Ecclesiastes 1:1-2

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
    vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, 14-16, 24-26

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3 I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. 4 I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.

9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

14 The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. 15 Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity.16 For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool!

24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,25 for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Sermon Recap

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at the books in the Bible known as “wisdom literature.” These books are like surround sound - communicating the same message to you from different angles in order to provide you with a fuller, clearer picture of what it means to live skillfully.

Proverbs teaches you that wise people generally do better. Job teaches you that wise people also aren’t exempt from suffering, and Ecclesiastes enters into the conversation to teach you that everyone’s going to die. And apparently that’s supposed to help you live more skillfully!

The main way Ecclesiastes communicates that message is through the Hebrew word hevel. It’s used 38 times throughout the book, and it’s often translated as “vanity” or “futility.” The most literal translation would be “smoke” or “vapor.” That’s what life is like, according to the Teacher in Ecclesiastes. It’s short, and it leaves you with empty hands.

How did the Teacher find this out? He conducted an experiment to find something in this life that would satisfy him. You read about this pursuit in chapter 2, and it turns out that his pursuit that led him to alcohol, work, wealth, and sex is the pursuit that we are on as well.

Application Question

What are the things you’ve looked to in the past to find joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction?

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There are all kinds of problems the Teacher runs into in this pursuit. But the main problem that he can’t get past is death - life is like smoke, remember? It doesn’t matter how wealthy or powerful or successful or wise you are, everybody dies in the end. But if you receive that hard news, it can bring you to the perspective we all need if we want to live skillfully: You won’t really live until you realize that dying is inevitable.

Application Question

How does recognizing the shortness of life help you live skillfully in the present?

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That realization causes the Teacher to shift from a posture of striving to receiving. He goes from saying “I said, I searched, I made, I built, I bought” in verses 1-11 to recognizing life as a gift in verses 24-26.

Here’s the beauty of this story: when you recognize that your pursuit has left you with empty hands, you’re finally in a posture to receive the good gifts God wants to give you for your joy.

When we come to Jesus with empty hands, we realize that he is the only one who can satisfy our souls, and that allows us to hold whatever gifts he gives us in a way that doesn’t crush them or ask more of them than they’re intended to give.

Application Question

What is a specific area of your life where you need to make the shift from striving for control to receiving God’s gifts? How does it help you make that shift to know that Jesus meets the deepest desires of your heart?