ECCLESIASTES
ECCLESIASTES
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
June 30, 2009
Taught by: Carolyn Sissom
Ecclesiastes means the Preacher. The Preacher has a sermon to preach. In the Chapter One, he exposes a problem and in Chapter two presents a basic outline of its solution.
The Preacher constructed his sermon very wisely, first pointing out the vanity of all things “under the sun” (in the earthly realm) and showing the folly of human wisdom apart from the Divine Wisdom. Then he leads us to the conclusion that only God can bring fulfillment, and thus our hope and trust must be in Him alone.
Through the years, I would dutifully read Ecclesiastes and would be very depressed when I realized that my flesh was still chasing after some of the things that “all is vanity.” The sermon is written for the conversion of the self-sufficient intellectual. I had a little of that in me. One year I read it, and my Spirit leapt with joy. I felt like Solomon got it. Regardless of his backsliding, I believe Solomon is in Heaven. I am not imposing this idea on anyone else. It is simply my conviction.
King Solomon was in a position to satisfy his every desire. He attempted to do so materially, sensually, emotionally and intellectually. He soon discovered that life without the fear of God was empty and futile. Some disagree as to whether Solomon wrote this book or someone wrote the book about him using his experiences. Either way the message comes through loud and clear that the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments (12:13). It is my personal conclusion that he wrote it in later life.
Ecclesiastes presents itself as the matured and chastened wisdom of a king who has learned from experience the futility of living for any other purpose than the glory of God. He has come to realize what a poor bargain it is for man to gain the whole world but to lose his own soul. He had been personally favored with unlimited wealth and power to test all that the world had to offer. He enjoyed the finest of education and an unrivaled reputation for wisdom. (1:16) “I communed with my own heart, saying Lo, I am come to great estate; and have gotten more wisdom than all they have been before me in Jerusalem; yea my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” "Heart" here is the soul (mind, will and emotions).
His riches were immeasurable (2:8) “I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I got me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts”
He was surrounded with hosts of servants (2:7). His opportunities for carnal pleasure knew no restriction. (2:3) “I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting my heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, until I might see what was that good for the sons of men, when they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.”
I believe we can see an analogy here with the life of Michael Jackson and his quests in life. I haven’t had time to watch any of the news programs, but I know it is surely a witness to this generation of (1:2) “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, all is vanity.”
He could afford the most extensive building projects and look with pride on their accomplishment. Yet in the end these false avenues to life’s highest good led only to a vanished satisfaction and a sense of personal emptiness: all was vanity, futile meaninglessness. In this end the son of David was driven back to the lessons and insights of his early upbringing, and he had to recognize that only in God can a man find real significance and lasting satisfaction. It was therefore this legacy that Solomon wishes to leave behind for this willful, headstrong people, and also for men of subsequent generations who earnestly search for life’s highest good and the meaning of life.
Paradoxically, it is not found in this life at all, but rather in God and the supernatural realm of His perfect will.
Luke 17:20-21: “AND WHEN HE WAS DEMANDED OF THE Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, the Kingdom of God comes not with observation; Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, Lo, there! For, behold the Kingdom of God is within you.”
JESUS CHRIST IS SEEN IN THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES:
1. Jesus Christ is seen as the Preacher, the Son of David, the Wisdom of God, and the King of the Jerusalem “from above” (Gal. 4:26) “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” (1 Cor. 1:24) “But to them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”
- Jesus Christ is the Greatest Good and the Ultimate Satisfaction for which the believer aspires. (Jn. 4: 13-14) “Jesus answered and said to her, Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water spring up into everlasting life.” He is also the One Shepherd or Teacher from Whom the wisdom of the book comes. (Ec. 12:11; Jn. 10:1 ;). In brief, He is both the Water of Life that quenches our thirst for happiness, and the Wisdom of God that satisfies our desire for knowledge. (Col. 2:3) “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- The Sun (of Righteousness). (1:3; Mal. 4:2; 11 Pet. 1:19)”We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto you do well that you take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.”
- The one who came to Great Estate. (1:16; Heb. 1:4; 8:6) “Being made so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they…But to the Son, He says, Your throne, O God is for ever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your Kingdom.”
- The Light that Excells Darkness. (2:13; Jn. 1:1-9; 8:12)
- The Man whose labor is in Wisdom (2:21; Jn. 17:4; Heb. 4:10). “for he that is entered into His rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His.”
- The One who lifts up His fellow (4:10; Amos 3:3; Mt. 11:28-30). “Come to Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
- The One who came out of Prison to Reign. (4:14; Heb. 5:7; Eph. 1:20-23)
- The Angel (5:6): “Suffer not your mouth to cause your flesh to sin; neither say you before the angel, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? (Heb. 4:14-16) “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession”
- Him that is Mightier. (6:10, Isa. 9: 6-7; Matt. 28: 18-20) “that which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man; neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.”
- The Poor Wise Man. (9:15) “Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man,: (James 3:17) “but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”
- The Sweet Light. (11:7) “Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.” (Jn. 8:12)
- The Creator (12:1) “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when you shall say, I have no pleasure in them;’ (Jn. 1:3) Col. 1:16: “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him:
- The One Shepherd (12; 11): The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies which are given from one shepherd.”(Jn. 10: 1-10)
- The God Who is to be Feared. (12:13) “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.”
- The God Who is the Judge. (12:14) “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good, or whether it be evil.”
The purpose of the Book is to solicit trust in God by discounting trust in any other. To disillusion those who would put their trust in the things of this world by pointing out the vanity of all earthly things.
To comfort the Godly, showing them how to face the difficulties of life.
To answer the question, “Is life worth living?”
To show that in this natural life, all is emptiness. The greatest emptiness is to live for this life alone.
To show that life lived on a natural plane (under the son) is futile.
To provide an essay in apologetics. It defends the life of faith in a generous God by pointing to the grimness of the alternative.
To reveal the reality of the life beneath and the life above. (Jn. 8:23)
To provide a twofold fundamental teaching: negatively, no true happiness can be found in what this world has to offer, and positively, true satisfaction can be found only in God. In its basic teaching, namely, that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (12:13).
Ecclesiastes is in accord with the rest of the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. Included within its basic teachings are many other doctrines, such as God’s sovereignty, human depravity, divine wisdom, and the finality of death (from the standpoint of the natural man who is not Born Again).
To provide a basis for a textbook on the true philosophy of life, helping us to develop proper values and motives.
To reveal the Person of Jesus Christ.
Apart from God, life is full of weariness and disappointment.
Men who know the vanity of all things are well prepared for the trials of depressing times.
The whole duty of man is to fear God, and keep His commandments.
Philosophy is futile:
(1) Empiricism – “I saw” Knowledge that comes through the senses.
(2) Rationalism – “I said in my heart” – knowledge that comes through reason.
"God’s truth comes by supernatural revelation through the Holy Spirit of God; vital to this is the basis of obedience to God in view of a coming judgment and the fear of the Lord.
The basic theme of Ecclesiastes is the ultimate futility of life based on earthly ambitions and desires. Any world view which does not rise above the horizon of man himself is doomed to meaningless and frustration. To view personal happiness or enjoyment as life’s greatest good is sheer folly in view of the transcendent value of God Himself as over against His created universe. Happiness is not achieved by pursuing after it, since such pursuit involves the absurdity of self-deification. (9:3)
The final judgment on all self-seeking, autonomous human effort and pursuit after meaning and permanent achievement is: vanity of vanities”. Transient mortals must realize that they are mere creatures, and they derive importance only from their relationship to the Almighty Creator. (3:14)
It compels one to discard comfort, self-flattery illusions of grandeur and face honestly the instability of all those materialistic props on which he attempts to base his security. At the end of the road for the “Hard-headed” materialist lies death and physical dissolution.
Only as one finds a new meaning for life in surrendering to the sovereignty of God and faithful obedience to His will in moral conduct can one find a valid principle and goal for responsible human living. All of these considerations, then, are to point man away from the pretended values of this life to the one true and abiding value, fellowship with God and living in Obedience to His will." (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible)
There are two standpoints from which Ecclesiastes must be viewed:
(1) The natural man (flesh) at its best in the ideal of Solomon, the man who had it all, saw it all, and did it all. (Psa. 39:5)
(2) The Realist, seeing things as they really are: for example, the world (and all its sins and sickness); the church world (compared to the standard of the Word of God; yourself (and the sin in your life).
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. (Jas. 1:6-8). So we see the internal contradictions and vicissitudes of thought in the Preacher.
Ecclesiastes is the quest of the natural man for the chief good. In the first two chapters, the Preacher tells us how he sought the chief good through personal experience. Next in chapters 3-5, Koheleth (the Hebrew name for Ecclesiastes) pursues his quest by his General observation of the world and of human affairs. Next in chapters 6-8, he renews his quest in the realm of practical morality. Finally in chapters 9-12, we have the quest reviewed and concluded.
Ecclesiastes illustrates the truth of our Lord’s words in Jn. 4:13 – “Every one that drinks of this water shall thirst again;” and of Paul’s in 2 Cor. 4:18 – “The things which are seen are temporal;” they belong to time, and time is always slipping away. The world cannot satisfy the heart of man. This is proven by the deepest experience and the widest observation of life in the world. All history and all biography since this book was written have only confirmed its truth. One of the church fathers say it this way: “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
"When God is excluded there is failure and pessimism. When man lives under the sun and forgets the larger part, which is always over the sun, the eternal and abiding things of the Kingdom. If you want to know what a man of great privilege and of great learning and great wisdom came to, read this record of a man who has put God out of count in his actual life. "( G. Campbell Morgan, D.D.)
Taught by: Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Minsitries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V. and text from Principles of Present Truth From: Ecclesiastes by Kelley Varner. Comments are my own.