Ecclesiastes
Name:
Originally called “Qoheleth” in Hebrew.
“Qoheleth” means “preacher.”
“Ecclesiastes” comes from the Greek Ekklesia, meaning “the assembly” (to whom the preacher preaches).
In English, Ekklesia is translated as “church.”
Theme:
“What is the purpose of life?”
Introduction: Everything is meaningless! (1:1-11)
Qoheleth generally and then specifically examines work and wisdom (in a cyclic fashion) to support his thesis that all of life is meaningless.
Qoheleth generally and then specifically examines work and wisdom (in a cyclic fashion) to support his thesis that all of life is meaningless.
There is no advantage to work from earth’s perspective because of the cycles of life which entrap people and because of the lack of fulfillment in doing anything.
“‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’
says the Teacher.‘Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.’”
“What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which one can say,
‘Look! This is something new’?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.”
Wisdom Is Meaningless (1:12-18)
Qoheleth affirms that by increasing in wisdom he did not find fulfillment, but the emptiness of work, the certainty of design, and the pain of awareness.
Qoheleth affirms that by increasing in wisdom he did not find fulfillment, but the emptiness of work, the certainty of design, and the pain of awareness.
“I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.”
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun;
all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
“For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.”
Pleasures Are Meaningless (2:1-11)
In the pursuit of pleasure and hard work Qoheleth found the latter to be preferable, but both to be empty in and of themselves.
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.”
Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless (2:12-16)
In examining wisdom and folly Qoheleth affirms that the former (wisdom) is preferable, but not ultimately fulfilling since death is the end of both the fool and the wise.
“I saw that wisdom is better than folly,
just as light is better than darkness.
The wise have eyes in their heads,
while the fool walks in the darkness;
but I came to realize
that the same fate overtakes them both.”
Toil Is Meaningless (2:17-26)
Qoheleth concludes that work is empty and life is to be hated because it only leads to grief (evil) in that others may later squander your fruits, therefore, only pain and preoccupation exist from work now.
Recognizing that the hand of God is responsible for one’s life, Qoheleth contradicts his former statements and affirms that pleasure and work are both good.
The reason one can enjoy life when one sees that God’s hand is involved is because without Him life is meaningless and full of despair.
“So I hated life,
because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me.
All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun,
because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.
And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?”
A Time for Everything (ch. 3)
Qoheleth affirms that everything, including events and experiences which seem to be contradictory, has an appointed time.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.”
Although the appointments of life may point to despair in striving, meaning for life may be found if one follows the eternal drive within oneself to recognize God as the giver of life.
“I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the human heart;
yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
Qoheleth affirms that man is forced to turn from himself to God when he realizes that He controls events, is the source of morality and gives any meaning to the equalizer of death.
“God will bring into judgment
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time to judge every deed.”
The reason one should be happy in one’s appointed activities is because there is no future beyond them apart from God.
“As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.
Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals;
the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other.
All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals.
Everything is meaningless.
All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
Who knows if the human spirit rises upward
and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness (4:1-12)
When Qoheleth examines the unjust state of oppressors who have power and the helplessness of the oppressed, he concludes that living is the worst of all possible states.
“I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.
And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
But better than both
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.”
Qoheleth affirms that to be driven in work, especially for oneself, is a great emptiness because people are designed for one another.
“There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked,
‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!”
“Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
Advancement Is Meaningless (4:13-16)
Qoheleth affirms that in view of the shrewdness of youth and the fickleness of people it is empty to depend upon status for security in life.
The young replace the old only to be replaced themselves.
Fulfill Your Vow to God (5:1-7)
When one goes to before God, one ought to be more concerned with what God has to say than with what they have to say to God. One must truly fear God rather than practice empty religion.
“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.
Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools,
who do not know that they do wrong.”
“Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.
A dream comes when there are many cares,
and many words mark the speech of a fool.”
Riches Are Meaningless (5:8 – 6:12)
As one guards against corrupt authority by striving to be self-sufficient, one finds that one’s protection in material gain becomes their undoing.
Qoheleth affirms that life becomes something which can be enjoyed when God is known to be the giver of its fruit and labor.
“Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.”
“As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them?”
“Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
that they can carry in their hands.”
Wisdom (7:1 – 8:1)
The value of difficulties is described variously as that which enrich rather than destroys a person.
“A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.”
Deathday Better than Birthday Explained
"The point throughout is the person's name. When a baby is born it has no name - quite literally - and even after it has been given a name, that name is essentially meaningless until the person has actually grown and begun to do things in life. Little by little, he or she becomes a person, first doing this, then that, until slowly that "name" begins to mean something, for good or for ill. Eventually, it is full of rich detail and nuance - as detailed and nuanced as the person's own life. And like any nonmaterial thing, it is impervious to change; no one can steal someone else's name, and it will not erode or wash away. Meanwhile, that same person's physical existence has started down the long path of decline that is the lot of all humans. In a physical sense, we are all like the precious anointing oil: what was very valuable at first begins to lose its savor, and sooner or later the whole vial will be used up or go bad and have to be disposed of. That day, the day of a person's death, is certainly a sad day, but it is no less a day of great significance, since it marks the completion of the process of building a name. One can now take a step backward and contemplate (as one could not before) the whole person. In the end, each of us becomes our name; this is all that survives of the dissolution of our "precious oil," our physical selves."
To dwell on the superiority of the past is to not deal skillfully with today.
“Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’
For it is not wise to ask such questions.”
“Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.”
For one to alienate oneself for wisdom and righteousness is for one to ruin their life. To be evil and foolish is to lose one’s life. To be someone who fears God is to be able to be upright and to live with the knowledge that one is good and evil. It is good to hold on to righteousness and to also be aware of one’s evil because this leads to a fear of God.
“Do not be over-righteous,
neither be over-wise—
why destroy yourself?
Do not be over-wicked,
and do not be a fool—
why die before your time?
It is good to grasp the one
and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.”
Although Wisdom and righteousness are helpful, no one is completely pure.
“Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,
no one who does what is right and never sins.”
“Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you may hear your servant cursing you—
for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.”
“This only have I found:
God created mankind upright,
but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
“Who is like the wise?
Who knows the explanation of things?
A person’s wisdom brightens their face
and changes its hard appearance.”
Obey the King (8:2-17)
Qoheleth affirms that wisdom is a great attribute because it gives perspective to the hurts which one faces.
Because of a person’s commitment to God, one should obey the governmental authority over him and not quickly rebel so as to incur the government’s sovereign retaliation
Although life from a natural vantage point seems to be out of control and replete with injustices, one should enjoy it as a God-fearer who understands His oversight.
"There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth:
the righteous who get what the wicked deserve,
and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve.
This too, I say, is meaningless.
So I commend the enjoyment of life,
because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad.
Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun."
A Common Destiny for All (9:1-12)
Because one does not receive from life what one puts into life, it is impossible to explain the experiences of life outside of the hand of God.
Death is a fate which awaits everyone, even those who pursue evil and deserve worse.
"This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun:
The same destiny overtakes all.
The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,
and afterward they join the dead.
Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!"
Life is more advantageous than death because the living are still able to enjoy life and especially impact the lives of those around them.
"For the living know that they will die,
but the dead know nothing;
they have no further reward,
and even their name is forgotten. Their love, their hate
and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
in anything that happens under the sun."
"Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart,
for God has already approved what you do.
Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.
Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love,
all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days.
For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,
for in the realm of the dead, where you are going,
there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."
Even though the experiences of a person’s life may be capriciously hurtful to any individual, one’s skill in life will be a source of life for many. There is not a natural cause-and-effect relationship to life because all are subject to the limitations of time and the capriciousness of chance.
"The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all."
Wisdom Better Than Folly (9:13-10:20)
Qoheleth affirms that foolish, sinful youthful choices lead to personal and public harm in life.
"The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner destroys much good.
As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Even as fools walk along the road,
they lack sense
and show everyone how stupid they are.
Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
A feast is made for laughter,
wine makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything.
Do not revile the king even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
and a bird on the wing may report what you say."
Invest in Many Ventures (11:1-6)
Wise financial planning protects against the capricious disasters of life.
It is wise to not become immobilized by the uncertainties of life, but by entrusting them to God to make the most of today’s opportunities of life.
"Ship your grain across the sea;
after many days you may receive a return.
Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let your hands not be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well."
Remember Your Creator While Young: A poem on Old Age (11:7 – 12:8)
Life must be pursued in its brevity with the perspective of its futility and one’s accountability before God.
Qoheleth affirms that God is to be considered during the days of one’s vitality or else one will find the certain evil before them to be too overwhelming to think clearly.
If one does not consider God while one’s strength is with them, the certain darkness before them will overwhelm them to conclude that all in life is empty.
“You who are young, be happy while you are young,
and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment.”
“Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
‘I find no pleasure in them’—
before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;
when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
and mourners go about the streets.”
“Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”
The Word-Pictures explained
Stars grow dark = blindness
Clouds return after the rain = frequently needing to relieve oneself
Keepers of the house tremble = shaky legs
Strong men stoop = arthritis
Grinders cease = teeth fall out
Those looking through the windows grow dim = poor eyesight
Sound of grinding fades = deafness
Songs grow faint = deafness
The almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags = youthful beauty fails to arouse the male sexual organ
Silver cord is severed = death
Golden bowl is broken = death
Pitcher is shattered = death
Wheel broken = death
Dust returns to the ground = death and decay of the body
The Conclusion of the Matter (12:9-14)
Although there are many sources for direction in life, God’s wise direction is to fear Him and to follow His word because everyone will be evaluated by these things.
“Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.”
“Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.”
“Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.”
Group Discussion: Why do bad things happen?
Fate?
Chance?
Punishment?
Punishment for personal sin?
Result of “the fall”?
The devil?
We’re cursed?
We’re pieces in a cosmic game?
God is bored?
God lets the universe run on its own?
No reason at all?
Job’s Perspective
Job’s New Perspective
The Lord said to Job:
Our Perspective?
In the pursuit of pleasure and hard work Qoheleth found the latter to be preferable, but both to be empty in and of themselves.
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.”
In examining wisdom and folly Qoheleth affirms that the former (wisdom) is preferable, but not ultimately fulfilling since death is the end of both the fool and the wise.
“I saw that wisdom is better than folly,
just as light is better than darkness.
The wise have eyes in their heads,
while the fool walks in the darkness;
but I came to realize
that the same fate overtakes them both.”
Qoheleth concludes that work is empty and life is to be hated because it only leads to grief (evil) in that others may later squander your fruits, therefore, only pain and preoccupation exist from work now.
Recognizing that the hand of God is responsible for one’s life, Qoheleth contradicts his former statements and affirms that pleasure and work are both good.
The reason one can enjoy life when one sees that God’s hand is involved is because without Him life is meaningless and full of despair.
“So I hated life,
because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me.
All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun,
because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.
And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?”
Qoheleth affirms that everything, including events and experiences which seem to be contradictory, has an appointed time.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.”
Although the appointments of life may point to despair in striving, meaning for life may be found if one follows the eternal drive within oneself to recognize God as the giver of life.
“I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the human heart;
yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
Qoheleth affirms that man is forced to turn from himself to God when he realizes that He controls events, is the source of morality and gives any meaning to the equalizer of death.
“God will bring into judgment
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time to judge every deed.”
The reason one should be happy in one’s appointed activities is because there is no future beyond them apart from God.
“As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.
Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals;
the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other.
All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals.
Everything is meaningless.
All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
Who knows if the human spirit rises upward
and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness (4:1-12)
When Qoheleth examines the unjust state of oppressors who have power and the helplessness of the oppressed, he concludes that living is the worst of all possible states.
“I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.
And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
But better than both
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.”
Qoheleth affirms that to be driven in work, especially for oneself, is a great emptiness because people are designed for one another.
“There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked,
‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!”
“Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
Qoheleth affirms that in view of the shrewdness of youth and the fickleness of people it is empty to depend upon status for security in life.
The young replace the old only to be replaced themselves.
When one goes to before God, one ought to be more concerned with what God has to say than with what they have to say to God. One must truly fear God rather than practice empty religion.
“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.
Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools,
who do not know that they do wrong.”
“Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.
A dream comes when there are many cares,
and many words mark the speech of a fool.”
As one guards against corrupt authority by striving to be self-sufficient, one finds that one’s protection in material gain becomes their undoing.
Qoheleth affirms that life becomes something which can be enjoyed when God is known to be the giver of its fruit and labor.
“Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.”
“As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them?”
“Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
that they can carry in their hands.”
The value of difficulties is described variously as that which enrich rather than destroys a person.
“A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.”
Deathday Better than Birthday Explained
 |
| Birth of Professor Sheets |
 |
| Death of Professor Sheets |
To dwell on the superiority of the past is to not deal skillfully with today.
“Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’
For it is not wise to ask such questions.”
“Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.”
For one to alienate oneself for wisdom and righteousness is for one to ruin their life. To be evil and foolish is to lose one’s life. To be someone who fears God is to be able to be upright and to live with the knowledge that one is good and evil. It is good to hold on to righteousness and to also be aware of one’s evil because this leads to a fear of God.
“Do not be over-righteous,
neither be over-wise—
why destroy yourself?
Do not be over-wicked,
and do not be a fool—
why die before your time?
It is good to grasp the one
and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.”
Although Wisdom and righteousness are helpful, no one is completely pure.
“Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,
no one who does what is right and never sins.”
“Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you may hear your servant cursing you—
for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.”
“This only have I found:
God created mankind upright,
but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
“Who is like the wise?
Who knows the explanation of things?
A person’s wisdom brightens their face
and changes its hard appearance.”
Qoheleth affirms that wisdom is a great attribute because it gives perspective to the hurts which one faces.
Because of a person’s commitment to God, one should obey the governmental authority over him and not quickly rebel so as to incur the government’s sovereign retaliation
"Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God.
Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence.
Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases."
Examining life from a natural vantage point leads to frustration because the wicked never fully pay for their evil and this incites more evil.
"When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out,
people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong."Although life from a natural vantage point seems to be out of control and replete with injustices, one should enjoy it as a God-fearer who understands His oversight.
"There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth:
the righteous who get what the wicked deserve,
and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve.
This too, I say, is meaningless.
So I commend the enjoyment of life,
because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad.
Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun."
Because one does not receive from life what one puts into life, it is impossible to explain the experiences of life outside of the hand of God.
Death is a fate which awaits everyone, even those who pursue evil and deserve worse.
"This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun:
The same destiny overtakes all.
The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,
and afterward they join the dead.
Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!"
Life is more advantageous than death because the living are still able to enjoy life and especially impact the lives of those around them.
"For the living know that they will die,
but the dead know nothing;
they have no further reward,
and even their name is forgotten. Their love, their hate
and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
in anything that happens under the sun."
"Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart,
for God has already approved what you do.
Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.
Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love,
all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days.
For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,
for in the realm of the dead, where you are going,
there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."
Even though the experiences of a person’s life may be capriciously hurtful to any individual, one’s skill in life will be a source of life for many. There is not a natural cause-and-effect relationship to life because all are subject to the limitations of time and the capriciousness of chance.
"The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all."
Wisdom Better Than Folly (9:13-10:20)
Qoheleth affirms that foolish, sinful youthful choices lead to personal and public harm in life.
"The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner destroys much good.
As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Even as fools walk along the road,
they lack sense
and show everyone how stupid they are.
Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
A feast is made for laughter,
wine makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything.
Do not revile the king even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
and a bird on the wing may report what you say."
Wise financial planning protects against the capricious disasters of life.
It is wise to not become immobilized by the uncertainties of life, but by entrusting them to God to make the most of today’s opportunities of life.
"Ship your grain across the sea;
after many days you may receive a return.
Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let your hands not be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well."
Life must be pursued in its brevity with the perspective of its futility and one’s accountability before God.Qoheleth affirms that God is to be considered during the days of one’s vitality or else one will find the certain evil before them to be too overwhelming to think clearly.
If one does not consider God while one’s strength is with them, the certain darkness before them will overwhelm them to conclude that all in life is empty.
“You who are young, be happy while you are young,
and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment.”
“Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
‘I find no pleasure in them’—
before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;
when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
and mourners go about the streets.”
“Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”
The Word-Pictures explained
Stars grow dark = blindness
Clouds return after the rain = frequently needing to relieve oneself
Keepers of the house tremble = shaky legs
Strong men stoop = arthritis
Grinders cease = teeth fall out
Those looking through the windows grow dim = poor eyesight
Sound of grinding fades = deafness
Songs grow faint = deafness
The almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags = youthful beauty fails to arouse the male sexual organ
Silver cord is severed = death
Golden bowl is broken = death
Pitcher is shattered = death
Wheel broken = death
Dust returns to the ground = death and decay of the body
The Conclusion of the Matter (12:9-14)
Although there are many sources for direction in life, God’s wise direction is to fear Him and to follow His word because everyone will be evaluated by these things.
“Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.”
“Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.”
“Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.”
Group Discussion: Why do bad things happen?
Fate?
Chance?
Punishment?
Punishment for personal sin?
Result of “the fall”?
The devil?
We’re cursed?
We’re pieces in a cosmic game?
God is bored?
God lets the universe run on its own?
No reason at all?
Job’s Perspective
“One of the oldest stories ever told.”
The main core is made up of ancient poetry with pre-Israelite origins.
The prose prologue and epilogue were added later after the Jews were destroyed by Babylon.
The prologue gives a glimpse into the spiritual realm that Job never sees.
“Job is a good man.”
“The story-teller insists that Job is the greatest man in his whole part of the earth.”
“Job is also a wealthy man.”
Land
Crops
Animals
Servants
A house full of kids
“But in this story everything falls apart for Job.”
Much of his wealth is stolen
The rest is consumed in a fire
His children are tragically killed
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked will I depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. May the name of the LORD be praised.”
After all this, he ends up with painful sores all over his body.
He sits in ashes mourning and scrapes his skin with a piece of broken pottery.
His wife says to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
Job’s Friends’ Perspectives
They sit in silence for seven days with Job.
“Sitting Shiva”
They all have their own opinions about why Job is suffering the way he is.
They take turns trying to come up with explanations.
Job breaks the silence.
“May the day of my birth be cursed! Why was I born if God is only going to give me a life of misfortune?”
Eliphaz
“Surely good and innocent people are never punished!”
“God only does these kinds of things to sinners.”
“If I were you, I would appeal to God.”
Job
“Why do you mock my lament by accusing me of doing evil?”
“God, if I have done anything wrong, why don’t you just forgive me?”
Bildad
“Your words are empty!”
“Is God’s justice twisted?”
“Your kids were killed because they sinned!”
Job
“God is much wiser than humans.”
“If only I had an intermediary to represent me and my case before God!”
“Whether I’m guilty or innocent, God seems out to destroy me!”
Zophar
“You need to repent of your sins, Job! Only then will God accept you again!”
Elihu’s Perspective
Job
“You guys apparently know everything there is to know about everything!”
“…But I haven’t sinned!”
“You are all terrible friends, and full of lies!”
“God, why do you hide your face from me? Show yourself and let me present my case to you!”
Elihu
“I thought you old folks would be wiser than me, but I was wrong!”
“Why should God change the order of the universe to suit your whims?”
“You should be punished more for the wicked way you’ve talked about God!”
God’s Perspective
“In the end, when everybody has had their chance to speak, God speaks.”
“God speaks out of a whirlwind.”
“When God speaks, we find out that God has questions for Job.”
The Lord said to Job:
“Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him!”
Let him who accuses God answer him!”
Then Job answered the Lord:
“I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
I spoke once, but I have no answer—
twice, but I will say no more.”
I put my hand over my mouth.
I spoke once, but I have no answer—
twice, but I will say no more.”
Our Perspective?
“We want answers… We want explanations. We want to know why we suffer like we do…
And there are times when the only honest, healthy, human thing to possibly do is to shout your questions and shake your fist and rage against the heavens and demand an explanation…
But true wisdom, the kind we find here with Job, the kind that endures, the kind that sustains a person through suffering, that kind of wisdom knows when to speak and when to be silent…
Because your story is not over. The last word has not been spoken. And there may be way more going on here than any of us realize…
So may you be released from always having to know why everything happens the way that it does. May this freedom open you up to all sorts of new perspectives…
And may you have the wisdom to know when to say, ‘I spoke once, but now I will say no more.’”
Non-scripture quotations taken from the episode Whirlwind from Rob Bell’s NOOMA series.
