Author: SeekGrowLove

Embrace Life

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 17 & 18

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 9

New Testament: Colossians 1:1-14

One of life’s great paradoxes is that it is predictably unpredictable. Life never seems to go the way we think. Solomon reflects on the inevitability of mortality where death is the great equalizer, the advantage of being alive, and encourages the reader to relish and enjoy life on the way to death, because that is what awaits everyone in the end.

There is a common “fate” that awaits every person: death. And regardless of a person’s righteousness or wickedness, the same end is waiting for them. Solomon says, “people do not know whether it is love or hatred; everything is ahead of them.” “Love or hatred” refers to divine favor or judgment. No one knows what their work will produce because it lies in the future. According to Solomon’s method of investigation, no one can say whether they will receive “love” or “hatred” in the future.

Solomon describes the common denominator of life—death—as an “evil” that is done under the sun. No one can predict when it will happen, and no one can escape it. There is “one event” that happens to all. After death, a person has no further reward or enjoyment of things done under the sun.

But for those who have not joined the ranks of the dead, Solomon says “there is still hope!” There is “hope” that while being alive a person can acknowledge the reality of death and thereby embrace the joys in life that they can, because no possibility exists for the dead as their life has ended and there is no going back.

In Solomon’s perspective, life is better than death. Period! Even a measly, no good dog (the ancient world did not have a high view of dogs) is better than a dead lion (viewed as one of the strongest and greatest of all animals in the ancient world). He brings the “hope” of the living into plain view by bluntly stating the obvious, “the living know they will die, but the dead do not know anything.”

Solomon’s point is for the reader to embrace life and all its blessings and joys. We only have a certain amount of time to do this, and then it is over, and we can’t have more.  When a person dies “their hatred, and their envy” all perish with them. And so, while we are living, Solomon advises that we pursue life to the fullest and to engage in every activity with all that we are. Soon enough, we won’t be able to. So live it up, Solomon says, “Let your garments be always white, and do not let oil be lacking from your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you have loved.” He is using very festive language here about wearing white garments and applying oil on one’s head.

But it is important to note that as part of the life that Solomon suggests one should live, he includes dedicating the time to work hard. That is part of the fullness of life, and the food and drink from one’s labor is part of the essential joys one can partake of in life.

Solomon turns to address the uncertainty of life as something perplexing and which he finds unsatisfying. Everything he lists seems to be disordered. The race should be won by the fastest racer, the battle should be won by the strongest soldier, wise people should have food to eat, foolish people shouldn’t have money, people who are skilled should be preferred (i.e., have favor), etc. But Solomon identifies that “time and chance happen to them all.” The point is misfortune and disaster are not selective about who they happen to fall on any given day. Everyone is susceptible to the chance of bad things happening to them. To prove his point, Solomon draws upon two negative images—fish in a net and birds in a snare—to illustrate the horror of the human condition where people find themselves encountering adversity when they least expect it.

In the final section of the chapter, Solomon tells a parable of a small city that is saved by the wisdom of a poor man, but in time, the poor man was forgotten about. So, Solomon affirms traditional wisdom that says, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But people did not recognize the poor man’s wisdom as such and soon forgot about it and him.

While traditional wisdom says that “wisdom is better than strength,” Solomon’s observations seem to complicate that conclusion because things are not always that way in reality. According to the narrative in his parable, it only takes one sinner to destroy (i.e., neglect) what wisdom says. And so, Solomon is asserting that as powerful and valuable as wisdom is, it has its limits. It is certainly preferrable to foolishness, but it is not immune to the destructive effects of a little foolishness. A small bit of foolishness can spoil the greatness of wisdom. This then begs the question, “What real value is wisdom if it can be overthrown so easily by a single fool?”

-Jerry Wierwille

Reflection Questions

  1. How has the unpredictability of life ever caught you by surprise?
  2. What do you enjoy about life? How do you embrace it? Does this include your labor?
  3. Can you give an example of when or how, “A small bit of foolishness can spoil the greatness of wisdom”?
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What you See vs. What you Know

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 15 & 16

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 8

New Testament: Philippians 4:10-23

Solomon begins by asking “Who is like the wise man?” in a rhetorical fashion to get the reader to consider if they are like the wise man in the verses that follow where Solomon will set forth several scenarios involving a king (who represents any authority figure) and how certain responses are appropriate or not. The phrase “makes his face shine…hardness of his face is changed” refers to how using wisdom can change the way someone is presenting themselves to their superiors. One’s demeanor and conduct, if done with wisdom, can sway the other person’s opinion of them and earn them their favor.

Verse 3 is probably better as expressing the wisdom in leaving the king’s presence and carrying out his command rather than the instruction to remain since the following phrase instructs the reader to not “persist in an evil thing” by objecting to the king’s command and remaining in his presence to argue and oppose him.

An “evil thing” is likely a reference to a “bad idea” or a proposal that is not favorably received by the king. On the basis of the king’s authority as absolute, anything that interferes with or opposes his will automatically becomes “evil.” However, this is not moral evil, it is just Solomon’s way of describing something that causes trouble (the Hebrew word for “evil” also can mean “trouble”).

Wisdom would say for a person to respect those in authority and not push their agenda or object rudely to their directions. Why is that? Well, Solomon says that “the king’s word is authoritative.” Now, Solomon has in mind a monarchical government where the ruler (i.e., the king) is a totalitarian. This was the common form of government in the ancient world. But in our world, we could think of someone who has a superior rank (e.g., our teachers, boss, or civil leader).

“Whoever keeps the commandment” refers to the person who listens and obeys the king. This person will be safe, and no harm will come to them. Punishment does not fall on the one who does what they are told. Rather, the consequences are reserved for the one who rebels and disobeys.

But if there is a disagreement with the king, Solomon notes that there is “a proper time and procedure,” meaning that there is an appropriate way to provide feedback and one’s opinion for the king’s consideration. The wording here is extremely close to the wording we saw in 3:1—“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

Verse 10 begins a new section in Solomon’s discourse in the chapter. The issue that Solomon raises is about justice and retribution. He sets forth a scenario where he sees wicked people live and then die, and he watches them get buried. He even describes them as previously participating in the temple worship of Yahweh, and they received the praise of people in the city where they carried out their wicked schemes.

Here in this section, the pointlessness that Solomon is interested in expressing is about the delay judgment of these wicked people. He asserts that they were never judged while they were alive, and so it seems as though they never were punished, and the victims never received justice for their crimes.

vv. 12-13—this is the first assertion that Solomon makes that departs from his methodology of observation. It is outside the scope of inquiry to know that it will be “better” for the person who fears Yahweh and is reverent before him, since all of his observations point toward an experiential indifference between the righteous and the wicked. In fact, he even notes an inversion that he sees in the world where the wicked live long and the righteous die young.

Solomon is expressing a distinction between what he “knows” and what he “observes.” What he “sees” happening is vastly different from what he internally “knows.” And so, we begin to see the dilemma that Solomon is facing in his quest. But he doesn’t resolve the tension here. He merely presents it.

Solomon expressed a similar idea in 3:16-17, where he said, “16And moreover I saw this under the sun: in the place of justice, that wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there. 17I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous person and the wicked person, for there is a time of judgment for every purpose and for every deed.”

The judgment of God was not something that Solomon observed. In fact, what he saw was a complete absence of justice “under the sun.” And thus, the issue of delayed justice is brought back up again in verse 14: the righteous are punished and the wicked go free.

Since the judgment of the wicked is not happening in the present world, but Solomon “knows” that it will occur, his advice is to not focus on it, but to enjoy life despite the brokenness and the injustice happening all around. The “joy” that Solomon says is to accompany one’s work and the eating and drinking the fruit of that work has been a theme already mentioned twice before in 2:24 and 5:18.

In certain circumstances in life, we often make a deductive choice on what would be at least a good way to respond. For Solomon, his deduction is at least, “enjoy life,” by eating, drinking, and being merry. This is at least a good response for humankind with the work that God has given them to do.

The exhaustive effort that Solomon has applied to his search has caused him to lose sleep. The lack of any satisfying answer has left him disturbed and unable to find rest. All day and all night, his mind is busy, preoccupied with the question that he feels he must answer. But because he cannot solve it and discover the ultimate meaning of life, he resorted to a simplified suggestion as a baseline of what he knows—it is good to enjoy life as one labors all the days that God has given to them.

Solomon offers verse 17 as a summary of his effort and makes a grand claim that he has observed it all—all the work of God—and his conclusion is that no one can find it out. No matter how thorough Solomon has been or could be in his investigation, his methods fail; he cannot discover the answer to the ultimate meaning of life. And if a wise person thinks that he can figure it out, he’s wrong, Solomon says—He can’t, because no one can.

-Jerry Wierwille

Reflection Questions

  1. Can you give some examples of when what you “see” is different than what you “know”?
  2. What is your approach to people in authority? Is there anything you can learn from Solomon in this chapter regarding your interactions with people in authority?
  3. What are the benefits to being a wise person? What are the limitations to human wisdom?
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Sorrow is Better than Laughter

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 13 & 14

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 7

New Testament: Philippians 4:9

In the first half of chapter 7, Solomon moves to consider some enigmas of life by listing several proverbial sayings for the reader to ponder that take the form of “better-than” statements.

  • A “good name” is better than “good perfume” (v. 1)
  • The day of a person’s “death” is better than the day of their “birth” (v. 1)
  • The “house of mourning” is better than the “house of feasting” (v. 2)
  • “Sorrow” is better than “laughter” (v. 3)
  • The “rebuke of a wise person” is better than the “song of fools” (v. 5)
  • The “end of a matter” is better than the “beginning” (v. 8)
  • A “patient spirit” is better than a “proud spirit” (v. 8)

A “good name” is more valuable than “good perfume” (which was costly) because the price for a good reputation was invaluable in the biblical world. The “perfume” could allude to the fragrant oil used in funeral preparations or a figurative reference to wealth and luxury, but given the parallelism with the second line, it more likely is suggesting the act of being anointed and given honor and praise because of something you did. Being anointed lasts for a moment but then is gone, while a good “name” endures even long after a person dies.

The “day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth” means that the day someone is born is the beginning of a long journey of life, in which depending upon one’s choices, it may not result in good reputation (i.e., “name”) in the end. Whereas on the day of one’s death, their reputation is secure, and they can find rest from the frustration and pointlessness of life which has preoccupied them for all these years. Someone might have a good name, but before they die, anything could happen, and they might ruin their reputation and mar their good name.

The main point seems to be that it is better to leave behind a good reputation as the legacy of your life than to be honored and praised with expensive ointment.

“Better to go to the house of mourning” refers to a house that is conducting a funeral, meaning to go to visit and comfort the family of the dead person and to ponder the reality and significance of death as it relates to how we should live. “Going” to the “house of mourning” doesn’t mean that is where you live or spend all of your time. It is depressing and emotionally distressing to constantly think about death and be around such grief and sorrow all the time. But, if given the two choices of either going to a house of mourning or going to a house where there is a feast and party, the Sage (Solomon) says that it is “better” to go to the house of mourning because death is the end of all people and we cannot lose our understanding of that and live as if we take life for granted and will live to be old and gray.

“Sorrow is better than laughter” is true because the “sorrow” of death brings life into perspective and provides a reason for contemplation of weightier matters, whereas “laughter” does not promote serious reflection.

The “house of mourning” is preferred to the house of “merrymaking” because some people don’t give much thought about tomorrow or their own mortality. They just want to have a good time and enjoy life in the here and now. The problem is not that it is wrong to enjoy the present moment and celebrate when it is time to celebrate (remember there is a time for everything, including joy and laughter), but that cannot be where our attention predominantly resides. We must keep our eye on the future and the reality of how brief life truly is, and therefore, we must take care how we live in light of the universal future destiny of humankind—death. And thus, a funeral puts life into perspective vastly more so than a party or celebration.

The “rebuke of a wise person” is better than the “song of fools” is preferred because listening to the “rebuke” from one wise person is superior to the “song” that is sung by many fools since the “rebuke” is helpful for understanding one’s error and therefore how to correct and improve their situation while the “songs” of fools only inflates one’s ego and makes them feel good about themselves but does nothing for rending growth or advancement in how to best live life. Thus, the rebuke and instruction of one wise person outweighs the accolades and compliments that could be sung by a hundred fools.

Lastly, the “end of a matter” is better than the “beginning” since it is only at the end that a person can have gained perspective and wisdom for experience has taught him what he could not know beforehand. No perspective can be formed at the outset of a matter but only after it has transpired can one then see clearly. And a “patient spirit” is better than a “proud spirit” because the patient person does not succumb to the consequences of rash and impetuous behavior. The patient person acts cautiously and with wisdom thereby avoiding many dangers and pitfalls in life, unlike the proud and arrogant person who acts precipitously.

-Jerry Wierwille

-sorry we are late in getting today’s out!

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Satisfaction in Life

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 11 & 12

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 6

New Testament: Philippians 4:8

In chapter six, Solomon reiterates some of his former sentiments but in a reverse fashion. In 5:18-19, Solomon said, “18Here is what I have seen to be good: it is appropriate for one to eat and to drink and to see good in all his labor in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life that God has given him for this is his portion. 19Every man also to whom God has given wealth and riches, and has given him power to enjoy them and to accept his portion and to take pleasure in his labor—this is the gift of God.”

Solomon’s frustration has reached nearly a fever pitch by what he sees happening around him with people not being able to enjoy the wealth and honor that God has given them. He offers an anecdote to explain the “evil” that he sees happening “under the sun” and the heavy weight that is upon all humankind: God gives to a person “wealth, riches, and honor” to the degree that they have no lack of anything, and they have all that ever desired. But that is all that they get! God does not give them the accompanying ability to enjoy the bounty and pleasant life that having everything you want is supposed to offer.

Solomon cannot understand why this is the case for some people. His logic is that if someone works hard and God gives them “wealth, riches, and honor,” but then they don’t get to enjoy those things, but rather someone else does, this is wrong and unexplainable in his eyes. To “eat” something was often a metaphor for fully experiencing and enjoying it. It is as if Solomon is thinking, “Why shouldn’t someone get to enjoy the fruit of another person’s labor?” And so, he is repulsed by this observation and finds it entirely enigmatic and confusing.

We are not told why God would withhold giving a person the ability to enjoy the benefits of their hard work and the revenue and recognition that it has produced. But the answer to “why’ really isn’t the focus of his story. Instead, Solomon is bewildered that it even happens at all, and that in his view, such a reality is mysterious and frustrating. He even goes so far as to say that this is an “evil” and a “severe affliction.”

In vv. 3-6, Solomon considers that as enjoyable as having a large family with many children would be, it can’t be the answer to his question about the meaning of life because Solomon says that even if a person had a hundred children, if their “soul is not satisfied with good things,” then it is all pointless. So apparently, children are not the answer for true satisfaction in life.

It is the absence of enjoying the “good things” that brings discontentment. But what are those “good things” if not one’s family? The “good” that Solomon has mentioned already in the book of Ecclesiastes is eating, drinking, and rejoicing in one’s work (5:18). Essentially, Solomon is saying that no matter how good the circumstances are or what you possess or what you can do, if you don’t simply enjoy life, then everything else is pointless.

Furthermore, in his vexation over this issue, Solomon turns to offer a dark comparison by suggesting that a stillborn child is better off than a person who remains unsatisfied in life. This is a grisly move that is emotionally charged, for Solomon thinks that the baby who never had the chance to draw breath is better off than a person who lives an unsatisfied life. Now, Solomon is not defying the Creator and saying that life is worthless and not even worth living. Remember, what Solomon says he says with a certain perspective in mind. Here, he sees the stillborn baby as not having to suffer and endure the frustration and pointlessness of all that goes on under the sun. They don’t have to be subject to a life deprived of enjoyment and filled with futile desires that can never be met.

Solomon appears to move on from this thought (vv. 1-6) to address yet another issue: wisdom and foolishness.

In broad terms in verse 7, Solomon attributes the reason for all human work as being aimed at satisfying his sensual desires, but those desires are never fulfilled. A person is never completely content and satiated—the desires just keep returning. And so, the search for satisfaction is never ending; it is a vicious cycle that keeps spinning. Thus, the inability to find satisfaction is a deep frustration to Solomon.

Solomon perceives that perhaps there is an answer in the teaching of wisdom as wisdom was viewed in the biblical culture as the normative way to acquire material wealth. If a person was wise, then they would be blessed and would prosper and accrue riches. But the wise are not immune to the desire for wealth and material goods which ultimately does not lead to satisfaction.

Furthermore, Solomon does not find wisdom to provide an advantage for the poor person. His point is not that wisdom is unable to help the poor person in their material needs, but that wisdom doesn’t give the poor person an advantage in finding satisfaction in life. Even if the poor person were to gain wealth through employing wisdom in their dealings, they are no closer to satisfying their true desires than the person who was wise to begin with. Wisdom can help a person obtain money, but not meaning in life.

Verse 9 provides the proverbial statement, “Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire.” The general idea of the proverb is that what is present in one’s hand that they can use and enjoy is much better than what one desires but does not yet have (and may never have).

Beyond these issues, many questions can plague a person about their life, but which of them can provide the answer to the meaning of life. Solomon exasperates himself to no end trying to understand this answer. Ultimately, he seems to think that no one can know what is “good” for a person in life since life is so brief, and no one can know what will happen in the future after they are gone. Endless questions about if what we do now will have any lasting effect for those who come after us. But we are all left not knowing if there is a “profit” in what we do because we are limited to only knowing the here and now. “For who can tell a person what will be after him under the sun?” (v. 12b).

-Jerry Wierwille

Reflection Questions

  1. Where do you agree with Solomon? Anything you disagree with in Ecclesiastes 6? (Remember, he has not yet come to his final conclusions.)
  2. Can you give some examples of where you have found truth from the proverb in Ecclesiastes 6:9?
  3. How content are you right now with your life? Why or why not? What might Solomon say to you? What might God say to you?
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Loving Money

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 9-10

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 5

New Testament: Philippians 4:7

In chapter 5, again the theme of oppression from 4:1-3 resurfaces in Solomon’s observations of the world, and along with that the issue of wealth, which is often procured by oppressive means in society. But this time Solomon addresses it as it pertains to a systematic form of oppression. While individuals can oppress others, Solomon now proclaims that one should not be amazed at all the oppression and denial of justice and righteousness that goes on in the land because such widespread oppression and injustice is caused by the corruption that exists within the structural hierarchy of government that protects those who perpetuate it.

Often corruption is allowed to remain because it exists at multiple levels, each person watching out for the others so that their oppressive regime can remain in effect. In the following verses, Solomon will proceed to give seven reasons for the pointless pursuit of money in one’s life.

FIRST reason: wealth is both addictive and unfulfilling (v. 10).

Greed is never satisfied; there is always room for more. The question is, “How much money is enough?” Do you have “enough” money? Most people would say, “no.” But no matter how much money one has, they will never be satisfied because they will have the desire for more. Therefore, whatever goal you set for yourself in life, whether it’s a million dollars or whatever, once you reach that, you will not be happy stopping there.

There are a few things that we can truly say people are never satisfied with, no matter how much they have: money, power, and pleasure.

SECOND reason: more wealth just means more people to consume it (v. 11a), and THIRD reason: wealth doesn’t benefit the owner (v. 11b).

The person whose wealth has increased, has also increased the labor force with which to sustain the wealth. As the possession of the owner multiplies, he must hire more help to manage it. And so, he grows wealthy, but as wealth is produced, it is then given to the workers. And so, because of this natural consequence that accompanies wealth, the owner doesn’t get to enjoy his wealth except to watch it pass through his hands as others consume it. The fortune that is amassed is met by a large household and expenses that need provisions to keep running, and therefore, the owner finds no advantage for himself.

FOURTH reason: wealth robs the owner of peace and rest (v. 12).

The main premise that Solomon argues from is that the rich do not sleep well. He doesn’t explain the mechanism behind why this is the case, but perhaps it is because rich people are always concerned about their money: what to do with it, how to multiply it, will they lose it, etc. The endless possibilities for projects, purchases, & property surround him every day and follow him into the night where they do not permit his mind to be at rest, and thereby, enjoy deep and rejuvenating sleep.

FIFTH reason: hording wealth is an unhealthy behavior and causes harm to the owner (v. 13).

Why is that? Isn’t it a good idea to save up money? Well, the answer is “yes.” But it appears that Solomon has in mind someone who is accumulating money for the mere sake of its accumulation, that is, for a big number in the bank account. He doesn’t specify why this behavior is detrimental to the owner, but since the money is never used, it does not benefit the owner and brings him no tangible joy or pleasure. Perhaps the problem lies in the owner’s incessant worrying or anxiety that it might be stolen by robbers or is so concerned about it that he or she counts it all the time to make sure they haven’t misplaced or lost any of it. Whatever the specific reason might be, the principle that Solomon is warning about is to not make money a treasure to be kept hidden and stashed away. Money is meant to be used and to be a blessing for the needs of life that it provides.

SIXTH reason: foolish choices in business can lead to bankruptcy (v. 14).

The problem that Solomon identifies is that a person can’t rely upon wealth for security. It may or may not be there in the future, as it can be lost through some unknown misfortune. The evil that is being attributed here to wealth is the fact that after it was accumulated, it was then suddenly lost. And now there is nothing to pass on to the next generation.

SEVENTH reason: wealth will disappear at death (v. 15).

Death will deprive a person of all their wealth. You might be the wealthiest person alive, but when you die, you go back to being flat broke!

On top of the fact that every person begins and ends their life in the same way, the person who seeks to find meaning in life by earning money is filled with “darkness” and with “much frustration, sickness, and anger” (vv. 16-17). Darkness is likely a metaphor for the gloom of isolation, anxiety, and joylessness that is experienced when money is your goal in life. It is a life wasted in pursuit of nothing, and the years spent running after the dollar will reward you with heartache, disappointment, and regret.

It is probably impossible to paint a more depressing outlook on life, but such is the way that Solomon sees it if you try and squeeze meaning out of money. It will only leave you empty and disillusioned.

The bottom line is that we can’t serve both God and money (Matt 6:24-26), and as Solomon showed, money is a cruel master that will do nothing but disappoint in the end.

-Jerry Wierwille

Reflection Questions

  1. Can you give an example of a time your own pursuit of money (and perhaps what it could buy) left you empty?
  2. What do you see as the problems created by money or a chasing after money or loving money?
  3. Do your financial decisions reveal that you are loving and serving God or money?
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Four Evils Under the Sun

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 7 & 8

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 4

New Testament: Philippians 4:6

In chapter 4 of Ecclesiastes, Solomon continues his observational reporting about the wickedness and evil that he sees “under the sun.” Some of his assessments about these events accurately describe them as truly “wicked” or “evil,” but at other times he uses that terminology simply to describe something that is frustrating and/or enigmatic (i.e., too complicated to comprehend).

The first problem that the Sage identifies is oppression, which is an extension of his critique on social injustice in the previous section (3:16-17). Oppression is a general term that can refer to a range of activities from: exploitation, robbery, fraud, abuse of power, disenfranchisement, assault and physical violence, confiscation of property, social prejudice, unfair dealings, etc. In its basic sense, oppression is the abuse of power that is perpetrated on those who are vulnerable and less powerful, particularly the poor, widows, orphans, and foreigners (e.g., Ezek 22:7, 29; Amos 4:1; Mic 2:1-2). It is a denial of personal rights and justice, often accompanied by violence and bloodshed (e.g., Jer 22:17; Ezek 22:6-7, 12, 29).

All oppression is a product of selfishness. It is seeking the benefit of yourself (or your interests) without regard to the needs, wellbeing, or rights of other people who are harmed in the process. Power, in whatever form it takes, whether economic, political, religious, or otherwise, is not to be used for selfish gain and advancement, because it ends up turning other people into objects whom you can treat as you please and squeeze until they give you what you want. In this oppressive regime, people are treated as less than human, and denied their intrinsic value and equality as being created by the same God who has created all humankind.

In verse 4, we can notice that Solomon is exaggerating here again. It is hard to imagine that what he is saying is that “rivalry” is truly the sole motivation behind every person on the planet who works hard. Nevertheless, we probably can say that it is a large motivating factor.

This section is linked to the previous in the sense that people often oppress others because they want to get ahead. They push others down so that they can climb higher. And in their pursuit of climbing the ladder of success, they don’t mind kicking the heads of those who are below them if it means progress and advancement toward their ambitions.

So, in Solomon’s view, if rivalry is what motivates all of this work that he sees, and it is a pointless endeavor, then perhaps it is better to not work, but rather just rest. This logical proposition leads Solomon to consider two proverbs (which he quotes in vv. 5-6) that offer perspective on this matter and reinforce his general conclusion.

The next problem Solomon identifies is that of isolation. In verse 7, he sets forth a rhetorical question from the exasperated view of the loner, “For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of pleasure?” Clearly the answer is that the loner labors for himself and no other. But if all he does is work hard to amass wealth for himself as the end objective, then he is depriving himself of enjoying the pleasure that results from his labor. Essentially, Solomon has in mind the workaholic, the person whose ambition in life is to be successful at their career, to go as far as they can, and climb the ladder as high as possible. But such an outlook on life will never be satisfying, he concludes. His eyes will never be “satisfied with wealth.”

The final two problems are laid out in vv. 13-16: power and popularity. Solomon introduces these final two problems using a “better-than” comparison. The problem Solomon sees is twofold: 1) in vv. 13-14 the issue is being in charge but becoming closed off and obstinate, unwilling to listen to any instruction, and 2) in vv. 15-16 the issue is being in charge but being unpopular, where no one praises and rejoices in your leadership.

The sense of this section is that the old foolish king who would not listen to anyone was eventually replaced by the wise youth, who came from humble beginnings. Then another youth eventually replaced the wise youth who became king, and many people followed him and liked him. But his popularity was only temporary as he would lose favor in the eyes of the people, and they would no longer rejoice in his leadership.

So, what do all four of these problems have in common and what are they telling us about Solomon’s pursuit of the meaning of life? First, the problems that are mentioned help us identify what is truly meaningful in life. These problems identify the need for justice, cooperation, companionship, and humility. The problems also tell us what we should not put our time and effort in seeking to attain or being worried about changing. The world is the way it is, and it has always been that way. Nothing new is happening now that has not already happened and will happen again. These problems are endemic in a broken world, and that is why they cannot provide true meaning in life. True meaning is found in the age to come when the world will be restored, and these problems will be no more.

-Jerry Wierwille


Reflection Questions

  1. What modern examples can you find of what Solomon saw in his day for each of these issues: oppression (selfishness), loneliness (and workaholism), power and popularity? In your own life where have you seen yourself struggle or tend toward one of these?
  2. While realizing we live in a broken world with evil which won’t be changing until the age to come, of what value is justice, cooperation, companionship and humility in your own life? Which of these is most lacking in your life? How can you work toward each of these?
  3. How can you be a comforter to those experiencing the harsh realities/evils of this broken world today?
  4. What beauty and hope lies in the age to come?
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God’s BIG Picture

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 5 & 6

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 3

New Testament: Philippians 4:5

Chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes begins with a long poetic structure on the nature of time. Verse 1 gives the overall premise and theme of the poem, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

There are SEVEN double pairs in the poem (FOURTEEN pairs total), which likely is meant to represent completeness for all the possible human activities and experiences in life. All the pairings are all polar-merisms, where the two extremes of an activity are mentioned to represent all the various combinations and degrees that can exist between them.

The appropriateness of timing is a major theme in wisdom literature. Timing is everything in life. Wisdom promotes knowing how fitting the timing is for a particular activity. The idea that there is a proper time for everything stems from the premise in wisdom literature that God has created the cosmos in such a way that everything follows an orderly path and timing. So, if creation exhibits orderliness and appropriate timing of events, then wisdom would see that intention as being applied to human decisions and life experience as well.

While God has ordered the cosmos in such a way that it follows distinct patterns and activities, Solomon is not saying that such a mechanistic view of the world is meant to be replicated exactly in human life. The various circumstances described in the poem are not pre-determined to happen in the course of life like a formula or preset timeline.

Interestingly, outside of being born and dying, every other circumstance that is described in the poem is one which a person can respond to when they find themselves encountering that occasion. Throughout the poem, it is difficult to pin down exactly what some of the references actually mean. They are mostly generic and therefore can be applied to a wide range of human situations. Furthermore, it cannot be determined if they are meant to be understood concretely (i.e., literally) or figuratively.

Verse 11 says that God makes “everything appropriate in its time”—what does it mean to be “made appropriate in its time”? This is perhaps one of the most difficult verses in the entire book of Ecclesiastes. It seems that the best way to understand this phrase is to begin with Solomon’s framework of the world in mind where he sees God as the one ultimately in charge in ordering the world. And so, in Solomon’s view, God has structured the world so that everything has its proper time in which everything happens, but the how and when of the appropriateness of the timing is elusive to the human mind. Only God can comprehend how he has made everything to have its own appropriate time.

Along with this complex statement, Solomon says next that God has also “set eternity” in people’s hearts, but not in such a way that they “can find out the work that God has done from the beginning to the end.” What does it mean to “set eternity” in the human heart? The phrase can be taken a couple of different ways, but it seems that the best way to take the phrase is referring to how God has placed a sense of time in the human heart where they are aware of past, present, and future and the duration of events. In a world that is ordered by time, humans can understand “that” there is a time and place in which all events happen, but to grasp the larger picture, to be able to see the whole, escapes the comprehension of humankind.

However, another way to understand this phrase could be that God has placed “a deep-seated desire, a compulsive drive…to know the character, composition, and meaning of the world…and to discern its purpose and destiny.”[1] In essence, God has placed an endless curiosity for understanding and acquiring answers in the human heart. Humans want to know, we crave to know, the answers to the questions we ask. Human beings desire to understand the “beginning” all the way to the “end” in order to control and manipulate it, thereby being able to obtain some profit or gain from their efforts.

But none can be collected. We are not able to discern the plan or pattern that God has set in motion in the world. The intricacies of God’s “work” (why he does what he does) are outside the realm of human investigation (i.e., we can’t find out no matter how hard we search), and therefore, it is beyond human comprehension, and by extension then, human control. And so, while we have “eternity” in our hearts, we are left in a state of bewilderment regarding the mystery of time by which all events happen in life.

What I think we can learn from this is that life is filled with a diversity of experiences and is not something that can be micromanaged. While we can choose how we respond to various circumstances in life, our lives are filled with events that are outside our control. God has ordered the world and life in general in such a way, and we experience life according to that ordering but not in a way that we can understand why everything happens the way it does, when it does. We must trust our lives to God who has infinite wisdom and sees all things. Only he has the “big picture” and knows the end from the beginning. To him be all the glory and praise. Amen.

[1] Walter Kaiser, Ecclesiastes, 66.

-Jerry Wierwille

Reflection Questions

  1. Where in your own life have you experienced “a time for everything”?
  2. How do you think God has put eternity in your heart?
  3. In what ways and understandings is God much much bigger than you?
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An Investigation of Pleasure

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 3 & 4

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2

New Testament: Philippians 4:1-4

Solomon continues his investigation of the meaning of life by testing the pleasure of wine, building projects, music, sex, and philosophy. During his inquiry into pleasure and construction, he says that he did this while “wisdom remained with me” (Eccl 2:9).

But what sort of “wisdom” is Solomon espousing as having employed here? The wisdom that Solomon is describing is having his rational faculties still active and functioning. He is not referring to the divine wisdom which the Book of Proverbs is so focused on. Rather, “wisdom” here is Solomon’s maintaining his investigation on proper grounds and with his mind intact. Solomon is not talking about drunkenness or alcoholism. He wished to test enjoyment, but within certain boundaries, without losing himself and thereby preventing himself from acquiring the answer he set out to find.

His investigation was whether pleasure in various forms was a solution to the emptiness of life and the question of ultimate value. And thus, Solomon was seeking to determine if rational indulgence in one’s desire would result in satisfaction and meaning in life.

One question we could ask is why is wine part of pleasure seeking for Solomon but not cheesecake, chocolate, or ice cream? Of course, he didn’t have access to those things, but there is something particular about alcohol that makes it relevant to Solomon’s case.

One of the benefits for why God made wine is that it is said to “make people’s hearts glad” (Ps 104:15). This appears to be the beneficial purpose that Solomon is seeking to test. But ultimately it did not deliver what he was looking for. And the same result was discovered with regard to building, music, sex, and philosophy.

While money can’t buy happiness, it can buy food, fun, and frivolous things.

Why do we sometimes attach such meaning to things, as though if we don’t have them, then life is somehow incomplete, or we are missing out? The funny thing is that people are not likely to say that the meaning of their life is found in the things they own or could own. But practically speaking, many people act in ways that suggest that their money and their belongings play an excessively important role in how they view their success and wellbeing in life.

But money comes and goes and so do things. Can you imagine losing everything? It’s possible. It is possible that one day everything could be gone. Burned, stolen, wrecked, or bankrupt. You could end up with nothing. Would your life feel empty if you lost everything. I am not asking if you would feel loss, of course you would experience loss, everything’s gone. But would you feel empty now that everything you worked for has now vanished, and it is as if you never did any work your whole life. You have nothing to show for the years you labored. I think we all might struggle to not place undue significance on our money and possessions.

And so, after all these considerations Solomon concludes, “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and make his soul enjoy good in his labor” (Eccl 2:24). While Solomon didn’t find the meaning of life in these activities, he did see that there is an enjoyment that a person can have in them. However, that enjoyment is elusive if it is not done from a heart that acknowledges it is a gift that comes from the “hand of God” (Eccl 2:24).

We must recognize that even the simple pleasures of life, while not providing ultimate meaning and lasting value, are still good things that God gives to us. Working hard and partaking of the fruit of our labor, and being able to provide for ourselves, our families, and our friends, can bring joy if done with the proper mindset. “For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy” (Eccl 2:26).

-Jerry Wierwille

Reflection Questions

  1. What brings you pleasure? Have you ever felt like, or acted like, these activities or things were the meaning of life? What might that look like?
  2. Are there pleasures that don’t come from the hand of God? If so, what are they?
  3. What do you think of verse 26?
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Nothing New

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 1 & 2

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 1

New Testament: Philippians 3

1.   Ecclesiastes is wisdom literature

Ecclesiastes is unlike any other book in the OT canon. It is part of the wisdom literature genre, but it is presented in a unique fashion with a different approach than the other wisdom books. Each of the wisdom books in the OT are unique in their style and approach (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs). Nevertheless, there are definitely some aspects of Ecclesiastes that are akin to what is found in the Book of Proverbs.

2.  The approach of Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes can be likened to a journal that contains the reflections of one man’s journey through life.

  • It conveys the author’s observations on life.
  • It records his attitudes and feelings as he searches for meaning in life.
  • It sets forth his conclusions after a lifetime of searching.

We could also think of Ecclesiastes as like a travel log or guidebook that was left after a traveler had completed his trip, and he wanted the next traveler to see what lies ahead of them if they follow his path. Thus, it contains all the uncensored observations and learnings of a man along the journey of life that was fully lived with no avenue or pursuit left unexplored. He’s done it all, and he simply tells it like he sees it because he has lived it and knows it.

3. Why is the book called “Ecclesiastes”?

The title “Ecclesiastes” is actually the Greek title given to the book in the LXX (Greek translation of the Hebrew OT done around the 3rd cent. BC). Actually, most of the book names in the OT that we have in our English Bibles today come from the LXX rendering of the Hebrew.

Before we talk about the word “Ecclesiastes,” let’s take one more step back in time to the Hebrew Bible. The title “Ecclesiastes” is translated from the Hebrew word Qohelet, which roughly means “one who calls the assembly” or “one who addresses the assembly.”

And thus, an “ecclesiastes” was a person who sat in or spoke to an ekklēsia (“assembly”). Ekklēsia is the NT word for “church” and the OT word used in the LXX for the “assembly” (i.e., “the congregation”) of Israel.

4. Who is the author?

There is no specific identified author of Ecclesiastes, but it has traditionally been ascribed to King Solomon, the 3rd king of Israel. All we know is that the author identifies himself as the Qohelet (“the Ecclesiastes”) in v. 1. But there are other clues in the book that lead us to conclude that the author is likely King Solomon.

  1. He was a king in Jerusalem (1:1)
  2. He was a/the son of David (1:1)
  3. He considered himself to be the wisest man (1:16)
  4. He was a great builder (2:4-6)
  5. He was extremely wealthy (2:8)
  6. He had a large harem (2:8)

But some scholars have noted that there are a couple of factors that militate against concluding that Solomon was the author, or at least that Solomon wasn’t the one to compose the book.

There are shifts from 1st person to 3rd person, suggesting the possibility of a narrator as the composer of the book, much like the way Gospel writers composed their re-telling of the life and ministry of Jesus by recording his teachings and activity, but Jesus was not technically the author.

But whether Solomon was the direct author, or a later editor compiled his writings into their final form, it seems best to still identify the “Sage” as being Solomon.

5. The Main Theme

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3

“Utterly pointless!” says the Sage;

 “Utterly pointless! Everything is pointless.” 

 3What does a person gain from all his toil

 at which he toils under the sun?

Solomon’s basic premise → “When all is said and done in life, there is nothing that can give a true sense of accomplishment and gratification.” True, it is a very pessimistic outlook on life. Solomon is basically saying that nothing can actually satisfy and provide what we want. Life on a purely human level, no matter how great it is lived, will be pointless. Why is that? Because activity, in and of itself, doesn’t produce anything of lasting and ultimate value.

Have you ever worked really hard and then thought to yourself, “Am I even getting anywhere?” We can work really hard, and yet not feel like what we do is really going to matter. In one sense, this is correct. We can work ourselves to the bone, but all that effort is really not going to produce something that truly lasts or has an enduring value.

One of Solomon’s other points in this opening section is: Nothing is every truly “new.”

Solomon has observed that there really is nothing ever truly new in life. Either people have forgotten what has gone by in the past, and then later rediscovered it, or people were never aware of it in the first place and then think their eventual perception of it is somehow a profound and novel occurrence.

All that life consists of, all the complexities and frustrations it brings, and all the incredible advancements in human knowledge don’t change the fact that life as we know it is basically the same. We may use different tools, be involved in different activities, or use various other means by which we accomplish the tasks of life, but everyone is still occupied with the same basic needs and desires as they always have been. Nothing in the centuries and millennia of human existence has ever really deviated from the original pattern.

-Jerry Wierwille

Reflection Questions

  1. Who do you know who has passed along wisdom after they have “travelled the road”? What did you learn from them?
  2. Are you generally a pessimistic or optimistic person? What do you think of Ecclesiastes 1? What wisdom do you find in this chapter?
  3. Why do you think God wanted Ecclesiastes 1 included in the Scriptures?
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Together in Christ

Old Testament: 2 Kings 24-25

Poetry: Psalm 89

New Testament: Philippians 2

The second chapter of Philippians is a lesson in unity and behavior. 

Conflict happens. Any time there are people gathered, there will be a difference in thinking. God gave us beautiful brains and the ability to reason and rationalize in different ways. He blessed us with the ability to form opinions. And those opinions are bound to differ. 

Too often, though, we give our own opinions too much power. We allow them to shoulder their way into our relationships with great force and little apology and we let them overshadow the important things like love, compassion, tenderness, and humility. 

Humility. It’s such an underrated quality in society. But which is more important: having your way, or being more Christ-like? Sounds like an easy answer, but it’s SO DIFFICULT to practice. 

Have you ever allowed your opinions too much power? Have they ever kept you from displaying the humility of Christ? Is there a current relationship that could be improved if you showed more humility in the name of Jesus? 

Verses 1-4 lay out such a heartfelt plea from Paul to the believers in Philippi. He begs them to be united. 

He tells them, and now us, that if we have any blessings from being united with Christ, from his grace and his salvation, then we must be united with each other as believers. Value others above ourselves. We must lay our opinions to the side and focus on our job as Christians: to show others Christ and further his message. 

In verses 5-11 he lays out the mindset of Jesus Christ – the one who had the ability to ask anything of God and have it granted to him, but instead chose to make himself a servant to others. Because Jesus loved that hard. 

I lay aside my own opinions and preferences for my family all the time. It’s easy because I love them more than I love myself. I frequently do the same for my friends. But what about the church member or coworker or acquaintance or family member that I find “difficult”? Am I so willing to lay aside my opinions or preferences on how things “should be done” for them? Are you? 

 And yet that is what Christ asks of us. As a church body we are called to unite. And so many churches and Christians struggle with this. I struggle. I struggle so hard. When I should be loving hard. Like Jesus. 

Do you get distracted by doing things your way? Does your method really matter in the grand scheme of spreading the gospel message? What relationships could be improved if you showed more humility? How could your faith and relationships be better if you placed Furthering the Kingdom over Getting Your Way? 

Verses 12-30 sting a little bit for me. “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.” I like to call it “venting” but it’s really complaining. And I’m told not to. We are called to be united as Christ followers so that when we are out in this wicked world we can “shine among them like stars in the sky.” 

The world is full of darkness and we are called to be stars. Paul asks us to show others love and humility, like Timothy and Epaphroditus. He asks that rather than look after our own interests, we look after the interests of Jesus Christ. 

That’s so powerful: look after the interests of Jesus Christ. 

My prayer for you today is that you are able to examine your relationships with others in full humility and see how you can place others before yourselves. I pray that we, as believers, can interact with one another in a way that will show the world Jesus Christ. I pray that we can all stop letting our differences get in the way of our purpose, and that we would instead focus on furthering the gospel message in unity. Blessings and love from your sister in Christ! 

-Jenn Haynes

Reflection Questions Given aBove

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