Vanity of Vanities Says the Preacher
-- Ecclesiastes One
The name of the book of Ecclesiastes means "the
Preacher." Solomon is the author of the book. He is the only son of David
that was king in Jerusalem. (Ecclesiastes 1:1) It seems that Ecclesiastes was
written near the end of Solomon's life. He has become more aware of the folly
of his sinfulness. The book of Ecclesiastes is written largely from Solomon's
viewpoint as he speaks of the emptiness or vanity of many things that he had
once thought important. The word vanity means empty, unsatisfactory or
something transitory.
This earthly life is vain-- Ecclesiastes 1:1-4: The
Book of Ecclesiastes is the preacher's sermon. The book is one continued speech
or sermon from Solomon. Solomon is called by several different names in the
Bible. God called him "Jedidiah." (2 Samuel 12:25-26)
"Lemuel" was one name that he was called. (Proverbs 31:1) He was also
possibly called "Agur." (Proverbs 30:1) He identified himself as the
son of David. He might have mentioned David out of the great honor and respect
he had for this good man. The mention of David could have been out of guilt
being a descendant of such a good man and yet his life was one of folly.
The expression "vanity of vanities, all is
vanity" summed up Solomon's earthly life. What can man take with him from
his labor "under the sun?" Paul wrote, "For we brought nothing
into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." (1 Timothy
6:7) Solomon said, "One generation passeth away, and another generation
cometh: but the earth abideth for ever." (Ecclesiastes 1:4) This shows
that a man can have no profit of all his labour under the sun. He works hard to
gain something only to die and leave it behind. Soon death takes an entire
generation. Solomon said the "earth abideth for ever." We know now by
God revelation that, "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10)
Things continually change yet remain the same -- Ecclesiastes 1:5-8:
Solomon pictured man as being like nature, changing quickly but continually
remaining the same. The runner is quick to find the course and stay on it.
Psalm 19:5-6 pictures the sun in just that fashion. "Which is as a
bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a
race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the
ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof." One
generation comes and another goes just as the sun is quick to repeat its
circuit. A generation, like the sun, never stands still. They are one moment at
the noon of prosperity and then quickly cut off at the midnight of life.
Solomon used the wind to picture the instability, and
restless state of man. Man attempts to fill he belly with stuff and it satisfies
no more than being filled with the wind. The frailty of human life is seen, as
man's life is quickly gone just as the wind passing over the earth. Age after
age passes, just as rivers flowing into the sea. Just as the sea is never full
with the rivers that flow into it, so the mind of man is never satisfied with
all the riches and honour he gains on earth. Solomon pictured the unsatisfying
nature of all these things -- vanity of vanities. Man has no profit in these
things "under the sun."
There is nothing new under the sun -- Ecclesiastics 1:9-11:
Things of this world are very fatiguing to those that have them. Solomon's goal
was to cause us to understand the unsatisfying nature of all things under the
sun. "The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with
hearing." Man searches for something new continually. The eye and the ear
are never satisfied because they see and hear the same kind of things over and
over again. When Solomon said, "there is no new thing under the sun" he
likely referred to things of nature.
Solomon asked the people to name any new thing under the
sun. We now know that there are many "new things." Especially, there
are many things that are "new" spiritually. There is (1) the new
covenant, (2) the new commandment, (3) the new and living way (4) a new name,
and (5) the New Testament. Solomon said that the reason that some things appear
new is because man does not remember what has been done. He said things that
are and things that are to come will soon be forgotten.
Solomon's situation and his studies -- Ecclesiastes 1:12-18:
Solomon showed that things that would normally be considered as what would make
a person happy do not. Surely being king would make a man happy. However, that
was not the case. Solomon was "king over Israel in Jerusalem." Yet he
described his life as vanity of vanities. He was a wise king over "a wise
and understanding nation." (Deuteronomy 4:6) Solomon gave his mind and
ability to search out wisdom.
Solomon searched for wisdom concerning "all things
that are done under heaven." His desire was that he might be able to judge
between right and wrong. He realized that men often want to know about things
that are none of their business. Solomon said, "I have seen all the works
that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity, a striving after the
wind and a feeding on wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:14) The search for this
wisdom brought Solomon weariness to the flesh, and pain and uneasiness to his
mind.
Solomon realized that no man could make right the wrongs of
the world. The deficiencies in the human race are so numerous, as that they
cannot be understood and counted. Only God can correct the wrongs of the world.
Isaiah wrote, "And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I
will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light
before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and
not forsake them." (Isaiah 42:16)
Solomon
looked into his own heart and realized that he had much wisdom and knowledge of
the world and of mankind. He had become a great man in the world. It was said
of Jesus, "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this
generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the
earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is
here." (Matthew 12:42) Solomon delighted in obtaining more and more
knowledge, but then he "perceived that this also is vexation of
spirit." In much wisdom there is much grief: (1) in the effort it takes to
gain it, (2) In how easy it is to forget it, and (3) the folly of man that you
learn by it. This increased knowledge brought Solomon sorrow.
There is
a wisdom that brings the result that Solomon described. There is also true
wisdom. "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him
shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts,
glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above,
but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is
confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good
fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." (James 3:13-18)
Have you focused your life on what is really important? Are you serving the Lord? Faith in the Christ is the beginning point of an acceptable relationship with God. (Romans 10:17) None can have salvation without hearing and believing the salvation message. (Mark 16:15-16) Repentance is necessary for salvation. (Luke 13:3) Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of action or a change in life. A simple confession of faith in Jesus made by one's mouth is a necessary step in conversion. (Romans 10:9-10) Those that put on Christ must be baptized into Him. "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) At baptism one stops being out of Christ. If you are saved praise God for what He has done for you.