Ecclesiastes 1 – 6

Ecclesiastes 1 - 6

Do you believe that “everything is meaningless, … completely meaningless,” as Solomon asserts? He asserts that nothing changes, that “History merely repeats itself.” The same Solomon, who urges us to seek wisdom, who devoted himself to search for understanding and explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven, now says “The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow.”

Wisdom didn’t seem to cut it, so he tried pleasure, but found that also meaningless. When all was said and done “the wise and the foolish both die” and “the wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool.” He repeats that
“Everything is meaningless.” But, he does conclude that pleasures are from the hand of God.”

By the time I got to chapter 3, I was singing the Byrds famous song, taken from Ecclesiastes, “Turn, Turn, Turn.” God has “made everything beautiful for its own time” and that “people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end,” but that “people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.”

Solomon makes a great case that “two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.”

Maybe one of the most important things he said was in Proverbs 5:1-2: “As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are hear on earth. So let your words be few.”

Tomorrow, it’s Ecclesiastes 7 - 12.

Until next time…