I was eavesdropping on one of our small groups. One of our leaders—Gaylin Lack—was doing an extraordinary job leading a discussion on Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is a lot like Proverbs. You can read these books in a linear, verse by verse fashion. But you can also read wisdom literature “thematically.” Solomon probably had ADHD, he leaps from one thing to the next. In your small groups, feel free to discuss whatever themes or topics you want. There are dozens.
In Ecclesiastes 2:2-4 Solomon writes, “I said to myself, ‘Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.’ But it turned out to be futile.” Don't you find Solomon's conversations with himself interesting? I said to myself… When we’re talking to ourselves, just who is talking to who? And who says, “Good morning self, hope you’re ready. Today I test you with hedonism! “I said about laughter, “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” I explored with my mind the pull of wine on my body—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—and how to grasp folly, until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.”
In these verses Solomon mentions Hedonism—the unbridled pursuit of pleasure. Then Laughter. Then the pull of Wine. Then Folly! First comes the desire—let’s go have a good time. Then comes the laughter. Then comes the wine. Have you ever noticed the more a person drinks the louder (and more obnoxious) the laughter? And then with the pull of wine comes folly—bad decision making. I was listening to Justin Timberlake on the news, apologizing about his DUI. I'm not a big Justin Timberlake fan. But he seemed quite sincere. “You don't have to make the mistake I've made, you can learn from my mistake.”
I don't know about you, but I'm perfectly content, and rather prefer learning from other's mistakes. Life’s too short to learn everything firsthand. Besides, the older you get, the harder it is to rebound from folly. There is already enough stupid in the world to educate people like you and me, pain-free, without all the personal cost!
After hedonism, laughter, wine, and folly Solomon tests himself with achievement. I kind of find it amazing how Solomon can so readily shift gears, one thing to the next. I find it interesting that somehow, he can descend into things yet with his “mind still guiding him with wisdom.” How do you maintain sobriety of thought when drunk in desire?
In Ecclesiastes 2:4 he continues saying, “. . . I increased my achievements. . .” Now take a moment and listen to these things carefully. How does one man achieve all these things?
• “. . . I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.”
• “I made gardens and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them.”
• “I constructed reservoirs for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees.”
• “I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house.”
• “I also owned livestock—large herds and flocks—more than all who were before me…”
• “I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.”
• “I gathered male and female singers for myself, and many concubines, the delights of men.”
The world's biggest house belongs to Istana Nurul, the Sultan of Brunei. His residence has 1788 rooms, includes a mosque with seating for 5000, has air conditioned stables for his two hundred ponies, and a 110 car garage! The world's largest vineyard is in Spain. It's nine square miles! The world’s largest reservoir is in Ghana. The richest man on earth—Elon Musk, is currently sitting at 251 billion. The largest single audience ever assembled for a concert, in the world. Not Taylor Swift, sorry Chiefs fans and Swifties! 3.5 million fans who crammed onto Brazil's Copacabana Beach in 1994 to hear Rod Stewart perform.
Ecclesiastes 2:9-11, “So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom also remained with me. 10 All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. 11 When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.”
At home we have this Schnauzer named Rock’E. He’s now the oldest, but he's just a few years old. He’s been upstaged by Roar’E and Hadd'E our two Schnauzer pups. He’s so possessive. He takes every toy away from the others that he can, and collects them in a pink chair in our front room. I don't think he cares about the toys. He certainly doesn't have any interest in enjoying the toys he takes. His toys are like symbols of achievement. His chair is like his throne, upon which he sits as if he's some conquering king. But the others don't care. How much is enough? How much house, how much vineyard, how much garden, how much water supply, servants, herds, flocks, silver, gold, entertainment?
The only thing that really puts our achievements in perspective is death. Because who gets our barns? And what comes of our massive collections of toys? Solomon observes that there is so much labor, grief, and sorrow, and restless nights that go along with accumulation.
Ecclesiastes 2:22, “For what does a person get with all his work and all his efforts that he labors at under the sun? 23 For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.” Ecclesiastes 2:24, “There is nothing better for a person than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work.” Have you ever considered that perhaps there is a practical limitation to how many things we can tangibly enjoy? We get so busy accumulating it’s a miracle we ever stop to smell the roses. In Ecclesiastes 2:26 Solomon says that it's the sinner that God “. . .gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.”
Do wave to spend our entire lives, accumulating so much, spending so much of our lives, to learn the lesson that “more” isn't ever going to be enough? The eye will never have enough seeing; the ear never enough hearing, the sea never be filled no matter how many streams pour into it.
And right along with material impoverishment is relational impoverishment. Ecclesiastes 4:7-8, “Again, I saw futility under the sun: There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. “Who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself of good things?” This too is futile and a miserable task.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.”
You know what I find most intriguing about Solomon? The man is surrounded by material excess, of his own making! Name the material achievement—and Solomon achieved the equivalent of it in his own day. But Solomon is also surrounded by people. He isn't just the King, he’s the banquet master. He’s the life of the party—surrounded by laughter, leading toast after toast. He was surrounded by women—what does 1 Kings 11:3 say? “He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines;” He amassed more male and female singers and entertainers. More male and female slaves. For you animal lovers… he had more animals than anyone ever… and yet the man was as lonely and isolated as ever. How can that be? Material excess didn't produce material satisfaction. Relational immoderation, Hedonism, Carousing, Partying… didn't provide relational satisfaction… didn't provide Intimacy, Connection, or Enjoyment.
For his wives, Solomon sold his soul. 1 Kings 11:4, “For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.” This thing, and that thing. This relationship, that relationship. The myth of achievement is that somehow “more” is going to be enough, more will spell quality, depth of enjoyment.
I mentioned the song Cats in the Cradle last week. Relational impoverishment. What price are we willing to pay, to achieve? Whose mistakes can we learn from?
“My child arrived just the other day… He came to the world in the usual way… But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay… He learned to walk while I was away… And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew… He'd say "I'm gonna be like you, dad" … "You know I'm gonna be like you"
“My son turned ten just the other day… He said, thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play… Can you teach me to throw, I said-a, not today… I got a lot to do, he said, that's okay. And he, he walked away, but his smile never dimmed… It said, I'm gonna be like him, yeah … You know I'm gonna be like him”
“Well, he came from college just the other day… So much like a man I just had to say… Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?... He shook his head, and they said with a smile… What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys… See you later, can I have them please?...”
“I've long since retired, my son's moved away… I called him up just the other day… I said, I'd like to see you if you don't mind… He said, I'd love to, dad, if I can find the time… You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kids have the flu… But it's sure nice talking to you, dad… It's been sure nice talking to you…”
“And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me… He'd grown up just like me…. My boy was just like me… And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon… Little boy blue and the man in the moon… "When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when" … But we'll get together then, dad… We're gonna have a good time then”
Worldy achievements exact a maximum cost from us, while robbing us of material enjoyment and relational intimacy. There used to be a show on TV called “The Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous.” There was also a show called, “Behind the Music." Learn from the mistakes of others! You can be surrounded by material excess and relational largess and be as impoverished and pathetic as ever.
I want to suggest we revisit the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:11 where he says, “He [God] has also set eternity in the human heart.” To use Augustine's words, we all have a God-sized, God-shaped, God-ordained void in our lives that nothing worldly, materially, or even relationally is ever going to fill. Not even 700 wives, or 300 concubines would do the trick. What if our core problem is that we’re trying to plug a round hole with a square plug? What if we're trying to fill a spiritual void with material or relational excess?
I read this thing that made me sad, it was some survey of pastors. The question was what achievements give pastors a sense of significance? Remember the disciples of Jesus, jockeying for greatness. They all wanted to be greater than the other. The mother of James and John even had the audacity to ask Jesus to make their names great. The other disciples got so livid! Here are the top achievements pastors clamor after:
Attendance. If only I could be Rod Stewart, and assemble the largest crowd ever in history. Would 3.5 billion be enough? Contributions. Silver and gold. If only I could be Elon Musk. The American Church is the most wealthy and prosperous in all history. Square Footage. Seating for 5000 worshippers! What a dream! Air-conditioned stables for 200 hundred ponies, to drag out and entertain the crowds. Staffing. Men servants and women servants. Programs! Solomon gathered male and female singers—"the delights of men.” Pastors, church leaders can be as achievement oriented as the best of them.
One of the most important questions we can ask is “What do I hope to achieve?” Matthew 16:24-28 Jesus asks his achievement-minded disciples a question, and it’s a question as relevant for his achievement minded pastors, leaders, and church attenders today. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
What are those achievements that not only have true eternal significance, but also alone can fill that eternal void or longing? Solomon says true wisdom is this.., “ fear God and keep his commands, because this is for all humanity.