The wind may blow somebody’s hat off, provide a refreshing breeze, or make the aircraft bounce around—but it doesn’t cease. Streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. The Preacher wants us to see that our human experience closely mirrors the natural world. Life is repetitive.

“The words of the wise are like goads,

and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings;

they are given by one Shepherd.”

— Ecclesiastes 12:11

 

Trapped in a dark world without a clear a view of God, the writer of Ecclesiastes sought frantically for some light on the path—but indulging in everything this world had to offer left him empty and unfulfilled. After climbing high on life’s ladder, he made the tragic discovery that it was propped against the wrong wall. Cynical about worldly achievements, he began to question—rightly—whether anything mattered or everything was only vanity.

In this study, we’ll consider what this challenging and relevant Old Testament meditation has to say about life’s apparent futility and will be reminded that there is only one true hope that can give our existence lasting meaning. When so many pass their days running down dead-end streets, we can live with purpose. First, though, we must discover and embrace what it means to fear God, which is the beginning of true wisdom.

Key Themes

• the vanity of life
• fear of God
• effects of the fall
• toil and labor
• enjoyment of God’s creation
• Setting

Likely written sometime during the period of Israel’s monarchy (900–576 BC), Ecclesiastes addresses a diverse group of Israelite God-fearers—people with backgrounds as royal counselors and day laborers alike (Ecclesiastes 8:1–9; 11:6). The book calls God’s people to heed wisdom and fear their Creator (Ecclesiastes 12:9–14).

Characters

The Preacher: The title given to the author of Ecclesiastes (1:1). The Hebrew word translated into English as “the Preacher” is Qoheleth, from the Hebrew verb qahal, which means “to assemble.” It suggests the picture of a respected Israelite king standing before an assembly of his people, instructing them in wisdom. Ecclesiastes reveals that the Preacher was a Davidic king (1:1), was greatly wise and wealthy (1:12–2:11), and arranged many proverbs (12:9). Though the book is technically anonymous, Solomon best fits the description.

Words/Phrases/Definitions

Vanity: Translated from the Hebrew word hevel, it literally means a “mist” or “vapor.” It is used throughout Ecclesiastes in this sense but can also refer figuratively to something that is transient, fleeting, or elusive—an enigma or paradox.

Under the Sun: In the Preacher’s view, this phrase refers to the time and the place in which life occurs. Ecclesiastes is written not from the vantage point of the infinite, personal creator God but from that of His creation.

Fear God: This repeated phrase refers to the heart disposition of God’s children before Him—one not of terror but of reverential awe in response to God’s character.

Ecclesiastes 1: A Word to the Wise

“I have seen everything that is done under the sun,

and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.”

— Ecclesiastes 1:14

Study the Book

1. S. Eliot once remarked, “Human kind / Cannot bear very much reality” [“Burnt Norton,” Four Quartets (1943)]. What we find throughout Ecclesiastes, however, is a heavy dose of just that: reality.

In most of our twenty-first-century cultures, entertainment takes us to worlds of fantasy and mirage, to that which is out and beyond us. We falsely believe that if we could only get out of our reality, then perhaps we could find the answers. But the book of Ecclesiastes provides us no such escape. Instead, this ancient meditation continues generation after generation to shine its searchlight on matters of real life.

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