Ecclesiastes – Page 3

Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 – This is Not Proverbs

Read Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

Solomon gives us “proverb-like” nuggets of wisdom here. However, I have to say that some of his tips don’t seem that wise to me. Keeping the perspective of when he was writing these thoughts down is helpful to me. Solomon had been exposed to countless false teachings from his many pagan wives. Plus, he didn’t have the promise of salvation we know in Jesus.

When we put our “redemption lens” on this passage, it’s easy for us to clear up some of Solomon’s concerns. I’d rather focus today on several of the observations Solomon got right. Having discussions on each of these points would be fun in a small group, don’t you think?

Ecclesiates 6:10-12 – What’s Your Future?

Read Ecclesiastes 6:10-12

This passage oozes with the notion of predestination. That’s a “churchy” word meaning different things to different people. Known as a Christian doctrine for some denominations, it has been debated by theologians for centuries. Basically, it means that God has figured everything out ahead of time, knows what’s going to happen in our lives, and there is nothing we can do to change it. Does that give you assurance or scare you just a little bit?

In terms of our salvation, however, this can be a bit unnerving. What if God didn’t “choose” me to be saved? I have a hard time believing that some people of faith would not be saved because they weren’t “predestined.” After all, Jesus commanded us to evangelize and make new disciples. Why would he do that if it was already predestined who would be saved?

Ecclesiastes 6:1-9 – Enjoy Life!

Read Ecclesiastes 6:1-9

That old wind Solomon is chasing or dreaming of chasing! The last line is great! “Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.”

Before he gets to that realization, Solomon took a bit of a turn down a dark road in this reading. I’m sure you also noticed the enormous amount of (one hundred) children referred to in his lament. With hundreds of wives, he likely had many offspring, so 100 would not have sounded too lavish to be believable!

Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 – Wealth in Spirit

Read Ecclesiastes 5:8-20

Why does it seem like the problems Solomon wrote about centuries ago are still problems facing our culture today? There are still wealthy people and poor people, and the gap seems to be enlarging all the time. People are always complaining about the red tape in government, including ineffective measures. And, we still die, taking nothing with us.

This isn’t the first time Solomon focused his lament on having riches. Remember, he was king, and God had given him more than wisdom to enjoy. How lavishly he lived his life, we can surely imagine from all the descriptions we have in the Bible. When you have that much “stuff,” it must be hard to imagine not having it or leaving it all behind.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 – Approaching God

Read Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

The language barrier I have with the Mexican girls at the orphanage is sometimes laughable. But one day when I was about on my last nerve because the girls were overly restless and distracted during Bible class, I asked them to imagine Jesus had just entered the room to watch our class. How would they behave then? It was amazing to watch them sit up straight, be quiet, and all the while look around to see if Jesus was actually there.

They approached Jesus, even the thought of him, with respect. It was a delight for me to see. There is no language gap when it comes to loving Jesus and seeking to please him. Solomon now tells us that how we approach God matters.