Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Ecclesiastes was written around 935 B.C. by King Solomon, son of David and Bathsheeba. It is part of the Writings and is very poetic in structure. Solomon asked God for wisdom (1 Kings 3:1-15), but it was a wisdom to rule God’s people that Solomon asked for. He did not have great wisdom in every arena. This book wrestles with every aspect of human life – by someone who had access to the very best of everything. But the main views of this book are human views from a human viewpoint. We need to recognise that Solomon’s perspective is not always the GODLY or CORRECT perspective: “Do not despise prophecies, but examine all things; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).

Some scholars believe this book was written during the time Solomon turned away from God (1 Kings 11:1-10). Others believe that at the very end of his life, he turned back to God and this book represents his thoughts of the repentance process (falling away, seeing the error, turning back). Since it IS scripture, we know Holy Spirit wrote it. At whatever time of Solomon’s life that he was willing to listen to Holy Spirit and write what he was shown/told, we can be firm that there are lessons to learn in this book. Much like the book of Job, Ecclesiastes contains human thinking as well as godly lessons. Pay attention to the language as you read. In the end, we have a collection of insights and advice that mirror our own frustrations and questions in life. And just like with us, Solomon could see the ONLY true answer: Messiah.

It is only in and through Jesus that ANY real life is experienced (John 15:5). Ecclesiastes shows us that human science, human pleasure, human work, human thinking, and human relationships are all ultimately empty. No matter how much a human being amasses, they are ALWAYS looking for something else that will bring fulfillment. That’s why so many of the ultra-rich turn to philanthropic acts or funding beneficial research. They have everything they could ever want, but still feel lack. Outside Jesus, life is poverty – no matter what your bank account looks like. But in Jesus, we have ALL of EVERYTHING which is good available to us (Ephesians 1:3). Those godly things – things that come with no pains or negatives – enrich our lives until our physical lives mirror our spiritual lives (3 John 2). It all starts, exists, and ends in Jesus (Revelation 22:13-15). This book of Solomon’s clearly shows us exactly that.

Chapter one is about how Solomon had given himself over to total pleasure with no restrictions and found them ultimately empty. Anything and everything that the world offers (no matter who is making the offer) is ultimately useless. It is VANITY (something empty and valueless). There is a hopelessness to life when it is lived without God. No matter what we discover. No matter what we learn. No matter what wisdom we come up with or experience. It is all empty if it isn’t founded on and received from God.

Chapter two is an examination of everything that can bring us pleasure. From happiness to growing plants/tending gardens to consuming substances that alter our mood/consciousness to having everything done for you to wealth to possessions to having people working for you to relationships. No matter WHAT we put our hands to our our eyes on, it is all futile. None of it truly satisfies, no matter how it makes you feel in the short term.

Chapter three acknowledges that things work in cycles. We can learn them and take advantage from them. We can ignore them and be ruled by them. There was time to do everything and not enough time to get everything done. We have a life of opposites born from the fact that things were created to be one way, but we have fallen and everything is being twisted in another. Evolution as we witness it in Nature is simply a survival mechanism as everything deteriorates further and further. God made everything good and beautiful. We have taken that and messed it up. There is an accountability facing us all for what we have done and said (Matthew 12:36). We all know deep down that God exists and everything around us shows us the truth of that realisation (Romans 1:18-20). We can live based on it or run from it, but sooner or later we will have to bow to the truth (Philippians 2:10-11 ).

Chapter four talks about the futility of toil. About when we bust our guts on things that don’t come from God, don’t give Him glory, and don’t promote His Kingdom in some way (and there are almost unlimited ways to do that), it is all empty posturing. We lean into our friends – which are good to have – but relationships not founded on the Lord are pointless. We may gain popularity for a moment, but in the end we are all alone before God or alone having rejected God. Every adulation of humanity is so much empty wind. When we live for our SELVES, we miss out on true life (John 10:10).

Summary

Key Players: God, Solomon.

Key Verse(s): Ecclesiastes 1:1-11; 2:10-11; 3:18-22; 4:13-16