Ecclesiastes
The Things That Don't
Work!
INTRODUCTION:
Ecclesiastes is one of the favorite books of the Bible for
skeptics, scoffers, atheists, and certain cultists. Reason is that certain
passages in this book seem to deny that there is life after death.
Hedonists love this book too, because it seemingly
endorses a rather epicurean lifestyle. Those who pursue pleasure as the chief
aim of life love the book because throughout it we are frequently exhorted to
an "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we must die" philosophy.
But all of these groups fail to note what we must observe
right from the beginning: this book is an examination of secular wisdom and
knowledge.
The book clearly states at the outset that it is limiting
itself to that which is apparent to the natural mind, that
is human viewpoint.
Ecclesiastes
is the findings of what humans are able to discern "under the sun,"
by which the writer means the visible world.
It is an inspired, accurate book. It guarantees that what
it reports is what people actually believe. But it is an examination of those
beliefs.
The book is not merely a collection of ancient philosophy,
for what it talks about is very much up-to-date and extremely relevant.
In this book the philosophies by which people attempt to
live life are brought into consideration and examined.
That is why Ecclesiastes is so practical and up-to-date.
1. The title Ecclesiastes is derived from the Greek
title of the book in the Septuagint.
- ekklesia = (evkklhsi,a)
assembly / church
- Heb = qohelet - (tl,h,äqo)
one who convenes an assembly and is translated in 1:1 as
preacher (used 7x in Eccl - only place used)
- derived from l,h,ä;q' to assemble together
- probably best translated as teacher
- the record here is Solomon's
thought process over a period of time and presents the conflict between human
vpt and divine viewpoint as to the meaning and purpose of life.
- Solomon reasons through some of the apparent
contradictions and perplexities of life.
- He writes this book not as the king, or the ruler, but from the standpoint of a philosopher, an observer of life and that primarily we will find is from the standpoint of human viewpoint.
2. Author: SOLOMON means peaceable; was the third king of
a. He was the
10th son of David and 2nd of Bathsheba. 2 Sam 12:24-25
- at birth the prophet Nathan
named him Jedidiah means "beloved
of the Lord"
b. He therefore
is royalty in the lineage of the King of Kings.
c. He was a
prolific writer and also known as a learned lecturer on botany and biology of
the day.
- wrote
approx. 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs 1 Kings 4:32
d.
Background (beginning of reign - see his vpt.) 1 Kg 3:3-15; 2 Chr 1:1-11
e. Great income -
2 Chron 9:13
- one year 666
talents of gold = aprox. 705,000 oz's of gold = $458,250,000 ($650 oz)
- with his great income which was increasing (2 Chron
1. hunting lodge - decorated with gold shields 15 lbs ea. =
$156,000
2. unique one of a kind thrones, ivory and gold with lions on
each side
3. Table
settings were of gold.
4. Built a zoo
in
f.
Great fame - world renown - 2 Chron 9:22-24
g.
Great harem - 1 Kg 11:1-8
- He married into every royal house of the neighboring
nations including the Pharaoh of Egypt's daughter.
- selected the best educated and beautiful from every
kingdom
- in violation of Dt
h.
Solomon's downfall
related to his many wives - 1 Kg 11:3-8
- wives turned his heart away
vs:3
- not wholly devoted to the Lord
his God - YHWH - vs:4
- Worshipped other gods - the gods of his wives & built
altars to them - vs:5-8
- some of the main gods they
worshipped:
Ashtoreth - goddess of sex and war -
worshipped thru sexual perversion of every kind imaginable (Canaanite - Phoenician) (also known
as Astarte by the Greeks and Ishtar by the Babylonians)
have gained extensive knowledge from Ugaritic literature -
especially the Ras Shamra scrolls dated to 1400BC
Milcom - god
of the Ammonites
Chemosh -
god of the Moabites
- As with Molech the worship of these gods included
horribly cruel rites including child sacrifice; prohibited in Lev 18:21; 20:1-5
- demonism and witchcraft were
all a part of the worship of these gods as it is with the worship of all false
gods.
i. God's response to Solomon's neg vol and resultant
reversionism
- 1 Kg 11:9 God became angry (anthropopathism) Solomon not
operating in the sphere God desired for him - has impact on the nation since he
is king and has great responsibility.
- The Lord raised up adversaries against him
- Rezon, a leader of a marauding band from
PURRPOSE:
To be used as a rod of affliction to turn Solomon from his negative volition
and reversionism.
j.
Characteristics of his reign - time frame
- Period of peace and great prosperity - especially in the
early years - 1st 20 years of his reign.
- He built and dedicated the
- Solomon's gov't exhibited no real sense of mission to
the nations around them.
- by the last half of his reign
he was pursuing false gods and had no desire to spread the truth
- In a very real sense Ecclesiastes is a portrait of one
who flunks the prosperity test in life.
3. Book Itself
- Written in Solomon's old age prior to the collapse of
the kingdom, approx.
940BC
- Was a part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible -
the writings (Kathubhim)
- Was read annually on the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles last
feast of the year - month of Tishri (Oct) 15-21 which prefigures the
millennium.
- REASON READ ANNUALLY: Its message is of such
transcendent importance that it must be proclaimed to man year by year - even
during the period of peace and prosperity of righteousness and joy that will be
realized on earth in the personal reign of Christ during the millennium.
It is the message
that everything on earth, even at its best, is fleeting and unsatisfying, and
that the heart of man, the real you, was made for God (in His image) and will not find real rest and
satisfaction till it finds that realization in Him who is changeless, absolute
and permanent.