Ecclesiastes

Main Focus

• Old Testament – Christ in Prophecy
• Gospels – Christ in History
• Acts – Christ in the Church
• Epistles – Christ in Experience
• Apocalypse – Christ in coming Glory

 

Ecclesiastes: "Teacher; Preacher; Gatherer""
Written by: Solomon
Chapters:12
Verses:222

The name "Ecclesiastes"

The Hebrew word is Koheleth and is the title given to an official
speaker who calls an assembly (see 1 Kings 8:1). 

The Greek word for “assembly” is  ekklesia, and thus the LXX gives us the English
title of the book, Ecclesiastes.

But the Preacher did more than call an assembly and give an oration. The
word Koheleth carries with it the idea of debating, not so much with the
listeners as with himself. He would present a topic, discuss it from many
viewpoints, and then come to a practical conclusion. Ecclesiastes may
appear to be a random collection of miscellaneous ideas about a variety
of topics, but Solomon assures us that what he wrote was orderly (12:9). 

Whenever Solomon refers to God in this book he always refers to Him as "Elohim" The Mighty God, Creator God. ("God" [in Bible] a more distant God)

He never uses  Jehovah Yəhōwā Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH)  Covenant relationship, the God of the Promise  

( "GOD" [ALL CAPS IN BIBLE] a close relational GOD )

 

-----Ecclesiastes 1-----

The monotony of life (1:4–11)

The vanity of wisdom (1:12–18)

 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? ...

“Vanity of vanities,” lamented Solomon, “all is vanity!” Solomon liked

that word, “vanity”; he used it 38 times in Ecclesiastes as he wrote about

life “under the sun.” The word means “emptiness, futility; a vapor that

vanishes quickly and leaves nothing behind.” From the human point of

view, life (“under the sun”) does appear futile; and it is easy for us to get

pessimistic

"All is vanity"  is it?

  ¹⁸ For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

 

-----Ecclesiastes 2-----

He Tested Life (2:1–11)

Enjoyment (2:1–3)

Employment (2:4–11)

The Certainty of Death ( 2:12–23)

[Yet, Enjoy life (2:24-26)!]

 

²⁴ There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
²⁵ For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
²⁶ For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

-----Ecclesiastes 3-----

Look Up: God Orders Time (3:1–8)

Look Within: Eternity is in Your Heart (3:9–14)

Look Ahead: Death Is Coming to All (3:15–22)

   ² A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Machines should not keep you alive forever in a vegetative state.

We should not play God.

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. 

a vacuum to desire more... we need God.

 

-----Ecclesiastes 4-----

In the Courtroom (4:1–3)

In the Marketplace (4:4–8)

On the Highway (4:9–12)

In the Palace (4:13–16)

 ⁴ Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

 

-----Ecclesiastes 5-----

Don’t Rob the Lord (5:1–7)

Don’t Rob Others (5:8–9)

Don’t Rob Yourself (5:10–20)

³ For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

 

¹⁸ Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
¹⁹ Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
²⁰ For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

 

-----Ecclesiastes 6-----

Riches Without Enjoyment (6:1–6)

Labor Without Satisfaction (6:7–9)

Questions Without Answers (6:10–12)

 

-----Ecclesiastes 7-----

Wisdom Can Make Life Better (7:1–10)

Wisdom Helps Us See Life Clearly (7:11–18)

Wisdom Helps Us Face Life Stronger (7:19–29)

  ²⁰ For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

 ^{Romans 3:10}

 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

-----Ecclesiastes 8-----

Authority (8:1–9)

Inequity (8:10–14)

Mystery (8:15–17)

 

-----Ecclesiastes 9-----

Meeting Your Last Enemy: Death

• death is unavoidable (1–10) and

• life is unpredictable (11–18).

Escape (v. 3)

Endurance (vv. 4–6)

Enjoyment (vv. 7–10)

  ⁷ Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

 ¹² For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

-----Ecclesiastes 10-----

The Foolish Ruler (10:4–7)

Foolish Workers (10:8–11)

Foolish Talkers (10:12–15)

Boastful Words (14b-15)

Foolish Officers (10:16–20)

  ¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

Interesting verse, I need to do more digging on this one.

-----Ecclesiastes 11-----

Life is an ADVENTURE—live by faith (11:1–6)

Life is a GIFT—enjoy it (11:7–12:8)

Life is a SCHOOL—learn your lessons (12:9–12)

Life is a STEWARDSHIP—fear God (12:13–14)

 Cast thy bread upon the waters?

 v.1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

O.K. last time I threw bread into water what the fish did not eat became soggy and worthless.

That is not what this passage is referring to. He is a prime example to where we have to understand the customs of that time to understand what is being said.

They would often eat grain(seeds/bread), but would sow them after the rain(water) so that in due time they could have a plentiful harvest.

Sow your resources for God it will take trust and delayed gratification.

  

Galatians 6:9

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Deal with life as it unfolds, but keep your eyes on Jesus

 ³ If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

  

 ^{Ecclesiastes 9:12}

 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

 ^{Matthew 5:45}

 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

 ^{Genesis 17} 

 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

 ^{2 Corinthians 10:5}  

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Change your perspective, keep a positive attitude despite your circumstances

- by focusing on Jesus.

-----Ecclesiastes 12-----

Remember (12:1–8)

Life Is a School: Learn your Lessons (12:9–12)

Life Is a Stewardship: Fear God (12:13–14)

 v.1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

 We must study God's word NOW ! 

¹² And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Don't wear yourself out by reading all sorts of other books where there is no end, it will wear you out.

Spend your primary reading time reading/studying God's word not the latest greatest best selling novel.

¹³ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
¹⁴ For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

 Are we being good stewards of the time he has given us?

My mother always use to tell me " An idle mind is the devil's playground". 

How true!