Category: Ecclesiastes

Wise Words

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 19-20

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 10

New Testament: Colossians 1:15-29

Ecclesiastes chapter 9 ended with an expression of the power of foolishness: “Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good” (9:18).

Here in verse 1, the premise of 9:18 is now carried forward. The principle that is being addressed is that a little bit of a bad thing (e.g., foolishness) can completely ruin a good thing. The modern saying “A fly in the ointment” contains the same wisdom and is used to represent how something small (or seemingly insignificant) can have a powerful or far-reaching effect. There are many small things that can produce a powerful effect.

We have another modern proverb to convey the same idea, “One rotten (bad) apple spoils the barrel.” This is a truism as we now know because of microorganisms (e.g., mold, bacteria, yeast), which tend to have a permeating effect. Once they are introduced, they will continue to spread until they have affected every part of the substance and adjacent substances.

Foolishness and sin are often likened to a foul stench, such as Proverbs 13:5—“A righteous person hates a deceptive word, but a wicked person will become a stench and display his shame.” Clearly the “stench” in Proverbs 13:5 is the speech (i.e., words) of the wicked person (i.e., fool). What Solomon has in mind is likely the words of the “sinner” in 9:18, not just the person. Thus, what he is saying is that it only takes a few foolish words to bring about a whole world of destruction. Furthermore, a fool cannot conceal their foolishness, but clearly demonstrates it each time they open their mouth or do anything.

While a ruler or person in authority is not immune to foolishness, verse 4 does not seem to be closely connected with the previous verses but offers advice on how to act in the presence of those with authority. Previously, Solomon had advised that a person follow the command of the king and not argue with him (8:2-9), it seems that he is saying the opposite here. However, the present context is not about opposing the king, but how to deal with him when he is angry with you. To walk out on the king in his anger will only incite him to be even more angry with you. Rather, Solomon suggests to change how you interact with him; it is wise to use a “calm” demeanor, as that can reduce his anger and offense against you.

Part of Solomon’s observational dilemma is that what he sees in the world is perplexing and out of order with what he thinks should be the case. When he sees, “Foolishness is set in many high positions, while the rich sit in a low place. I have seen servants on horses while officials walk on the ground like servants.” The point of Solomon’s examples is to say that if foolishness is in charge, then the world will be upside down and wisdom won’t work as expected.

In another way of looking at the world, Solomon notices that things can happen to the best of us (i.e., skilled and knowledgeable in their craft). One way to see Solomon’s point is that being a skilled expert does not remove all potential danger or guarantee success. The other way is that a skilled expert will fail if they don’t properly apply their knowledge.

Foolishness has a progression to it. The beginning is foolishness (v. 13), but the foolishness deteriorates the situation into becoming “hurtful madness.” Foolish words harm both the speaker and the listener, but a fool is oblivious to this. It seems that the fool has a false perception of understanding or control over life that they don’t recognize how they are stumbling further into foolishness and disastrous consequences.

The delusional consequences of the fool are further elaborated by depicting him as forgetting how to go to a city where he presumably works or needs to go to sell goods. The effort of the fool is compounded by the fact that he does not even have the basic understanding of how to carry out business. And thus, the fool’s effort must be multiplied because of his lack of sense about where he needs to go. To run a successful industry requires knowledge about trade and commerce, and the fool is deceived into thinking they can be successful without it.

If a foolish leader will bring about disorder and chaos, in vv. 16-17 Solomon now contrasts the consequences of foolish leadership with the advantage of wise leaders.

Solomon identifies in verse 16 two detrimental qualities of leadership: being immature and being neglectful. “Feasting in the morning” implies that when leaders should be tending to the business of the kingdom (i.e., in the morning), they instead are reclining to eat. This does not refer to breakfast but a large-scale banquet typically involving entertainment, music, and drinking wine.

The concluding phrase of verse 19 might be the most difficult of the chapter. On the surface, the verse seems to be advocating a sensual lifestyle of eating, drinking, and using money to satisfy one’s desires and enjoy the luxuries of life.

While the phrasing is a little difficult and the Hebrew offers a high degree of latitude in meaning, it seems that what Solomon is affirming is the need to have money in order to buy food and wine and other provisions for enjoying the simple aspects of life that Solomon has been endorsing all along.

Solomon closes with a warning about how to conduct oneself in the presence of a king (or any authority figure). He warns about the dangers in cursing the ruler or person in authority, even in one’s thoughts or “sleeping chamber” (i.e., in secret). The point of the warning is that the danger of consequences is not worth the risk. The king is sovereign and can issue severe punishments. We have a modern saying that expresses the same admonition: “The walls have ears.” The warnings are hyperbolic (e.g., exaggerated) because no one can know another person’s thoughts. But the emphasis is to be overly cautious about how you act and what you say about a ruler or person in authority. You never know who might be listening; and you don’t want to be caught and suffer the consequences.

-Jerry Wierwille

Reflection Questions

  1. What examples can you give of how a little of a bad thing can spoil a good thing? Can you think of a time when you tried to let just a little bit of a bad thing in and it led to big problems and a lot of spoilage? What could you have done differently to lead to different/better results?
  2. What verse do you like best in Ecclesiastes 10? What wisdom do you find in Ecclesiastes 10?
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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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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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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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The Big Reveal on the Meaning of Life

Ecclesiastes 12

Thursday, July 21, 2022

After plodding through Ecclesiastes 1 and 3 over the last two day’s devotions, we are finally at Ecclesiastes 12, where Solomon has his reveal about the meaning of life.  Verse 1 starts out the chapter with, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, I find no pleasure in them.”  

The next 7 verses highlight why the elderly may not find pleasure in their old age – because they experience things like fading eyesight, losing hearing, developing tremors, stooping because of osteoporosis, losing teeth, unable to sleep – and then die.

So what does it mean to “remember your Creator?”  Is this like “remember to take out the trash?”  No.  And it entails a lot more than just thinking about Him once in a while. When you’re tempted to enjoy the pleasures of sin, remember your Creator.  When you’re tempted to live your life in rebellion against God, remember your Creator.  When your peers are doing something you know is wrong and you’re tempted to join in, remember your Creator.  It means putting God at the forefront of your thoughts, dedicating your life to Him, and living for Him.

I think there are several practical reasons to start serving the Lord while you are young.   Here is a partial list:

  • Life in a close relationship with God is satisfying and fulfilling, so the earlier you start that relationship with Him, the longer you’ll experience meaning in your life.
  • By accepting God while you are young, you will spare yourself a lot of pain and problems that you would experience in a life of rebellion against God.
  • You may want to live it up while you are young and plan on a “death bed confession” (giving your life to the Lord just before you die).  But we never know when we may die.  Accidents happen.  And you don’t want to suffer the eternal consequences of not devoting your life to the Lord.
  • You may get dementia as you age, and won’t be able to make a decision for the Lord late in life.
  • As people age, they get more set in their ways and find it more difficult to change.

I think Solomon is giving good advice, “remember your Creator in the days of your youth.”  

At the end of Ecclesiastes 12, we finally come to Solomon’s conclusion when seeking the meaning of life.  Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14 read, “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 man.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”

Fear includes a lot more than being scared of God.  It includes being in awe of Him.  Giving Him reverence.  Giving him glory.  Giving Him your life (living for Him).

To paraphrase Solomon, the bottom line is this:  

You can live your life your own way, and experience a life that is meaningless and unfulfilling, then die.  Or you can live your life God’s way, and experience a life that is meaningful and fulfilling, and then die.

Either way, you will die.  And when Jesus returns, you will face judgment.  If you have lived your life your own way, you will face condemnation and the second death.  If you have lived your life for God, you will receive commendation and will enjoy eternal life.

The only rational choice is to “fear God and keep his commandments.”

You don’t have to be rational.  But you do have to choose.  Choose wisely.

–Steve Mattison

Application Questions

  1. Look again at the list of reasons to start serving the Lord while you are young. Is there anything else you would add to it?
  2. If you have started serving the Lord, when did you start? Why was that a great time to do it? If you haven’t yet, what are you waiting for?
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What to do with the Difficult Times

Ecclesiastes 3

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Whether you know it or not, you’re probably familiar with the first few verses of Ecclesiastes 3:

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2  a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3  a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

4  a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5  a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6  a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7  a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8  a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

I like about half the things listed, and would rather not have the other half, but life just doesn’t work that way.  We have to take the bad with the good.

I was at a funeral last Saturday when these verses were read.  It seems like this passage is mostly referenced during difficult times – because we don’t need to be reminded about these things during happy times.  When someone is born, we don’t want to be reminded that they will eventually die.  But when someone dies, we need to be reminded that this world has both good and bad, and we can’t just pick and choose what happens in life.

Verse 11 goes on to say, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men…”.  

Does this mean that death is beautiful?; that cancer is beautiful?; that problems are beautiful?  No, not in themselves.  But the rest of the verse goes on to say that God has set eternity in the hearts of men.  I think that means these experiences make us long for the time when these problems will be a thing of the past.  When there will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain – in the Kingdom of God. 

We mentioned Romans 8:22-23 a couple of days ago, which says, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.”

In addition to pain and suffering being consequences of the Curse (Genesis 3) as a result of sin, I believe God uses these to help us long for His coming kingdom.  This longing helps us refocus our lives on following Him.  It also helps us not place too much importance on the temporary things this world has to offer.

James 1: 2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

I believe this points out that difficulties we face in life can produce perseverance, helping us mature in our Christian walk, and helping us become more persistent in living for the Lord.  And if we finish strong – living our lives for the Lord – we will be in His kingdom, experiencing delight for eternity.  

So because difficulties can draw us closer to God, which will cause us to live more dedicated lives for Him, with the ultimate result of being in His kingdom, in this sense, everything works together for our ultimate good, and is therefore beautiful.  Even though it might seem like something stinks at the time, it can be beautiful – but only if it makes you long for the Kingdom of God and then live your life devoted to following Him.

If difficult times make us resent that God permitted these times, and if we reject God as a result of this, then we can look forward to Ecclesiastes 3:17 which says, “…God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked…”

I’d like to challenge you to let the difficult times draw you closer to God.  But it’s entirely up to you how you respond.

–Steve Mattison

Application Questions

  1. What difficult times have you been through? What good times have you enjoyed?
  2. What can be learned through the good times? What can be learned through the difficult days (and seasons)?
  3. Looking back on your own life (or the example of someone else) can you see times when the trials and hardships have prompted spiritual growth and perseverance and a re-focusing on what truly matters, including of course eternal life with God and Jesus in the coming Kingdom of God?
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Chasing after the Wind

Ecclesiastes 1

Solomon was the wisest person who ever lived (see 1 Kings 3:10-12). He wrote the book of Ecclesiastes to probe the meaning of life.  It’s widely believed that he wrote this toward the end of his life, after he had experienced much of what life had to offer.

Let’s look at some of the treasures of wisdom Solomon wrote down:

  • Ecc 1:2, “Meaningless! Meaningless! says the teacher.  Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless.”
  • Ecc 1:11, “There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.”
  • Ecc 1:14, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
  • Ecc 1:17, “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.”
  • Ecc 1:18, “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.”

We’re only covering chapter 1 here, but chapter 2 goes on to point out the uselessness of pursuing wealth or pleasure or accomplishing great things.

What’s going on here?  Does life just stink?  

Solomon is pointing out the futility of living this mortal life to the fullest – apart from God.  If all we have to look forward to is death, life is indeed meaningless.  It doesn’t matter how much we pursue pleasure, wealth, or anything else that our hearts desire – our life will be unfulfilled, without satisfaction, without joy, without purpose, and without hope.

When my wife was dying after a four-year battle with cancer, we could both take comfort in the fact that we have the hope of the resurrection, and eternal life to look forward to.  Even in death, we have hope of future joy.  Living a life for God gives us hope.  Our life can be fulfilling, with satisfaction, purpose, and joy.

It takes a lot of people a very long time to figure this out.  My challenge to you is to carefully consider the meaning of your life today.  Choose a life of submission and service to God, and your life won’t be meaningless.  Or go your own way, and identify with Solomon’s Ecclesiastes.

–Steve Mattison

Question Application

  1. What do you spend a lot of time (effort, or money) on that Solomon, or God, might consider “Meaningless”?
  2. Have you found anything that gives life satisfaction, purpose and joy? Where would you look?
  3. What will last?

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