Ecclesiastes

[BjorkIsCool]

Does this book not fly in the face of everything else in the Bible?

Some selected quotes:
"Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."
All things are wearisome,
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

 

[wayseer]

On first appearances one might accept Ecclesiastes as 'one out'. But on closer reading I think the writer of Ecc was more in tune with Reality than other writers. We might not like what He (?) says and it sure tests the faith of readers but I personally think that the Books of Job and Ecclesiastes should take a much higher profile. Job answers the question - why do bad things happen to good people. Ecc answers the question - why do good things happen to bad people. Once one has digested the meanings herein taught they can get on with the business of listening to God.

 

[SummaScriptura]

Does this book not fly in the face of everything else in the Bible?

Some selected quotes:
"Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."
All things are wearisome,
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Never remove a Bible verse from its context. The message of Ecclesiastes is a good one; one should enjoy the life God gave them and live it with an attitude of accountability. You have to look at the entire book. The writer records his life's journey in this world.

 

[hopeinGod]

It's been said that Solomon wrote Ecc. during a backslidden period of his life. Despite his condition, however, he was well able to convey many profound things in his book. For instance:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:"
There is a lot we are taught throughout Scripture in regard to times and seasons. A good example is written of the children of Issachar in 1 Chron. 12:32 that they "were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do;..."

The writer of the book of Hebrews (5:12) admonished the church that they were in a time when they should have been teaching others, but instead they needed to again be taught the first principles of the oracles of God.

This adds up to encouragement for us to know just where we are in our walks with Christ. Are we growing and adding to our faiths in a sound, systematic manner, or are we being tossed by every wind of doctrine that comes down the pike?

And yet there is so much more in Ecc. I particularly like the verse in 12:12, "And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end..." which is a great text for a sermon set to warn Christians who read Christian paperbacks and other materials more than they do the Word.

The latter part of that verse, "and much study is a weariness of the flesh", speaks so well of what it is like for those who seriously take upon themselves the examination of Scripture. It is wearisome at times, yet is able to produce a solid foundation (Heb. 6) as one perseveres, adding to their faith, virture, and to virtue, knowledge, and to knowledge, temperance...." (2 Pet. 1:5,6)

Dave