Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Walk down the street and ask people at random whether today’s reading sounds familiar. I am sure that the vast majority of responses would be akin to “Of course!” But that familiarity is not likely to be due to widespread faithful reading of the Bible. Instead we can chalk it up to the song by Pete Seeger, Turn! Turn! Turn!. Go ahead; have a listen. The lyrics for the song are drawn almost entirely — and almost verbatim — from the King James Version of today’s passage. All Seeger added was the oft-repeated “turn, turn, turn” and the final “I swear it’s not too late” (just after “a time for peace”).

Given that the Preacher evidently expected to be forgotten (Ecc. 1:11,2:16), I doubt he ever envisioned that his words would top the pop charts over two millennia later. But I bet he would have accurately predicted that Seeger would miss the point. Why do I think Seeger missed the point? Because of that last line (“I swear it’s not too late”), which reveals his underlying belief that with just a little more effort man can turn this ship around, that we can, in fact, achieve world peace and then pat one another on the back for a job well done. And that just does not sound like the Preacher to me.

Ecclesiastes 2:12-26

The Preacher starts today offering a glimmer of hope, that wisdom is better than folly: Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. (v. 13) That idea is of course entirely consistent with Proverbs, where wisdom is treasured and folly is shunned. But that glimmer of hope is short-lived, as we then run full force into the great equalizer, Death: How the wise dies just like the fool! (v. 16) And there’s the rub.

The Preacher then goes further. In recognition of his own future death, he begrudges leaving the result of all his toil — his estate or legacy — to the man who will come after [him] (v. 18), who may well be a fool (v. 19) and who most certainly did not toil for it. (v. 21) This begrudgement reveals the Preacher’s focus on self, and we see again that his question is, “What’s in it for me?” But it also forces him to further recognize that what matters cannot be what he leaves behind.

So the Preacher turns to the here and now and finds a truth: There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from Him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? (vv. 24,25) Indeed, apart from Him, is there any enjoyment at all? Any satisfaction? Any meaning? Any any?

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Today we see the Preacher trying all sorts of things looking for meaning and satisfaction. He explores pleasure and samples whatever his heart desires. He tries sex. (And if this truly is Solomon speaking, with 700 wives and 300 concubines [I Kings 11:3], we can surmise that there was no shortage of sex!) He tries wine. He tries entertainment. (Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll!) He explores both wisdom and folly. He undertakes building projects, agricultural projects, parks and recreation projects, commercial ventures. He builds enormous wealth for himself. In short, he tries everything.

And the result of all this investigation? Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. (v. 11)

But here’s the curious thing: Thousands of years after Ecclesiastes was written, the vast majority of mankind continues to seek satisfaction in all these endeavors. And we keep coming up empty. Slow learners.

So what about you? Setting your catechism aside for the moment, where do you honestly look for meaning? To what do you devote your time and attention? What do you expect to gain from all your toil? And how is all that working out for you?

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

It is worth noting that Ecclesiastes is not simply a compilation of casual observations; it is the result of very deliberate study and inquiry: I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. (v. 13a) Perhaps we should pay attention and dig into what the Preacher has to say, especially if we find it somewhat unsettling.

Indeed many over the centuries have found Ecclesiastes unsettling, so much so that they have questioned whether it should rightly be included in the Canon of Scripture, seeing it as being contradictory to the rest of Scripture, even heretical. Yet the Church has consistently reaffirmed that Ecclesiastes belongs in the Bible. So if Ecclesiastes makes us uncomfortable, or we feel like we want to reject what the Preacher says, then we need to ask ourselves, “Why? What’s the problem?” And then further ask whether the problem is with Ecclesiastes — or with ourselves. Hmmm. Bear that in mind as we journey through this book together.

What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be counted.

Ecclesiastes 1:15

I recall an incident a few years back in which this verse inspired a rather profound insight. It was truly remarkable. Unfortunately, I cannot remember what it was! So I stand here now as living proof of the truth of this proverb: what is lacking (my forgotten insight) cannot be counted (or shared). This also is but a striving after wind. Sorry!

For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 1:18

Think of that as the other side of the “ignorance is bliss” coin, and for that I offer you this Dilbert gem. Enjoy! [Edit: Unfortunately, our culture has canceled Dilbert, or rather it’s author, Scott Adams, so that link no longer works. Vanity of vanities!]

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. (v. 1) So who is this Preacher? Ancient tradition holds that the Preacher is none other than King Solomon, which is clearly consistent with this first verse and later verses (see Ecc. 1:12,13,16,2:1-10), coupled with everything else we know about Solomon, including his reputation for wisdom, riches, and women. However, some modern scholars contend that some of the language would indicate a much later, postexilic date. I am content to stick with tradition, but, frankly, I don’t think it really matters who wrote the book. In fact, it seems to me that arguments over authorship fall pretty squarely into the realm of what the author himself says is “useless” or “futile” or “vain”. What matters more than authorship is what the book actually says.

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 1:2

The Hebrew word translated here in the ESV as “vanity” is “hebel” (or “hevel“, depending on one’s preference of pronunciation), a word used 38 times in Ecclesiastes. As Deacon Todd points out in his paper, “hebel” is notoriously difficult to translate, and “vanity” misses the mark somewhat. A more literal translation would suggest the notion of vapor or smoke, a breeze or a sigh. No single English word really captures the idea, but we certainly have the sense of futility, of grasping at something that cannot be grasped. Hence, we may also use words like “meaningless”, “useless”, or “pointless”. Nevertheless, “vanity” goes back to the Latin Vulgate translation and thus has a strong tradition behind it. Just recognize that we’re not talking about “inflated pride in oneself or one’s appearance; conceit” as Mirriam-Webster defines “vanity”.

What does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 1:3

This is perhaps the central question of Ecclesiastes. And a key word here is “gain”. In other words, “I do all this work (toil), but what’s in it for me?” Indeed, what’s in it for me?

The rest of today’s reading, which acts as an introduction to the book, offers several examples of “vanity”, of how — in the grand scheme of things — nothing ever really changes, and progress is illusory:

• Generations come and go, but the earth remains the same. (Ecc. 1:4)
• The sun rises and sets, then does it all over again. (Ecc. 1:5)
• The wind goes round and round and comes back to where it started. (Ecc. 1:6)
• Rivers all run to the sea, but the sea never fills up. (Ecc. 1:7)
• Etc.

It all seems like so much futility with nothing new under the sun. (Ecc. 1:9)

Stay tuned.

Forty-two. Yes, 42. If that just made you chuckle or brought a smile to your face, then you know what I’m talking about. If you are bewildered, then I’d like to refer you to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which started as a BBC comedic sci-fi radio series, followed by a TV show and then a series of books and a movie. In The Hitchhiker’s Guide, the number 42 is extremely significant. In fact, it is given as the “The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything.” Unfortunately, no one knows the question. We come to learn that the earth was built as a giant computer meant to discover that Ultimate Question. But just as the earth is about to produce the computed result, it is destroyed by a Vogon constructor fleet to make way for a hyperspace bypass. I find the humor in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to be hilariously funny, but as you might imagine, there is also despair, because overarching everything is futility, meaninglessness, absurdity.

And that brings us to Ecclesiastes: Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. (Ecc. 1:2) That opening statement fairly well sums up “the Preacher’s” observation of life. To many, that sure doesn’t sound like Christianity — or does it? Like Job, Ecclesiastes recognizes hard realities — particularly the hard reality of death that is common to all. This book provides a sobering (some would even say cynical) assessment of the full spectrum of human endeavors and pursuits. It recognizes that in the face of death, self-interested “accomplishments” are all for nought. Nothing ever really satisfies or provides personal gain in any enduring fashion. Ecclesiastes thus stands firmly against any sugar-coated, “pie in the sky” view of human existence.

So what’s the difference between Ecclesiastes and The Hitchhiker’s Guide, aside from the former being ancient and the latter being a good deal more humorous? Both see a lot of futility and absurdity in life. But whereas The Hitchhiker’s Guide evidently never finds any real meaning in life (certainly not when 42 is the Ultimate Answer), Ecclesiastes suggests that it is life without God that is meaningless.

We’ll get more into the details as we go through Ecclesiastes, but for now I commend to you the attached paper, “Two Themes in Ecclesiastes” by Deacon Todd.

By the way, “Ecclesiastes” is the romanized transliteration of the Greek translation of the Hebrew “Kohelet” (or “Koheleth“, or “Qoheleth“, or “Qohelet“), translated here in the ESV as “Preacher”. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecclesiastes. Let’s see what this Preacher has to say.

---

One more thing…

The midterm elections are upon us, and there’s one verse in Ecclesiastes that is highly relevant, but that we won’t reach until after November 8. That verse is Ecc. 10:2: A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. Just sayin’… 🙂

Psalm 124

Our fifth “Song of Ascents” and the last until December 1. The title also lists “of David”, but my Study Bible suggests that it only resembles a Davidic psalm and was probably written sometime after Israel returned from exile – escaped the snare, as it were (v. 7).

There are three deliverances mentioned by the writer: from water (vv. 4-5), from wild beasts (v. 6), and from a bird trap (v. 7), in addition to being …swallowed up alive… (v. 3) where the writer probably had Jonah in mind. I can imagine that the psalmist could have been referring to the escape from Egypt through the Red Sea (the waters), their victories over their many enemies during the Kingdom years (the “wild beasts” defeated by David and his descendants), and their release by their Babylonian captors (the trap).

For me these deliverances bring to mind my own “escapes”, especially as I look for those escapes, not necessarily life-threatening, but times when I was delivered from unfortunate circumstances. My most prominent escape was when the Lord delivered me from myself (my greatest enemy), when I was “born again” in May 1975. I had actively resisted that deliverance for more than three years – and how I wish I could have those three years back! It’s a good exercise, to think back on our “escapes”, a challenge that I offer the rest of you. What have been your greatest deliverances?

Psalm 123

The fourth of the “Songs of Ascents”. Psalm 123 reads more like a lament than a song of ascents! It’s got the psalmist’s situation (contempt of the proud, v. 4), his cry for help (v. 3), and an expression of confidence in Who the Lord is (v. 1). However, the Psalm is missing any justification of the writer’s innocence and, most importantly, thanksgiving for the Lord’s deliverance for the writer from his situation. So, much like a lament, but not complete in the lament model. Still, it’s unusual as a Song of Ascents.

Have you ever felt the “contempt of the proud” (v. 4)? Have you had someone belittle you when you were, in fact, in some lower state or position than the person who was making you feel diminished? Have you been the “butt of the joke”, been made to feel humiliated? There’s an old line that is supposed to make us feel better: “Consider the source!” That is, tell yourself that the proud person is simply reflecting his/her own insecurity. Bad advice. Diminishing that other person does nothing but bring that bad situation down to a lower level. The better path is the one the psalmist chooses, to recognize God for Who He is, enthroned in the heavens (v. 1) and to look to the LORD our God, till He has mercy upon us. (v. 2) This God Who is the eternal Creator made each and every one of us in His image; there is no basis for anyone to be overly proud or to apply that pride in diminishing another person. Don’t let yourself be belittled – and “for heaven’s sake”, don’t be the belittler!!

Psalm 122

A clear topic today, folks – Jerusalem. I can picture Galileans singing this song as they began their three-day journey to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the annual feasts. We could even imagine Jesus as a boy or as a young man joining in praying and singing this Psalm. Carol and I have been with the crowd on the National Mall in Washington, DC a number of times for the Fourth of July. It’s a happy crowd, everywhere, that turns absolutely joyous when the fireworks begin. And I can remember my first-ever trip to Washington, the first time I saw the White House, the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial – how much I embraced the thought of my country, my citizenship, our independence. Again, joy. That’s about as close as I can come to relating to this Psalm and the joy in Israeli hearts as they began their journey and especially as they arrived at the Temple, as their eyes beheld the beauty of the gates and the columns. What joy they must have felt!