Explore the Bible: July 25

What’s the Use? • Ecclesiastes 1:12-15; 2:18-26

By Beth S. Bowman

In August of the year my brother Hunter turned five years old, he sat down at the door of the house and refused to get up. My mom and he were on the way to meet his kindergarten teacher for the first time. My mom asked him what he was doing, sitting in front of the door. He burst into tears and said, “There’s no sense in me going to school! I don’t know how to read or write!” Bless his heart, even at that young age he was trying to figure things out so that they made sense to him.

The writer of Ecclesiastes is also trying to make sense of his circumstances. He’s trying to figure out the meaning of life in this book. Israel’s King Solomon was known throughout the land as a wise person. You may remember that wisdom is what he had asked God for when he became the leader of the Israelites (1 Kings 3:5-28).

Solomon wrote thousands of proverbs with the wisdom God had given him. In 1 Kings chapter four, we learn that Solomon was considered wiser than any of the other men of the day. Solomon had ruled Israel with wisdom and had gained favor with people all over the known world, but this is his opportunity to look back and try to understand the true meaning of life.

This was Solomon’s time to stop and reflect. In his reflection, we can sense that he is depressed when we read Ecclesiastes 1:14: “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (NIV). “What’s the point of life,” is my interpretation.

Solomon goes on to state that no matter what, he cannot figure things out. The way he states this is in Ecclesiastes 1:15, “What is wrong cannot be made right.  What is missing cannot be recovered.”

The second chunk of Scripture in today’s lesson is found in Ecclesiastes 2:18-26, but read the first part of this chapter. It starts with Solomon looking for pleasure and for the good things in life. He found this was meaningless, also.

What about wine? Would that bring him the peace that he sought? Would it provide the security of understanding the meaning of life? That didn’t help. He tried big homes, vineyards, gardens, and parks. He owned many slaves, both men and women.

He owned more flocks than anyone else had ever had. Silver and gold were also things that Solomon possessed. None of these brought him the understanding that he sought so diligently. He even tried hard work but sums up all of this as, “chasing the wind.”

Then Solomon changes his discourse to begin wondering about what would happen to his riches after he died. He realized that it all has been meaningless because someone else would inherit his stuff. Finally, in verses 24-25, Solomon begins to turn the conversation around. He states, “So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him (God)?” (NLT).

I don’t know about you, but I almost despaired before Solomon finally came to the realization that all of us need to view life through the lens of God’s goodness to us.

James 1:17 tells us plainly, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” God is a good, good Father. He is the source of our joy and our happiness and apart from His truth and grace, we will never find a true understanding of life.

Bowman, a member of West Carthage Church, is a speaker/writer. She may be contacted at beth@bethbowman.net.