Ecclesiastes

You must understand the approach to Ecclesiastes in order to comprehend its’ content. It was written by Solomon. As we know, Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. He had all kinds of wisdom about himself. He got to a point later in his life where he said, "You know, I’d like to write something about what I think of life. I know all these things, I’ve been through all these things, and I’ve tried all these things." He actually performed tests or experiments with life. He used life as the crucible or a lab and performed experiments. He said, "First of all, I want to see if pleasure will bring me happiness. And then fame. And then wealth. And then ego. Etc." He went through all this and wrote the results in this book called "Ecclesiastes". What we are reading is the result of his study of his own life (and vicariously, ours).

In today’s world, people focus on material wealth, esteem, popularity, pleasures, etc. So Ecclesiastes is a very interesting book to read today. One of the most interesting things about Ecclesiastes is that this is a book out of the Bible that is quoted by atheists. They won’t use the other books of the Bible, but atheists love to quote Ecclesiastes. The reason they do that and the key to Ecclesiastes is that we have man’s understanding or perspective of life in the world. It is not God’s. It is man’s.

Remember that the canon (the criteria used to determine which books were included in the Bible) was applied by several Councils over hundreds of years. Ecclesiastes was always questioned, "Should we include it or not?", because it says some things that totally contradict other things in the Bible. I look at that and say, "That’s how God is. He calls it like it is." We’ve seen some unbelievable things included in the Bible. Genesis 38 is an example (the infamous chapter about Tamar and Judah). Ecclesiastes is a book people questioned because of its contents. It contains some things that could be taken out of context and applied to your life. But you would miss the point of what Ecclesiastes is all about. This is Solomon’s philosophy of life and the world.

Ecclesiastes 1:1a

The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

Instead of "Teacher," some translations have "Leader" or "Philosopher." He’s talking about himself, Solomon.

Ecclesiastes 1:2

"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."

Some of you may have the word "Vanity" in place of "Meaningless." It means "empty" or "nothing." Around Easter, a child looks into his Easter basket and sees a big, chocolate bunny. He bites into it, it is hollow, and he’s very disappointed. It’s empty. This is what Solomon is saying. He tried all the pleasures in the world, thinking he would be happy. When he got to the end, he said, "I’m not happy. It’s empty. There’s nothing to it. It’s meaningless." Do you get the point? You’re going to see "meaningless" and "vanity" over and over (37 times) in the short book of Ecclesiastes.

If someone told you that your life was meaningless, what kind of reaction would you have? You feel hurt, defeated, and hopeless. It’s like, "What’s the use of living then?" That’s what you could conclude from Ecclesiastes and that’s why atheists like to quote it.

Ecclesiastes 1:3-7

What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.

Here’s the process of evaporation detailed thousands of years ago. Solomon knew it all.

Ecclesiastes 1:8

All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.

That’s interesting. "The eye never has enough of seeing." I don’t think that could have seemed possible until TV came around. Today, it’s like when you go into a room, you have to turn the TV on. It has to be on and you have to watch it. As soon as one program ends, you have to surf the channels and find another one. The eye is never filled, never satisfied.

Ecclesiastes 1:9-11

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.

Do you see this? What is going on here? Is this not depressing? It is depressing. That’s what makes the book valuable. Solomon is saying, "You can go out and try it yourself. You can go out and get all the pleasures in the world. Buy anything you want. But I’m going to tell you what the result is. That’s what he’s saying to us. Every one of you will identify with something in Ecclesiastes, something you strive for in the world. "You know, if I only had…this, I’d be happy." Solomon would say, "Meaningless, meaningless. It’s all meaningless. Everybody has tried it before. It doesn’t work. You can go ahead and try it if you want to but it’s meaningless."

Ecclesiastes 1:12-14

I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

He’s studied and tried everything. It’s meaningless. You’re going to hear "meaningless" so many times.

By the way, "under the Sun" occurs 29 times in Ecclesiastes. That emphasizes the perspective: here, on this Earth.

Ecclesiastes 1:15-18

What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. I thought to myself, "Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge." Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

Is this not depressing? I mean it’s like, "God, why did you let this book in here?" Do you understand yet why He let it in here? Is it beginning to sink in? You don’t have to waste years pursuing pleasures. Just read Solomon’s book, cut to the chase, and realize that it’s all empty and meaningless. So why even try? That’s why we should read this.

Ecclesiastes 2:1a

I thought in my heart,

This phrase occurs something like 21 times in Ecclesiastes. This is Solomon’s thinking. God is not in here. Solomon does mention God but everything is from Solomon’s worldly perspective.

Ecclesiastes 2:1b

"Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless.

You can read all this. He tries pleasure, cheering himself with wine, embracing folly, this, that, and the other.

Ecclesiastes 2:4

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.

I did this. I did that. I built this. I owned that. I amassed wealth. I did it all.

Ecclesiastes 2:12

Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king's successor do than what has already been done?

Ecclesiastes 2:17a

So I hated life,

Hah! Surprise!

Ecclesiastes 2:17b

because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Do you know what your job is, according to Solomon? Meaningless, a chasing after the wind. God’s Word in the New Testament has an answer for this. What is it? If you’re going to do anything, do it unto the Lord and not unto men (Eph. 6:7). But Solomon is saying, "I’m doing it for myself." There’s the difference. As you go about your earthly job, start thinking of yourself as working for God and not for yourself. Your employer just happens to give you money to live on but that’s not why you’re there. Say, "I’m here because God has given me this job. I’m going to do the best I can. While I’m doing this, other people may see Christ in me. And then I’ll witness to them, testify to them, and serve them in some way." That’s the spiritual perspective of worldly jobs.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-3

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

You’ve all heard this before and can read it later. He lists something dealing with all aspects of life.

Ecclesiastes 3:8

a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

This is a philosopher. This is Solomon, the wisest man, writing this book. It’s a fantastic book for man’s point of view.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-10

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men.

You’ve heard this before.

Ecclesiastes 3:11a

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

You’ve heard that too.

Ecclesiastes 3:11b

He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

There’s a little hint that somewhere in here, he’s going to find God. We’ll see that at the end of Ecclesiastes.

We’re not going to read it all but I hope you do on your own. You will say, "I am reading something where someone actually tried pleasure, fame, fortune, wealth, etc., and found out it’s all empty, meaningless. There’s no substance to it." We’re all caught up in it but if you really stop to think, a worldly life is an empty life—searching for happiness in pleasures.

Ecclesiastes 4:1-2

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed-- and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors-- and they have no comforter. And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.

He’s really hopeless, isn’t he? Isn’t this disgusting?

Ecclesiastes 4:3

But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

He’s saying life’s not worth living. One of my favorite movies is "It’s a Wonderful Life." Do you remember when Jimmy Stewart is in the little control house on the draw bridge and says, "I wish I’d never been born."? He got his wish and man, did that change things. There’s something to be said about that.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Trying to keep up with the Joneses.

That’s enough of this hopelessness. Do you get the point of Ecclesiastes? It is an amazing book. If you didn’t know it was in the Bible, you ought to say, "Wow! That’s unbelievable that God would allow a book like that in the Bible." It contains such hopelessness and despair. Here’s the summation:

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Solomon says, "I’ve searched everywhere and tried everything and here’s the result." It takes him 12 chapters to give his scientific report. It’s goodness. I hope that God, through His Holy Spirit, is hitting home with you. You think you can do all this stuff and get happiness—but read Ecclesiastes and you’ll know it’s meaningless and empty. You will attain pleasures, wealth, fame, etc., and realize it’s not worth anything. "What’s the use? It’s all hopeless." We don’t need to think that way. Our hope, as Christians, is in Christ, in God, and what He gave us in eternal life. We have hope and victory through God’s grace freely given to us.

Song of Solomon

Remember that these books stand alone (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, etc.). They are not tied together like the historical books were.

Song of Solomon was another book that was not easily accepted into the canon of Scripture. If you read it, it contains some sex-related language and innuendos. There are three allegorical interpretations of Song of Solomon:

1. Between God and His people, Israel
2. Between Christ and His Church
3. Between Christ and you, as a believer

You are reading a love story here. You’re reading love from God’s point of view. This is what sex is all about from God’s perspective, not man’s. It’s lovely, beautiful, holy, and sensitive love between a husband and wife.

The characters in the book are Solomon and another servant woman. It’s about the love that they share. Solomon says, "My darling, my beloved, your hair is like the goats that are on the hill." <It doesn’t get any better than that! Ha ha.> We laugh today at some of the descriptions but back then it really meant something.

This is also read by Jews at Passover, interestingly enough. They equate it with God’s love for the people when He delivered them from Pharaoh in Egypt.

The other interesting thing about Song of Solomon is that Jewish men were not allowed to read it until they were 30 years old. They wanted to make sure they were mature enough for its’ strong content.

I hope I’ve teased you enough such that you want to read it. "Wow! Sexual content! In the Bible!? I have to read it." But that’s the wrong reason to read it—that’s the flesh in you. We won’t read it now. Alright. Just a little.

Song of Solomon 4:1-4

How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone. Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate. Your neck is like the tower of David, built with elegance; on it hang a thousand shields, all of them shields of warriors.

We can’t read past verse 4. Ha ha. Read on in the privacy of your home.

Could you say this to somebody? "Your teeth are like a flock of sheep and each has its twin."

Let’s move on.

This finishes the books of Poetry (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon).

Isaiah

Isaiah is an unbelievably fascinating book. It is a tough book to read but once you understand it, you’ll want to read the whole book. It is an amazing book. It is the first of the books of Prophecy. We have the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel). After that come the minor prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, etc.). We’re winding down, getting close to the end of the Old Testament.

Isaiah was a prophet. He wrote about the past, his present, and the future. So here’s where we need a timeline. Don’t miss this. You need this.

We have talked about Old Testament times. We’ve been looking at things that occurred before Christ. Then there is the time of Christ. He was born in a manger, lived, was crucified on the cross, was buried, resurrected, and ascended. After His ascension, we have the visit of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the "Church Age." The Church was founded on the Day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came on the disciples and apostles. We’ll read about this in Acts. We are still in the "Church Age." There is coming another time called the "End Times" or the "Day of the Lord." This time period includes the Great Tribulation, the Millennial Reign, etc.

The Bible talks about these periods: pre-Creation (John 1:1), Old Testament, the life and death of Christ, the Church Age, and the End Times. You need to understand these time periods because Isaiah covers them all. Isaiah will talk about things happening while he’s prophesying. He’ll say, "Here’s where I am this year," and he’ll foretell events that occur later in Old Testament times. But he doesn’t stop there. Isaiah also describes things about Christ that are so specific that people sometimes call it the fifth gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Isaiah). It was written about 750 BC, long before Christ. There are so many prophecies about Christ in Isaiah—it will amaze you.

It is important to ask as you’re reading Isaiah, "Where am I? What time period is he prophesying about? Is he talking about Old Testament times, Christ and the Church, or End Times?" The book of Isaiah covers the whole Bible. How many books are there in the Bible? 66. How many chapters are there in Isaiah? 66. How many books are in the Old Testament? 39. How many in the New Testament? 27. Believe it or not, the first 39 chapters of Isaiah primarily talk about Old Testament times. The last 27 chapters talk primarily about the New Testament. It’s not exact, per se, but it’s fascinating. Isaiah is one of the major prophets who is looking at the whole spectrum of God’s Creation, plan of salvation, and work through Christ. That’s what I want you to see. Isaiah is just fantastic for that reason. It’s unbelievable.

Zechariah, a minor prophet, also covers many time periods. You have to use the timeline to figure out what the prophets are talking about. This is why it’s so hard to read the books of Prophecy. Remember that a "prophet" is not just a fortune teller or future-seer but someone who says what God tells him to say. That’s a prophet. God tells prophets things for today, yesterday, and the future. I heard a prophet in Church this morning say, "Here is the status of Christians today…Christians are those who desire to experience change in their lives." God would tell the prophets in the Bible, "I want you to tell these people over here something today about themselves to get them right with me. Also, tell them some things about the future." This is what a prophet does. Everything they say comes true. Nothing is lacking.

To begin Isaiah, turn to John 12 in the New Testament. This ties it all together. This is one of those passages that sends shivers up my spine. We often read the Old Testament and we read the New Testament but we never make the connection between the two.

John 12:37

Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

You know that we’ve talked about how God reveals Himself to people. They can accept it or reject it. There comes a time when God says, "I could stand in front of their face, perform the greatest miracle imaginable, and they’d still reject me." Many of you may ask, "How could a person do that?" Because of pride. We have a pride, a flesh, in us that says, "I will not give up my life for some invisible creation. I don’t care if He recreated the world before my eyes. I will still not believe Him." That’s what John (through the Holy Spirit) is saying here. Do you see that?

John 12:38a

This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

Ding Ding Ding! Isaiah is quoted more in the New Testament than any other prophet—something like 60 times. This is one of them.

John 12:38b

"Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"

This is from Isaiah 53 which we will read next week.

John 12:39-40

For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn--and I would heal them."

In other words, just like Pharaoh, they’ve reached that point where God says, "I don’t care what I do. They will never accept me. It’s over. It’s done. They stand condemned." That’s what he’s talking about here.

John 12:41

Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him.

Wow! Do you know what that says in the New Testament? It says, "Here is an Old Testament person who saw Jesus." Maybe not Jesus (the man, incarnate), but he saw the work and glory of Jesus being the mediator, the person who allows us to have salvation and a right relationship with God. Isaiah saw that 750 years before Christ. Do you understand that? When you read this, doesn’t it make you want to read Isaiah and ask, "How did he do it? How did he see Jesus’ glory?" God showed it to him. God revealed it all to Isaiah.

Isaiah 1:1

The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

I told you that the prophets tell you exactly when they’re prophesying. They’ll tell you who’s king of the Southern Kingdom and who’s king of the Northern Kingdom. And look at all the kings he was a prophet to.

Isaiah 1:2-3

Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: "I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."

What time period is he prophesying about here? Old Testament times. He’s describing Israel. You read and then look at the timeline. God has given him words, "Here’s what I want you to say to the people of Israel right now."

Isaiah 1:4

Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.

We read in 1^st and 2^nd Kings how bad the people got. Isaiah wrote this, telling the people, "You’re sinful, you brood of evildoers." He’s trying to tell them where they stand before God.

Isaiah 1:5-6

Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness-- only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.

That’s symbolic language to say, "You’re eaten up with sin."

Isaiah 1:10

Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

That’s a slam. Remember that Sodom and Gomorrah were filled with sin. He’s saying, "Israel, you’re just like them."

Isaiah 1:11-13a

"The multitude of your sacrifices-- what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me.

Do you hear what he’s saying? The people were going through the motions of worshipping God—the offerings and sacrifices. What did God say? "I’m sick to my stomach over this stuff because it’s not right." It’s just like people today who go to church for the wrong reasons—to be seen, for political reasons, or whatever. God says, "You make me sick to my stomach when you do that." Come for the right reason: to worship God.

Isaiah 1:13b-14

New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations-- I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.