Ecclesiastes — Lesson 13
CHRIST AS THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF ECCLESIASTES
Introduction
- Ecclesiastes is a rambling lecture on many aspects of
life and its meanings.
- The main thesis or point of the book, stated at the
beginning, is found in Ecclesiastes 1:2 -- Vanity of
vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is
vanity.
- Also verse 14 -- I have seen all the works that are done
under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of
spirit.
- The word vanity occurs 37 times in the book.
- The book depicts the vanity of life of everything "under
the sun" and apart from God.
- Ecclesiastes examines five toils under the sun. He
attempted, unsuccessfully, to seek meaning from:
- Worldly wisdom,
- Worldly pleasure,
- Wealth and power,
- Altruism and social work, and
- Worldly and ritualistic religion.
- The book also identifies several sources of vanity:
- The sameness and indifference of all things,
- Death as the certain and final end of life,
- Time as a cycle of endless repetition,
- The view of evil as an unexplainable problem, and
- The view of God as an unknowable mystery.
- The pessimism and pathos expressed in the book seems to
look to the hopelessness of life without a redeemer and the
futility of life without a hope.
- With the coming of Christ, life takes on a different
meaning. The book of Ecclesiastes has been described as an
expression of the of the need for a saviour.
- If we were to conclude the study of Ecclesiastes with
Solomon's views without considering the end of the book, we
would emerge with a truly pessimistic view of the meaning
of life.
1. What was Solomon's final answer to his extensive search
for the answer to the question, "What is good for man?"
- Eccl. 12:13-14 -- Let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is
the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into
judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or
whether it be evil.
- Verse 13 affirms that God is, and he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him.
- God has given commandments that men are obligated to
honor and obey. Here is Solomon's witness to the existence
and authority of the Law of Moses.
- The whole business and the whole purpose and the whole
intent of God's placing man on the earth is summed up in
the thought: Fear (have reverence for) God and obey him.
- Fear and obedience of God are still the basic
requirements of man's behavior, and God will hold man
accountable for his actions.
- Verse 14. A more positive statement of the biblical
doctrine of eternal judgment can be found nowhere else in
the Old Testament.
- Hebrews 6:1-2 -- Therefore leaving the principles of the
doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not
laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works,
and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and
of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and
eternal judgment.
- The announcement of judgment at the end of the book makes
it a climax. It could have been that Solomon's conviction
of this certainty was the very thing that finally brought
him to his senses.
- Solomon had no doubt about the existence and justice of
God as his Creator.
- God is mentioned at least 40 times in the book.
- However, Solomon's references to God did not denote a
loving relationship with God as his father in the same
sense that David spoke of God in Psalms.
2. What does Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 indicate about Solomon's
understanding of God? Was his understanding complete?
- He says fearing God and keeping his commandments
constitute the whole of man.
- What other passages in the Old Testament reflect the
thought about fearing God? What do fear (or reverence) of
God indicate?
- Proverbs 1:7 -- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
- Psalm 111:10 -- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his
commandments: his praise endureth forever.
- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and
knowledge. However, it is not the end.
- Solomon understands the justice of his Creator. However,
he cannot understand the mercy of his Creator, which is
embodied in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, where
God's justice and mercy meet.
3. For a good portion of his life, Solomon was in a frame
of mind in which he believed in God but still experienced
despair and confusion. Do individuals experience that same
feeling today? What is the solution for this dilemma?
- Solomon never said there was no God. He believed in God
but still seemed depressed and confused about his life.
- It's been said that his God was like the moon: there, but
not here, controlling the tides of his life but not
entering into any personal relationship with him. He had no
face-to- face encounter as with Job.
- Solomon's understanding of God seemed largely
naturalistic, and nature has been referred to as God's
back.
- Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, "there is no new thing under the
sun."
- People still seek meaning through earthly wisdom.
- People still seek meaning through worldly pleasure.
- People still seek meaning from wealth and power.
- People still seek meaning from social causes.
- People still seek meaning through ritualistic religion.
- Because these things still fail to bring meaning, we
realize how relevant the book is to us today. The book
speaks to a deep and universal human problem.
4. How is Christ the answer to the problem of Ecclesiastes?
- One author has said that the Bible is like-life,
involving a challenge and a response. Ecclesiastes is the
challenge; the rest of the Bible is the response.
- No one wants to admit Solomon's conclusion that "all is
vanity." But we can't simply say that we disbelieve it.
Solomon presented some very convincing reasons for
believing his conclusion, and Christians must refute his
arguments.
- Ecclesiastes' basic argument --
- All toil is under the sun.
- All under the sun is vanity.
- Therefore, all toil is vanity.
- Questions that must be asked --
- Is there a toil that is not under the sun?
- Is there a human work that is not confined to this earth?
- Are we not building an eternal kingdom?
- Faithful Christians are destined for eternity with God.
Christians are part of the kingdom of heaven. We are the
answer to Solomon's question in Eccl 3:21 -- Who knoweth
the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the
beast that goeth downward to the earth?
- This answer does not become clear until hundreds of years
after Solomon.
- The answer occurs through the paradox of eternity
entering time -- God's becoming a man, sharing the life of
a man so that man could share the life of God.
- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus: 6. Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made
himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 7. And being
found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 8.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name: 9. That at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father.
- Here is something new under the sun --
- God taking on the form of a man, dying for our sins,
being resurrected from death, ascending to return to be
with God.
- Because of these facts, we have hope, though the
possibility of terror remains real as well.
5. How do Christ's death, burial and resurrection offer
mankind a hope that Solomon couldn't understand?
- Ecclesiastes has been called a perfect silhouette of
Jesus, the stark outline of the darkness that the face of
Jesus fills.
- Romans 3:23 -- For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God.
- Romans 6:23 -- For the wages of sin is death; but the
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Romans 7:24-25; 8:1-2 -- 24. O wretched man that I am!
who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25. I
thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. so then with the
mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the
law of sin. 8:1. There is therefore now no condemnation to
them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit. 2. For the law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of
sin and death.
- In various places in the Old Testament there are hints
and glimpses of the future life. Solomon seems to have
vague ideas of it.
- But it was Christ who brought life and immortality to
light.
- II Timothy 1:9-10 -- (. . . power of God in verse 8) Who
hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to his own purpose
and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the
world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of
our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and
hath brought life and immortality to light through the
gospel.
- Christ, by his resurrection from the dead, gave the world
a demonstration of the certainty of life beyond the grave.
- Solomon, who lived 1,000 years before Christ, could not
possibly have the same feeling of sureness about life
beyond that Christ later gave the world.
- Christ spoke of a kind of abundance that Solomon didn't
understand.
- Luke 12:15 -- . . . take heed, and beware of
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the
abundance of the things which he possesseth.
- John 10:10-11 -- The thief cometh not, but for to steal,
and to kill and to destroy: I am come that they might have
life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the
good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the
sheep.
6. How does a life patterned after Christ contrast with the
life of Solomon?
- Galatians 2:20 -- I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I life; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for
me.
- A life patterned after that of Christ produces fruit if
we submit our wills to the will of God through careful
study and practice of his word.
- Love. Agape or selfless love that forms the basis of all
godly traits.
- Joy. Spiritual delight and exuberance we have in Christ.
- Peace. Absence of strife in our lives. God, Christ, the
cross and the gospel are all concerned with peace. We can
know the "peace that passes understanding" in Philippians
4:7.
- Longsuffering. Passive and patient endurance of
sufferings and trials. Being slow to anger and show
vengeance toward enemies.
- Kindness. Gentle and benevolent disposition toward
others.
- Goodness. Active principle of doing good things for
others.
- Faithfulness. Loyalty, dependability and reliability. It
is "faith working through love" in Galatians 5:6.
- Meekness. Word used by the ancients to describe a wild
horse tamed to the bit and bridle. It still had all of its
strength, but it was now gentle and kind.
- Self control. Will keep our time, money, influence and
talents at work for the only proper master, Christ. It will
also keep us free from the moral corruption around us.
7. List some of the specific blessings we have through
Christ?
- Ephesians 1:3 -- Blessed the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
- Christians have many great spiritual blessings in Christ.
- Forgiveness -- John 1:29 -- The next day John seeth Jesus
coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world.
- Redemption -- Romans 3:24 -- Being justified freely by
his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
- We are a new creature in Christ -- II Cor 5:17 --
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold all things are become
new.
- Cleansing of our sins -- I John 1:7 -- But if we walk in
the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one
with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin.
- Joy -- Philippians 4:4 -- Rejoice in the Lord alway: and
again I say, Rejoice.
- Consolation -- Philippians 2:1 -- If there be any
consolation in Christ . . .
- Christ is the solace of our lives -- I Peter 5:7 --
Casting all your anxiety upon him; because he careth for
you.
- Strength -- Philippians 4:13 -- I can do all things
through Christ which strengtheneth me.
- Victory -- I Cor 15:57 -- But thanks be to God, which
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. II Cor
2:14 -- Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to
triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the saviour of his
knowledge by us in every place.
- Heaven -- II Timothy 4:8 -- Henceforth there is laid up
for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Conclusion
- David, Solomon's father, in his long and hard struggle to
build the kingdom, was forever shouting, "rejoice, shout
for joy, sing, praise God."
- Solomon sat in peaceful security on the throne David had
built.
- He had riches, honor, splendor, power and lived in almost
fabled luxury. He was the one man in all the world whom men
would have called happy.
- Yet his unceasing refrain was, "All is vanity."
- God gave Solomon unparalleled opportunity to observe and
explore every avenue of earthly life.
- After a great deal of research and experiment that did
not include God, Solomon concluded that, on the whole,
humanity found little solid happiness in life.
- In his own heart Solomon exhibited a yearning for
something beyond himself. Thus the book, in a way, is
humanity's cry for a saviour.
- With the coming of Christ, the cry was answered.
- The vanity of life disappeared.
- In its place were joy, peace and gladness through Christ.
- Jesus never used the word vanity but talked much of his
joy, even under the shadow of the cross.
- In Christ, humanity found the desire of the ages: life,
full, abundant, joyous and glorious life.
- John 10:10-11 -- The thief cometh not, but for to steal,
and to kill and to destroy: I am come that they might have
life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the
good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the
sheep.
- And because of Christ's life, death, burial and
resurrection, we have hope "as an anchor of the soul, both
sure and steadfast . . . " (Hebrews 6:19.
CHRIST AS THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF ECCLESIASTES
1. What was Solomon's final answer in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
to
his search for the answer to the question, "What is good
for man?"
2. What does Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 indicate about Solomon's
understanding of God? Was his understanding complete?
3. For a good portion of his life, Solomon was in a frame
of mind
in which he believed in God but still experienced despair
and
confusion. Do individuals experience those same feelings
today? What is the solution for this dilemma?
4. How is Christ the answer to the problem of Ecclesiastes?
5. How do Christ's death, burial and resurrection offer
mankind a
hope that Solomon couldn't understand?
6. How does a life patterned after Christ contrast with the
life
of Solomon?
7. List some of the specific blessings we have through
Christ.
God's Plan of Salvation
You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
You must believe and have faith in God because “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)
You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the “Sinner’s Prayer” to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel.
(2 Thess. 1:8)
You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus “Lord of your life.” Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just “accept Jesus as your personal savior.” We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)
Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God’s grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God’s grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)
