In our Wrestling with God sermon series, I set aside a month to unpack the stories of Samuel, King Saul, King David, and King Solomon. For those of you reading along in the Old Testament, 1-2 Samuel unpacks the stories of Samuel, Saul, and King David. 1 Kings unpacks the transition from David to Solomon. 2 Kings unpacks the story of the post-Davidic Kings, along with the prophets Elijah and Elisha.
This morning we’re going to unpack Ecclesiastes. If you want to know the heart of King David (the father), you should read the Psalms. If you want to know wisdom of Solomon (David’s son), you can read Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Proverbs. We’re going to touch upon all these books this coming month. But this morning is all about Ecclesiastes.
I don’t know why I missed this simple fact—but Ecclesiastes 1:1 begins, “The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.” This book is a sermon taught by Solomon. It’s meant to be read in one sitting. It probably wasn’t a thirty-minute sermon—but you could easily read the whole thing in an hour. The name of this book is “Ecclesiastes”. Interestingly enough, the New Testament word for church is “Ecclesia”. An Ecclesia is a gathering of people, coming together to hear a word from God. You probably never realized they were holding church way back in the Old Testament!
Solomon begins his sermon in the most profound way. He begins with a universal declaration. He begins with a word of judgement, that’s based on his personal trials, observations, and reflections. Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.” Now this is translated in a variety of ways. The NIV says, “Meaningless! Meaningless!” “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” The KJV, ESV uses the word vanity—"Vanity! Vanity! Everything is vanity.” The Message says, “Smoke, nothing but smoke. There’s nothing to anything—it’s all smoke.”
It's not hard to understand the point Solomon is making. In short, life is like grasping after the wind. What an image! “Life is like chasing the wind!” Ugh. What’s the point? Why bother? Boy oh boy! Solomon is speaking right into the post-modern, post-Christian, the profoundly secularized “mood” of our de-Christianized times. I don’t know how many of you remember, back in the 90s, the cartoon characters Beavis and {I won’t say the other’s name in church}. In episode after episode they would quip, “this sucks.” Everything sucks. Living… even trying to live…” It’s not just a modern mood—it was also an ancient mood, and one Solomon courageously addresses. Why do so many people—including countless Christians—have this attitude or mood?
This morning, I want to share four reasons people have a foul mood today—and it’s not just young people. I hear this sentiment just as much from older folks. Now before we unpack the core reasons for people’s despair—I need to share another fact about Ecclesiastes I’d never heard before. I started this sermon doing a little word study on the word “futile.” This word conveys the idea of a mystery, or enigma. (“i.e. Life is confused. Life is a crazed mystery! Why God?”) This word can be translated as breath, as vapor, as hot air. (“i.e. Life is so fleeting!”). This word can also be translated as worthless, that which fails, as with idols. An idol presents itself as something that can even rival God, but it’s like chaff, it’s nothing.
But this is what surprised me. The same word for “meaningless” in the Bible is also the proper name for “Abel” as in the brothers Cain and Abel. The overwhelming majority of commentators dismiss this as a complete coincidence. You can see why. It doesn’t seem to make any sense to say, “Absolute Abel,” “Absolute Abel. Everything is Abel. Life is Abel.”
But let’s talk about the story of Cain and Abel for a moment. Cain worked all his days in the field, working the ground, living out his life under the hot sun. Abel was a shepherd, who maintained flocks. Both make an offering before God—Cain offers produce from the ground; Abel offers portions of fat from sacrificed animal. The Lord was pleased with Abel but didn’t have any regard whatsoever for Cain’s offering. Cain became furious and despondent. He’s confronted by God, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent?” He’s warned and given guidance, “If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Cain deceives his brother, invites him out to a field, and murders him.
We could say, “Life is Cain.” Life is Machiavellian. It’s unbridled power and violence. It’s survival of the fittest. Kill or be killed. Cruel and Corrupt. Eliminate the competition. But what if instead we were to say, “Life is Abel.” In life, you endeavor to love God and love your brother. In life, you work hard, you make all the right sacrifices, you follow all the rules, and you willingly pay the price. And what do you get for your good and dutiful life? You get a knife in your back. You get killed by your brother. The ground swallows up your blood. It’s the Billy Joel song—which is really a biblical lament—"only the good die young!” The good suffer. The good perish. The unrighteous Cain’s live on. Without question, “life is Cain” for many… but life is Abel.” Is there any advantage to fearing God? It worthwhile to obey, live for God? Or is there more merit, to living without any religious affections, like a Cain?
Another translation for the word “meaningless”, from which we get the proper name Abel, is “non-sensical.” Non-sensical. Absolutely non-sensical. Everything is non-sensical. This is the reaction people have when they read the story of Cain, when they read the story of Abraham and Isaac.
Now there are four big reasons life feels non-sensical or meaningless. First, every man is searching for true significance. We read into Solomon’s sermon. In the words of Warren Wiersbe, what is a man but just another cog in this gigantic wheel we call creation. Man isn’t even a speck a dust standing alongside the vastness of this great planet, much less this solar system, much less the post-Hubble, infinitely expansive Hubble 2.0 universe. Ecclesiastes 1:4-11, “A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, it hurries back to the place where it rises. 6 Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles. 7 All the streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. 8 All things are wearisome, more than anyone can say. The eye is not satisfied by seeing or the ear filled with hearing. 9 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Can one say about anything, “Look, this is new”? It has already existed in the ages before us. 11 There is no remembrance of those who came before; and of those who will come after there will also be no remembrance by those who follow them.”
The young ask, “can I matter.” The cynical ask, “Should I try to matter, should I try to influence anyone or anything? What’s the point?” The old ask, “do I matter” The dying ask, “did I matter?” Why are we so hard-wired to matter? And yet what are we in the grand scheme of this great planet earth? Where on this earth can I make and leave my mark? All remembrance fades away.
Life also feels non-sensical because we’re searching for true meaning. We look around and wonder, what is the meaning of all of this? What is the meaning of life? Of my life? Is there some reason, some purpose or goal for everything? Ever since the beginning of recorded history, philosophers and religious men have speculated, men have conducted (and continue to conduct) an exhaustive search for wisdom and knowledge. When Solomon had his genie-in-the-bottle moment, and God promised to grant Solomon one wish, what was it Solomon requested? 1 Kings 3:5, “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask. What should I give you?” 1 Kings 3:12, “I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again.”
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18, “I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to examine and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied. 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. 16 I said to myself, “See, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has thoroughly grasped wisdom and knowledge.” 17 I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind. 18 For with much wisdom is much sorrow; as knowledge increases, grief increases.”
The torture of it all. Our questions fall on a deaf universe. Like Job as he suffered, we never get a satisfactory why. The more learned, the less you grasp. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon grapples with themes of sin and judgement, righteousness and deliverance, cause and consequences. Meaningless, meaningless.
Life also feels non-sensical because we’re searching for true satisfaction. Ecclesiastes 1:8, “All things are wearisome, more than anyone can say. The eye is not satisfied by seeing or the ear filled with hearing.” Anyone remember the lyrics of that Rolling Stones song? “I can't get no satisfaction … I can't get no satisfaction … 'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try … I can't get no, I can't get no … When I’m drivin’ in my car … When I’m watchin’ my TV … When I'm ridin' 'round the world And I'm doin' this and I'm signing that … ” Solomon had the greatest wealth in all the world. He had the greatest pleasures (including the finest women) at his fingertips. He partook of the best the cultures of the world offered. He enjoyed world-wide fame—but it was all vanity, absolutely vanity, absolutely empty.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, “I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile. 2 I said about laughter, “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 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[a] during the few days of their lives. 4 I increased my achievements. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them. 6 I constructed reservoirs for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. 7 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 in Jerusalem. 8 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. 9 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.”
If material things (Madonna was a Material girl), if material things (accumulation, possessing, owning, building, amassing) cannot bring true joy and peace (shalom)… what can? Life feels nonsensical “cuz I can’t get no, get no…” Prov. 13:11 “riches vanish more quickly than a breath;” Ecc. 11:10, “childhood and youth are vanity;” Pro. 21:6, “making fortune through lies.”; 31:30, “charm, beauty"; Isaiah 49:4, At the end of life we realize, “But I myself said: I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and futility; yet my vindication is with the Lord, and my reward is with my God.”
Life also feels non-sensical because we’re searching for true hope. In Ecclesiastes comes the observation that everything done under the sun is vain. Ecclesiastes 2:13-17, “And I realized that there is an advantage to wisdom over folly, like the advantage of light over darkness. 14 The wise person has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both. 15 So I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will also happen to me. Why then have I been overly wise?” And I said to myself that this is also futile. 16 For, just like the fool, there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, since in the days to come both will be forgotten. How is it that the wise person dies just like the fool? 17 Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.”
Elsewhere Solomon laments the shortness of his life. It’s empty, it’s vacuous, it’s transitory. In Job 7:16, job cries out, “I give up!!! “for my days are a breath;” In Psalm 39:6, the Psalmist laments, “my days are inches, my life span is nothing, humans are vapor (a mist or breath)." Right when it appears Solomon is about to succumb to the despairing mood of each and every godless age he begins to backtrack. Guided not just by mere observation, but also God’s revelation, he comes to the all-redeeming conclusion that the core foundation to all of life—to all meaning, to all wisdom and knowledge, to all mattering, to all significance, to all pleasure and satisfaction, to all joy and peace and prosperity, indeed to life ever lasting…. is a fear of God.
Eccl. 2:24-26, “There is nothing better for a person than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work. I have seen that even this is from God’s hand, 25 because who can eat and who can enjoy life apart from him? 26 For to the person who is pleasing in his sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he 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.” Eccl. 12:13-14, “13 When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: fear God and keep his commands, because this is for all[e] humanity. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.”