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ECCLESIASTES (2)

Introduction (2) & Ecclesiasts 1:1-2

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

  1. The book of Ecclesiastes is the 21st book of the Bible.

 

  1. It falls into a section some call “Wisdom Literature.”  Others refer to it as one of the “Book of Poetry.”

 

  1. There are several verses of Ecclesiastes that are very familiar to many.

 

  1. Yet, as a book, very few individuals have ever studied it.  As we make our way through it, we will find many of the words to be very applicable to how many people feel about life in this world, including Christians.

1.       The inspired writer has the ability to show us two sides of a coin.

2.       In his book, Against the Grain, Ray Waddle, writes:  “Ecclesiastes if the oddest book in the Bible, perhaps the strangest sacred writing in the history of religion.  Its spirit defies the rest of scripture.  It has a skeptical bent.  At times it is recklessly harsh and despairing” (15).  On the same page, he also writes:  “Yet Ecclesiastes’ message is not a meltdown of pessimism.  He refuses to drain the earth of spiritual consequence.  He believes God exists.  God is sovereign, in control.  Wisdom and common sense both urge one human response:  reverence.  We should feel awe for this Creator” (15).

 

  1. In our lesson this morning, let’s complete our introduction to the book and then get into the text.

 

I.                    THE AUTHOR

II.                 DATE

III.              RECIPIENTS

IV.              THE OCCASION

V.                 THE THEME

 

A.     If we look at a word that is found often in the book, we will conclude that the theme of Ecclesiastes is:  “All is vanity.”

1.       The word “vanity” is found 33 times in 28 verses in the book.

2.       The book begins with the idea that “all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2).

 

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

 

a.       Strong (1892):  emptiness, vanity, transitory and unsatisfactory

b.      BDB:  vapor, breath, vanity

 

B.      There is one thing in particular that makes all that men do while on earth appear to be vanity, that is, he dies.

1.       Regardless of what we do on this earth, we will eventually go to the grave.

a.       Ecclesiastes 1:4

 

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh:  but the earth abideth forever.

 

b.      Ecclesiastes 2:16

 

For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool forever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten.  And how dieth the wise man?  as the fool.

 

c.       Ecclesiastes 3:2

 

A time to be born, and a time to die…

 

d.      Ecclesiastes 3:19-20

 

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them:  as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast:  for all is vanity.  All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

 

e.       Ecclesiastes 5:15-16

 

As he came forth out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.  And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go:  and what profit hath that he hath labored for the wind.

 

f.        Ecclesiastes 9:3

 

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one even unto all:  ye, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

 

g.      Ecclesiastes 12:7

 

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was:  and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

 

2.       In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve violated the command of God in the Garden of Eden. 

a.       There were severe consequences for their actions (Gen. 3:16-19).  NOTE:  Part of the consequences was physical death.

 

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken:  for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

 

b.      What if God allowed man to continue to live on the earth, but had not intervened on his behalf spiritually?

c.       The result is what is found in the book of Ecclesiastes.

1)      Man would labor and toil.

2)      Man would seek to be satisfied with all kinds of things on the earth.

3)      Then, man would just die.

4)      A life like that is vain, that is, empty.  There is no satisfaction in it at all.

5)      Just to think about it causes us to have “vexation of spirit.”

 

C.     However, the book of Ecclesiastes does not end with a message of despair.  It ends very positive and upbeat.  It reveals to man exactly what he needs to focus on while on the earth (Eccl. 12:13).

 

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  Fear God, and keep his commandments:  for this is the whole duty of man.

 

D.     Theme:  A relationship with God fills an otherwise empty life with purpose.

 

VI.              KEY VERSES

 

A.     Without a spiritual purpose, live is vain (Eccl. 1:2).

 

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

 

B.      With God, man has a purpose (Eccl. 12:13).

 

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  Fear God, and keep his commandments:  for this is the whole duty of man.

 

C.     NOTE:  These two verses are two-sides of the same coin.

 

CONCLUSION

 

  1. Ecclesiastes has 12 chapters and 221 verses.

 

  1. In the weeks to come, we will be gleaning the wisdom left to us by the wisest man who ever walked the earth other than Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 1

 

Ecclesiastes 1:1 – The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

 

Thought:  The wise Solomon is the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes.  The book’s name comes from the Greek word “ekklesia.  It means “speaker of a called out assembly.”  Solomon was the son of David.  He was also a king in Jerusalem.  His power and wealth and knowledge enabled him to experiment in all types of activities.  He writes from the perspective of one who lived “under the sun.”  This book will reveal what this wise man learned as he lived the kind of life most only dream of.

 

I Kings 3:10-13

 

Commentary:

 

A.     The word “preacher” is only found in the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament.

1.       It is found 7 times in the book (Eccl. 1:1, 2, 12; 7:27; 12:9, 9, 10)

2.       In the Hebrew language the word is “qoheleth.”

a.       Strong (6953):  an assembler, (that is,) lecturer

b.      BDB:  a collector (of sentences), preacher, public speaker, speaker in an assembly

c.       It involves the idea of a wise man calling individuals together in order to speak with them.

3.       The Septuagint, that is, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament uses the word “ekklhsiasthv.” 

a.       This word comes from the root word “ekklesia,” the call out ones or assembly (Acts 19:32, 39, 41).

b.      Thus, the word means:  “a speaker to a called out assembly to which one speaks his wisdom in a collection of words.”

c.       Notice the word Ecclesiastes is a form of this word. 

 

B.      The son of David.

1.       David had at least 21 sons.  Two of them died in infancy.

2.       Solomon was born after the dead of David’s and Bathsheba’s son who had been conceived in adultery (2 Sam. 12:24).

 

And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her:  and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon:  and the Lord loved him.

 

3.       Solomon’s name means “peace.”

 

C.     King of Israel

1.       The only son of David who was the official king in Jerusalem was Solomon.

2.       He was made king when his brother, Adonijah, attempted to overthrow the kingdom at the end of David’s life (1 Kings 1:38-39).

 

So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Heoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.  And Zadock the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon.  And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

 

3.       Solomon reigned in Israel for forty years (1 Kings 11:42, 970 B.C. to 931 B.C.).

 

And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.

Ecclesiastes 1:2 – Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

 

Thought:  The word “vanity” is found 15 times in Ecclesiastes and “vanities” is found 4 times.  It is one of the themes of this book.  Strong defines vanity as “emptiness” and “unsatisfactory.”  He speaks from a strictly carnal standpoint.  This is his assessment of the world, of life, and of all of man’s labors under the sun.  The world is corrupt, carnal, transitory, and never reliable.  It can be good, but it can be bad.  Eventually man exits the world.  If this is all there is, then we are living a vain, empty existence.

 

Psalm 39:5-6

 

Commentary:

 

A.     How many of us look upon our lives and say:  “All I do is vanity?”

1.       Yet, this is how Solomon viewed life initially in this book.

2.       In fact, life is “vanity of vanities,” indicating the highest degree of vanity.

3.       Notice, he doubles this phrase and concludes, saying:  “All is vanity.”

 

B.      Vanity:

1.       Strong (1892):  empty, transitory, unsatisfactory

2.       BDB:  breath, vapour, vanity

 

C.     In his commentary, Albert Barnes applies the concept in four ways

1.       That which “passes away more or less quickly and completely”

2.       That “which leaves either no result or no adequate result behind,

3.       “And therefore fails to satisfy the mind of man, which naturally craves for something permanent and progressive

4.       “It is also applied to:  idols, as contrasted with the Living, Eternal, and Almighty God, and, thus, in the Hebrew mind, it is connected with sin.” (See Barnes, e-sword).

 

D.     Again, this is one side of the coin of life.  Sadly, however, it is the only side that some individuals in our world are living.  They have been born, are working, enjoying life, and, then, they die.  Solomon will contemplate this concept more in the book.  If this is all there is, then truly, “all is vanity.”