An Overview of Ecclesiastes
Chapters 1-8:17**
Throughout these eight chapters, the writer has been conducting his research. In verses sixteen and seventeen, he draws a two-point conclusion. First, it has been, and it will be, an impossible 24/7 task to make sense out of life, “When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the labor that is done on earth—people getting no sleep day or night” (9:16). The second aspect of his conclusion is that the wise can know the facts but cannot discover the “why” behind the facts, “then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it” (8:17). Here implies the reality declared in Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”
Chapter 9
In the first nine verses, he argues that all men have a common flaw and a common end. It is the same point made by the writer of Hebrews, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). He continues, ”For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun (9:4-6).
He then instructs the wise man how to enjoy the life that God has given, “Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (9:7-10).
This is his poetic way of saying that if there is life, there is hope of gaining wisdom and thereby living life to its fullest. Hence, after all this research, his conclusion, which he will repeat a bit differently at the end of chapter twelve, is this. God gave you life. God teaches you wisdom. Use that wisdom to make the best of your life and enjoy it despite wrestling with the fool and his foolishness.
Chapter 10
The writer now transitions to a comparison of the fool and the wise. This chapter characterizes the fool.
- The poison of fools (10:1)
He begins with what is a truism if one is an observer of this world, “One [a] fool stands out by poisoning life around him (10:1). After years of counseling experience, there is no better example of this than what the writer of Hebrews declares, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled (12:15).
- The choices of the fools and the wise are predictable (10:2)
When the heart is set, the trajectory of life is set.
A fascinating side note here. It would be fun to do a poll of a thousand people asking, “The origin of the idea of the political left being liberal and the political right being conservative originated from the writings of (darken the appropriate box):
- Abraham Lincoln
- Teddy Roosevelt
- Rondal Reagan
- Solomon
Most likely, few people in the general population would check Solomon, as few would know that many common sayings have their origin in the Bible. Here are a few examples:
Blind leading the blind, the writing on the wall, eat, drink, and be merry. A drop in the bucket, “A leopard can’t change its spots.”
The remainder of this chapter sets forth a series of comparisons and outcomes. For example, verse eight can be paraphrased this way: set a trap for others, and it may likely become your demise. Or verse twelve: stick your nose where it does not belong, and you may get it smashed.
Chapter 11
This chapter characterizes what makes a person wise.
Invest wisely (1-2)
- Invest your energy with the long term in view (1)
- Diversify your funds (2)
Pay attention to reality (3-4)
- Observe the nature of things (3)
- Make decisions considering the reality of nature. (Today, this verse might be said this way: read the weather before filing your flight plan.)
Pay attention to what you know and cannot know (5)
- Grasp the facts and recognize you cannot always grasp the why.
- Today, we might say, “Yes, we know that DNA determines Y, but we cannot know how God created DNA.
Pay attention to personal responsibility (6-7)
- Be wise, work hard.
- Take pleasure in seeing every new day. Reminds one of the Psalmist, “Today is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps 118:24).
Pay attention to history (8)
- First, your own. If you live a long life, rejoice.
- Second, review history, and remember not to repeat it, and be caught up in its emptiness.
Pay attention to managing your youth with accountability in view (9-10)
- Follow your bent
- But manage it well, for there will be a day of reckoning.
Chapter 12
This chapter is a poetic reflection on the book’s central points. The writer sums up his conclusion this way. Here now! When it is all said and done:
- Fear God, remember that the beginning of becoming wise (Proverbs 1:7), and fools refuse to begin here.
- Keep His commandments and remember the words of the Psalmist: “The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart and the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Ps 19:8). They not only provide a moral framework for life but also lead to inner joy and clarity in understanding how to live when “vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” They are a source of joy and delight, as the psalmist frequently expresses his delight in God’s commandments, statutes, and testimonies. This delight extends to finding comfort and strength in God’s word, even in times of affliction (Ps 119:169-176).
- He follows this with a very poignant statement: “because this applies to every person!”
It’s as if he says, “Just in case you have missed it, let me close with this final reminder: For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.
Implementation
Once you have established your relationship with God through bowing the knee and seeking His forgiveness through the finished work of Christ, determine to live life to its fullest within the commandments of God. Serve and enjoy! And remember, the only thing you earn forward comes from living for the glory of God, and that is the essence of wisdom.
**Scripture quotes are KJV or NASB.