really got that much out of it. It kind of left me empty, like I was missing something. Then about 15 years ago, in the weekly Bible study I’m part of at work, my friend Tim explained the key phrase to keep in mind when reading and studying this book is “under the sun”. “Under the sun”, meaning earthly as opposed to heavenly. The light switched on. With that in mind, let’s look at and consider this book of Ecclesiastes from the perspective of “under the sun”.
I think Shane brought this out, but the title of the book comes from the first verse, where it says, “the preacher”. The word for preacher in Greek is “Ecclesiastes”. It was one who would gather a crowd and proclaim a preaching or a teaching. So, gather around, pay attention, listen to what the LORD has to say, via Solomon. Ecclesiastes is a contrast to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs makes direct statements about godly wisdom. Ecclesiastes makes statements of wisdom as if you were only looking at things from an earthly, worldly, human perspective. Solomon's approach in verse 13 of chapter 1, is that this book is a thought experiment; can you find true satisfying, deep, abiding wisdom without God. The funny thing is, try as he may, Solomon can’t keep from mentioning God in various places throughout the book.
Wisdom, philosophy and worldview all kind of tie together. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon examines various philosophies to see how they work themselves out. Believe it or not, Ecclesiastes is one of the most oft quoted books by skeptics and people of other religious persuasions. I remember it in the new ager, Shirley MacLaine’s movie, “Out on a broken Limb”… that’s not the title, it’s Out on a Limb.
Let’s read chapter one, and then we’ll go through it.
Ecclesiastes 1
New American Standard Bible 1995
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“Vanity of vanities! All is [c]vanity.”
3 What advantage does man have in all his work
Which he does under the sun?
4 A generation goes and a generation comes,
But the earth [d]remains forever.
5 Also, the sun rises and the sun sets;
And hastening to its place it rises there again.
6 Blowing toward the south,
Then turning toward the north,
The wind continues [g]swirling along;
And on its circular courses the wind returns.
7 All the rivers [h]flow into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full.
To the place where the rivers [i]flow,
There they flow again.
8 All things are wearisome;
Man is not able to tell it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been is that which will be,
And that which has been done is that which will be done.
So there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one might say,
“See this, it is new”?
Already it has existed for ages
Which were before us.
11 There is no remembrance of [k]earlier things;
And also of the [l]later things which will occur,
There will be for them no remembrance
Among those who will come [m]later still.
12 I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I set my [n]mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is [o]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 [p]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.
Let’s do a really brief recap (in the form of a couple of questions, from verses 1-12)
Verse 1,2 Solomon begins with the conclusion, “it’s all vanity”, emptiness, futility, unsatisfying.
Verse 3, Question: what are some things we gain, by all the hard work we put in (under the sun)? (money, muscles, experiences, friends)
Verses 4-10 Question: Is there anything really new? Name some things that are new in our time; let me see if I can shoot them down.
Verse 11-12 Question: what age is your earliest memory from?
Recap completed.
Verse 13 Here is the thesis of this book. This is a thought experiment. To explore or examine wisdom, “under heaven”. Solomon says, “this is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
Multiple choice: What is grievous about this task?
- It’s hard work to perform this examination
- It’s painful to be under heaven
- It is an affliction because it’s frustrating
- Or all the above.
Verse 14 looking back (hindsight is 20-20) we can see where we’ve been left dissatisfied, empty, unfulfilled by various things we thought were going to be the answer. It is human nature to want things. We all have in-built desires to do things. Some really love to travel, and see the world. Others really love to read, and experience situations and times and faraway places. You name it, most everyone has something they like to do (something they’re passionate about). If someone just wanted to sit in a chair and veg out all day, every day, we’d worry about them. It’s healthy to have a gusto for life. That’s all well and good, but memories fade. Things wear out and fall apart. What are you left with, rusty, broken, or lost things and misty, vague, often frustrating memories.
Verse 15 What is the first thing that comes to your mind when I say the word ‘crooked’.
- Politics
- Business
- Religion
- Entertainment
- Academia
- Money
- Power
- Fame
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
As pastor Shane illustrated last week, with the half-full cup of water, we can either have an optimistic view or a pessimistic view. I can see you’d come to the pessimistic view of things though. This verse explains it though, “What’s crooked cannot be straightened, what’s lacking cannot be counted”. In other words, the political system is messed up beyond repair. Under the sun, that is true, but with God all things are possible.
So, what does it look like to have a heavenly mindset? Easy answer, the sunday school answer; Jesus. Not just take every thought, every question, every situation to Jesus, but bring Jesus into every thought, question and situation. It’s not WWJD, it’s more like JWWYD, “Jesus, what would you do?” We have direct access to Him, why not take advantage of it. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all of your ways and He will make your paths straight.
Colossians 2:3 In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 3:3 Set your mind on things above not on the things of earth.
Do you have an eternal perspective on life?
Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Back to our text, verses 16-19
Let’s say you become the wisest person in the world; you name the subject. You might in some ways make life easier for yourself. You might even be able to have a great life with that knowledge. But, if your endeavor excludes God from your life, you’re missing the most important point in all of eternity. Last night in our home life group, Ken was stressing this fact that we human beings were designed and built to have a loving relationship with God our heavenly Father. Besides that, if you have great worldly wisdom, think how demanding that could be on you. Picture people lined up at your door with questions; “how should I handle this?”, or “do you have advice on that?” As well, there’d be great potential to become prideful and arrogant.
If all you have is worldly, human, earthly wisdom, it dies with you when you die. Oh, you could write a book, but if you’re dead, you don’t benefit from it.
Philippians 3:8 (NKJV)
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Lastly, let’s look at 1 Corinthians chapter 1
18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
What seems like wisdom from an earthly perspective is foolishness, and what seems like foolishness from an earthly perspective is truly God’s Wisdom (in Christ).
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