“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.” Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly. The words of the wise are like cattle…
Category: Ecclesiastes
Remember Him (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7)
As Ecclesiastes comes to an end, the Preacher transitions from his exploration of life’s absurdities to a chapter of exhortations for the reader to consider. Scholars are divided as to whether this section should be taken as an apocalyptic view on the end of all human life (Peter Enns, Iain Provan) or if it should…
Youth is Wasted on the Young (Ecclesiastes 11:7-10)
American playwright George Bernard Shaw is generally credited as the source of this telling quotation. He wrote, “Youth is the most precious thing in life; it is too bad it has to be wasted on young folks.” As Ecclesiastes comes to a close, we can sense the urgency in Qoheleth’s speech as he addresses the…
Getting Unstuck
We have more options available and at our disposal today than at any time in human history. The sheer number of choices at any given time is staggering. Whether its the number of search results on your web browser or the jam packed menus offered by fast food chains, we are overwhelmed by variety, and…
Using Common Sense (Ecclesiastes 10)
The twenty verses of Ecclesiastes chapter 10 are proverbial statements that urge the reader to exercise common sense when navigating the challenges of life. While each proverb can potentially stand on its own merit, I find it somewhat helpful to see them in an organized fashion. These groupings help the individual statements by rounding out…
I’m Impressed! (Ecclesiastes 9:12-16)
About two years ago I came across this portion of Ecclesiastes and found it to be striking. I hadn’t noticed it before, but it was a game changer. If you take Solomon as the writer of Ecclesiastes, you’ll recognize him as renown for his exceptional wisdom. He was so wise, kings from around the region…
Wisdom for the New Year (Ecclesiastes 9:1-12)
This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and…
You’re Kidding, Right? (Ecclesiastes 8:10-17)
As chapter 8 comes to a close, the writer of Ecclesiastes voices the same concerns about fairness and equity that we pose today. His observations seem more striking when put in writing than when they are reduced to water cooler banter. I have seen wicked people buried with honor. Yet they were the very ones…
I Didn’t See That Coming (Ecclesiastes 8:1-8)
How wonderful to be wise, to analyze and interpret things.Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its harshness. Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would. Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whatever he wants. His command is backed by great power….
Just Out of Reach (Ecclesiastes 7:15-29)
One of the keys to interpreting Ecclesiastes is remembering that this is one man’s experience, therefore we should be careful not to universalize his words. That principle is especially helpful when trying to untangle this flowing stream of consciousness that concludes chapter 7. If we can let Qoheleth speak from his experience, then we can…
