The Meaning of Life: Ecclesiastes 2
Solomon was a very manly thinker. Men have this ability to put things in boxes mentally, so that one thing does not touch another. So Solomon says that he tried to cheer himself with wine, wealth, and women. He embraced foolishness (2:3) while remaining under the guidance of wisdom. Now, I don't doubt the truth of the scripture, but I have to wonder if I am hearing some arrogance coming from a former human king of Israel. That takes some brass--to confess that you experimented with drinking and pleasure, but analyzed it with a clear mind. Sure, God could have blessed him with immunity from the impact of alcohol, and allowed him to explore the folly of drunkenness without ever loosing control. Or maybe Solomon simply explored folly, wake up with a splitting headache the next morning, and then analyzed the foolishness of it all. It seems like he tried to separate the physical and mental aspects of his personality here--analyzing with his mind while he put his body through all sorts of tests. I think in the end, he found out that you cannot separate the impact of the physical from the mental or spiritual. We are whole beings, and it is foolish to think that turning off your mind or feelings will allow you to do whatever you want with your body.
In the end, Solomon concludes, " I surveyed all that my hands had done, . . . everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (2:11)
He says the same about emphasizing the mind and reason over all other things. "I saw that wisdom is better than foolishness . . . but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both." (2:13-14). In other words, it doesn't matter how smart you are. Your wisdom is limited and cannot find a way to defeat death.
Even his hard work and wealth did not provide sanctuary. "A man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who had not worked for it." (2:21) "All his days his work is pain and grief." (2:23). In the end, his observations about his own life lead him to express "My heart began to despair over all my labor." (2:20)
So, what is the heart of life--the path to happiness? Solomon states that pleasure, wisdom, and work are all dead ends.
Yet, he leaves us with this one nugget of hope at the end of chapter 2. "A man can do no better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too I see from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases God, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God." In the end, Solomon sees the building of wealth as foolishness, because God will give it to those who please him. In other words, IT ALL BELONGS TO GOD, AND HE WILL MANAGE IT AS HE SEES FIT.
The hope resides in knowing God. Wine, women, wisdom, and work are all meaningless without God's presence. Knowing God brings real satisfaction and enjoyment. Also, finding contentment in the basics of life--working, eating, breathing--is essential because these are basic gifts of God to all of us. If we fail to enjoy God's basic provision, how can we enjoy anything this world has to offer?
In the end, Solomon concludes, " I surveyed all that my hands had done, . . . everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (2:11)
He says the same about emphasizing the mind and reason over all other things. "I saw that wisdom is better than foolishness . . . but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both." (2:13-14). In other words, it doesn't matter how smart you are. Your wisdom is limited and cannot find a way to defeat death.
Even his hard work and wealth did not provide sanctuary. "A man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who had not worked for it." (2:21) "All his days his work is pain and grief." (2:23). In the end, his observations about his own life lead him to express "My heart began to despair over all my labor." (2:20)
So, what is the heart of life--the path to happiness? Solomon states that pleasure, wisdom, and work are all dead ends.
Yet, he leaves us with this one nugget of hope at the end of chapter 2. "A man can do no better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too I see from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases God, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God." In the end, Solomon sees the building of wealth as foolishness, because God will give it to those who please him. In other words, IT ALL BELONGS TO GOD, AND HE WILL MANAGE IT AS HE SEES FIT.
The hope resides in knowing God. Wine, women, wisdom, and work are all meaningless without God's presence. Knowing God brings real satisfaction and enjoyment. Also, finding contentment in the basics of life--working, eating, breathing--is essential because these are basic gifts of God to all of us. If we fail to enjoy God's basic provision, how can we enjoy anything this world has to offer?
Labels: Ecclesiastes, God's Sovereignty, happiness, humanity, work
posted by Randy Rogers at
10:07 AM
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