Lessons from the Qohelet_________

Ecclesiastes 1

1. I am Frustrated beyond belief.


1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 
    2"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher,
         "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity." 
    3What advantage does man have in all his work
         Which he does under the sun? 


Verses 1-3___ The Hebrew word "Qohelet" is the proper name for this book. It means the "teacher" or the "preacher." This "preacher" can be only Solomon. In all his wisdom, he now has decided that all things are meaningless. Some might say from a "psychological perspective," that this man is depressed or suffering from some type of bi-polar disorder. I assure you, that is not the case. Here is a man who has spent his entire life chasing everything under the sun that seemed to be of value only to find out in the end that all earthly pursuits are futile. When we find out our end is near, we must look at life in a different perspective.


2. I am Frustrated with Nature and History

 4A generation goes and a generation comes,
         But the earth remains forever. 
    5Also, the sun rises and the sun sets;
         And hastening to its place it rises there again. 
    6Blowing toward the south,
         Then turning toward the north,
         The wind continues swirling along;
         And on its circular courses the wind returns. 
    7All the rivers flow into the sea,
         Yet the sea is not full.
         To the place where the rivers flow,
         There they flow again. 
    8All things are wearisome;
         Man is not able to tell it.
         The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
         Nor is the ear filled with hearing. 
    9That which has been is that which will be,
         And that which has been done is that which will be done.
         So there is nothing new under the sun. 
    10Is there anything of which one might say,
         "See this, it is new"?
         Already it has existed for ages
         Which were before us. 
    11There is no remembrance of earlier things;
         And also of the later things which will occur,
         There will be for them no remembrance
         Among those who will come later still.


Verses 4-11____What is the ultimate truth and what is ultimate reality? Can nature tell us anything? (1) the earth is solid (2) the heavenly bodies continue to rise and set (3) there are air currents (4) we observe the flow and the evaporation of water. (5) South and north are selected as a balance to the east and west of the sun. We understand and are able to describe "what is" and "what things do" but in the end all we have is a description. Nature can not tell us a single reason as to why and what is the purpose and where does all of this end. Yes, what we need is some proof for our purpose on earth. Does everything just repeat itself over and over and earth is nothing but an endless cycle with no meaning?

We have much the same problem with history. If the solid earth gives no meaning to life what help is it to know about the endless succession of birth and death?(4). All men and women struggle to find meaning for their life and meaning in the experiences they endure but isn't all of that in vain? (8). Every generation thinks that they are "the" generation but the truth is there is nothing new under the sun. One generation is not so different from another. (9). Humans are trapped in time and nature and nothing but nothing will change. There have been no inventions that allow man to break free from the current system and give me any hope in ending this cycle of futility.


3. The Frustration of Wisdom___ 1:12-18

The Futility of Wisdom

 12I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

 13And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

 14I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.

 15What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted.

 16I said to myself, "Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge."

 17And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind.

 18Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.


Verses 12-13___We are now confronted with an existential reality. The modern existentialist views everything as absurd. If man is nothing but a series of events and experiences and these experiences and events have no meaning, all he can do is exist and make the best of what comes. Yet, most people still believe that life must have some meaning if only they could find it. In his first mention of God (v.13) the teacher tells us that this "God" has given something to man that He has denied the rest of the animal kingdom. Mankind has been and still is in a constant search to find meaning. An animal lives within its circle of instincts and drives but human desire so much more. Being made in the likeness of God means that man has some control over his destiny.

Verses 14-15____ Even Christians who have so much more information than did Solomon, still struggle with these basic questions about life. In the end we must rely on a "leap of faith." How may of us have noticed all the different social programs that come and go and yet nothing really every changes. The poor are still poor and the sick are still sick. If we look for human solutions to our problems in society we will be continually disappointed (v.15).

Verses 16-18__The preacher up to this point has been trying to make us think, but now confesses that even the wisdom of Solomon can not break through on the basis of human reason. (16) There have been those who struggled to understand the secret of the universe and many have abandoned their search because in the end, all is folly and madness. (17) The teacher like others today becomes frustrated because his thinking is earthbound and limited.