Ecclesiastes - What Does It Mean?

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Words © 2005, Clayton Harryman. Music © 2005, Bill Ward.

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In "the words of the Teacher...Meaningless! Meaningless!"

Ecclesiastes 1:1-2, NIV

. Other versions use the word "Smoke," "Vapors," or "Vanities" in place of the word Meaningless. The Teacher (Wise Old King Solomon) also tells us that much of what we call life is merely "chasing after the wind."

We are unsure how old he was when he wrote these words. The content tells us that he was quite mature, having experienced much. I picture a sad, gray-haired old man looking back on his years and regretting his mistakes.

In the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (© 1971), Wonka asks, "Charlie, do you know what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he ever wanted?" Solomon suddenly got everything he ever wanted. And the reason was that he was given the opportunity by God to ask for anything - and he asked for Wisdom. In return, God granted his wish - along with riches, power and fame. (1 Kings 3:1-15)

In the verses following (1 Kings 3:16-28), we see Solomon administering justice via his newfound wisdom. Read the story of the two women who both claimed to be mothers of a baby. Solomon solved the riddle by determining how the women would respond to his threat of murdering the baby. His thoughts were correct.

But, the enemy (read: Satan) tempted Solomon in all his wisdom to break God's commandments. A common practice in those days was for a king to marry a princess of a neighboring country to establish a treaty. It was also common practice for women to be brought before the king for - services. These women were not allowed to ever be with another man. This is how Solomon wound up with his legendary 300 wives and 700 concubines.

The wives from neighboring countries all requested that they be able to worship their gods and idols. In response, wise old King Solomon built altars and temples (high places) for these demonic 'gods'. He worshipped Ashtoreth, an ancient fertility goddess. It is presumed that he also offered his children as sacrifices - a practice called detestable by our L

ORD

.

In his latter years, he looked back upon his life.

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, NIV

Throughout this magnificent book, the Teacher continues to say "everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun."

As he continues his quest, he finds only one thing to not be meaningless. This is the worship of God. "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come".

Ecclesiastes 12:1, NIV

We have been created for one purpose. To worship God. Avoiding this purpose give us no satisfaction, no meaning.

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Prayer:

Father in Heaven, Creator of all things, Holy is your name. You have blessed us with Your Hand, though we did not deserve it.

We have sinned against You, O Lord, through our own desires. These desires, we have found, are absolutely meaningless. Our sins that kept us from You are but a speck of dust blowing away. You have promised to remember them no more.

Thank you, Father, for the gift of Your Son who was sacrificed that our sins may be wiped clean, bleached white as snow. Thank you, Father, for raising Your Son so that His victory over death and the grave may be complete.

Thank you, Father, for blessing us with our basic needs, and for going beyond the basic. Thank you for blessing us with wisdom that we find in Your Word.

Father, we pray that You will bestow upon each of us the desire to follow in Your ways; to not only live according to Your commandments, but to follow them with our hearts. We ask for Your forgiveness for our transgressions. We ask You to grant us your peace as we daily face this world.

We pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ our L

ORD

.

Amen.