We all desire meaning in life. Often that search takes us along winding, up-and-down paths filled with bursts of satisfaction that shine bright for a time but eventually fade. An appreciation for our common humanity emerges from reading its pages. We relate to the journey of Solomon because, for so many of us, it is our own. When we attempt to find meaning in the pursuit of pleasure, the commitment to a job, or through plumbing intellectual depths, we all eventually find in each of these pursuits a dead end.
Ecclesiastes shows us a man who lived through this process and came out on the other side with a wiser, more seasoned perspective. It only remains to be seen whether or not we will place our trust in His sure and able hands.
Have you struggled with misplaced pursuits in life? Does your life lack the meaning and purpose you desire? Hear the words of Solomon that they might encourage you to place your trust solely in the Lord. View Chuck Swindoll's chart of Ecclesiastes , which divides the book into major sections and highlights themes and key verses.
I found it very interesting when reading this book, though, a times seems confuse for total condemning life here on earth where we lives. But interesting thing is that it offer solution to my confusion at the same time to focus to God as an ultimate source of reality. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account.
Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. Skip to content. Author The author identifies himself as the Preacher or Teacher. While the book is technically anonymous, Solomon is the most likely candidate. Background In the first chapter of Ecclesiastes , the author identifies himself as the Qoheleth the Preacher or Teacher. Misunderstandings I have rarely spoken with anyone about this book who did not find it at least a little depressing. Like this: Like Loading Previous Go Therefore Ebook.
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Sign me up. Already have a WordPress. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.
Though nothing can offer fulfillment, one need not adopt a pessimistic, cynical, or fatalistic view toward life.
Enjoy life for what it is: a gift from the hand of God. Using pairs of antitheses in —8, Qoheleth begins to address why it is that God needs to be in the center of our worldview. Stability can only be found in a God-centered approach. The basic worldview of Qoheleth having been set forth, the next sections address the application of that worldview to the situations of life.
It is not difficult to apply it when life is going smoothly, but how does it stand up when adversity comes? That is the concern of — Qoheleth considers various situations in life that produce adversity. It is of interest that he focuses on the daily, routine frustrations that are all too frequently our common lot. If the book of Job were to be criticized, one might complain that the scenario is too artificial. No one we know is the kind of person Job was, and very likely no one we know suffered to the extent Job did.
But Qoheleth makes sure that we can identify with the examples he offers. The end result is that frustrations and adversity cannot be avoided. So what does his worldview offer? The solution suggested in chapter 7 is that we should not try to avoid frustration and adversity.
A God-centered worldview is willing to accept both prosperity and adversity as coming from the divine hand. Here Qoheleth deals not with cause that is, that God causes our frustrations , but with the idea that adversity serves a useful purpose in shaping us as individuals and particularly as people of faith. This is precisely the attitude Job took in the face of his troubles:. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. Much of chapters 8—9 concerns adjusting our expectations of this world.
That is followed by warnings in chapter 10 about the power and effects of foolish behavior. Chapter 11 urges a cautious but not-too-cautious approach to life and reminds us that we are accountable for how we live and for the decisions we make.
Finally, chapter 12 uses a flow of diverse images and allegories to encourage the reader to act now. Following the inclusio line of verse 8 comes what we call a colophon. This was used in ancient Near Eastern literature to identify the author further and to epitomize what was written in the manuscript or tablet. As mentioned earlier, there is nothing here that reverses or negates the message of the book or offers a corrective to its teaching.
Ultimately, Ecclesiastes is a book about how you make your way through life. We should accept what God sends our way, whether blessings or adversity.
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