Introduction: Having completed both Psalms and Proverbs, we enter into a study of a book that has long been a source of confusion and controversy, the book of Ecclesiastes. "Ecclesiastes" is not a Hebrew word at all. It comes from the Greek word "ecclesia," which in the New Testament is translated "church" or "assembly." It carries the idea of a preacher, or debater, speaking to an assembled group of people. Thus, Solomon refers to himself in saying, "The words of the Preacher..." (Ecclesiastes 1:1)
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Solomon was the human instrument that penned the words to us. We know this by Solomon's own admission:
- "The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 1:1,2)
- "I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem." (Ecclesiastes 1:12)
Certainly, Solomon was known for his great wisdom and his enjoyment of pleasures. No king in the Old Testament better fits the situation in this book. However, there was a time, in Solomon's life, when his heart was turned away from the Lord. He had married 700 women and had taken 300 concubines, and these women were mostly "strange women." This is noted in 1 Kings 11:1-10, "But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded."
- There are two words in the Old Testament that are used for "strange." Here, the word is "nokriy (nok-ree)" It refers to being foreign in origin, an alien, a foreigner, a foreign woman, a harlot, an unknown or unfamiliar woman. Many of Solomon's wives and concubines were not Israelite women; they were women of a foreign culture, foreign morality, and foreign religion.
The quickest way to a man's heart is through his associations. If you run with the wrong crowd, you will soon be critical of what you once defended as gospel truth. This is just what eventually became of King Solomon. His many strange wives and some poor decision making turned him away from the Lord. Here is a concise history of this part of Solomon's life, "Solomon loved many strange women...surely they will turn away your heart after their gods...Solomon clave unto these in love...his wives turned away his heart after other gods...And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD...And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel."
After He had done it all and had it all, he came to himself and returned to his faith in the Lord. As an old man, he assembled his family, friends, and servants together and declared to them the testimony found in the book of Ecclesiastes.
When a man is away from the Lord, he is left up to his own devices. Such was the case with King Solomon. He got away from the Lord and suddenly found that all in life, even life itself, was nothing but vanity. Away from God, life is pretty empty.
Human reasoning determined some things for Solomon as he was away from the Lord:
1. There is no real purpose. Ecclesiastes 1:2-7
"Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again."
- "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 1:14)
- "And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 1:17)
2. There is no new thing. - Ecclesiastes 1:9-10
"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us."
3. There is no cure. - Ecclesiastes 1:15
"That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered."
4. There is no lasting honor. - Ecclesiastes 1:11
"There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after."
It is obvious, even from a casual reading of Ecclesiastes 1, that a life, lived away from God, is a hopeless life. Those, away from God, do not live with eternity's values in view. This is the very reason the Apostle Paul said, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (1 Corinthians 15:19)
Conclusion: For the same reasons cited in this Bible study, many Christians have lost hope, for the only hope they have is in this life; and without God, this life is simply vanity. For the next little while, we will investigate life as viewed through the eyes of a man away from God. We will also study God's answers to man's conclusions.