"Man has tried to be happy without God, and this book [Ecclesiastes] shows the absurdity of the attempt. Solomon, the wisest of men, tried every field of endeavor and pleasure known to man; his conclusion was, "All is vanity."
—Dr. Vernon McGee
Ecclesiastes is a hard read. It would not make the list of "Top 10 Happiest Books" because it has streaks of pessimism, frustration, confusion, and weariness. Because of this, we're going to study it in this season of cynicism, defeat, uncertainty, and fatigue.
I believe the word "unprecedented" is officially overused and "new normal" is a close second. The world pandemic, coupled with deep social unrest, is a real and grave tragedy. The author of Ecclesiastes (who many believe was Solomon) would tell us, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). This tells us, there have been many seasons of “unprecedentedness” and “new normals” across our human history.
How can it be that this world is so broken and chaotic? Why is there still racism, segregation (even within the church), inequalities, and sickness? I'm not here to provide those answers directly; the Holy Spirit will reveal it and confirm it through God's Word as you study and learn.
Often, we Google the hard answers before we go to the Throne. I'm guilty. My role in this Bible study is to point you to the Truth, and then allow God to reconcile it in your heart. I'm intentional in using the word "reconcile," friends. There are situations each day where I pause and recognize that the only One who can reconcile what's happening (to make two "accounts" correct and in agreement) is Jesus Christ. And, not all reconciliation is going to come this side of heaven. That’s why Revelation 21:5 says, “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’”
(Warning: spoiler alert!) You're going to find out that the author of Ecclesiastes came to a conclusion at the end, despite all of the “hevel” or “meaningless vanities” he talked about: Life without Jesus is certainly "vanity and vexation of spirit" (Ecclesiastes 1:14); yet, when you experience Him personally and follow Him wholeheartedly, you understand "fullness of joy [and] pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11).
Alright, let’s get to the introduction of Ecclesiastes. I find it helpful to have a little background to put things in context. Then, next week we'll talk about how to study your Bible so you have a framework to help you "rightly divide the Word of God" (2 Timothy 2:15). When we have a godly framework, we can learn to keep Scripture in context and understand it within the full counsel of God's Word (Acts 20:27)
Introduction to the Book of Ecclesiastes
John MacArthur provides this insight into the Greek and Latin origins of the book, which help us understand the titling and the references to the "Preacher" that is speaking:
"The English title, Ecclesiastes, comes from the Greek and Latin translations of Solomon's book. The LXX, the Greek translation of the OT, used the Greek term ekklesiastes for its title. It means "preacher," derived from the word ekklesia, translated "assembly" or "congregation" in the NT. Both the Greek and Latin versions derive their titles from the Hebrew title, Qoheleth, which means "one who calls or gathers" the people. It refers to the one who addresses the assembly; hence, the preacher.
Its [Ecclesiastes] aim is to answer some of life's most challenging questions, particularly where they seem contrary to Solomon's expectations. This has led some unwisely to take the view that Ecclesiastes is a book of skepticism. But in spite of amazingly unwise behavior and thinking, Solomon never let go of his faith in God (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14)."
I have unanswered questions about the Christian faith. Having faith does not mean we don't have doubts. A father in Mark 9 brought his son, who’d been deeply disturbed since childhood, to Jesus. After Jesus healed the boy, "Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24).
You see, friend, faith in Jesus doesn't mean there aren't questions to be answered. As J. Warner Wallace puts it in his book Forensic Faith, "We hold a forensic belief when we believe something because it is the most reasonable inference from evidence, even though we may still have some unanswered questions." It's okay to question, but it's not okay to not diligently search for the answers. Proverbs 8:17 says, "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me."
So, today, we're going to commit to seeking God in a broken world. It doesn't mean we turn a blind eye to the pain, the inequality, the unrest, or to death. It merely indicates we're going to trust the process of seeking God (and not Google) and allow Him to prove Himself faithful on whether this life matters.
Ecclesiastes is a book of questioning, and I love how God doesn't rebuke us for inquiring of Him. Think back to Matthew 11 when John the Baptist was in prison, and He sent his disciples to ask of Jesus, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"
Remember, this is the same John the Baptist that baptized Jesus. The same John who saw the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descending in bodily form like a dove (Luke 3:22). The same John who said, "Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand." And now, sitting in prison, he begins to wonder if this truly is the Messiah because John's present circumstances didn't align with his understanding of God. Can you relate to this in your own life? Can you relate to the misalignment based on what you see in the media or scroll through on your Instagram feed? If so, Ecclesiastes is for you.
[If you’re interested in a <10 minute video overview of Ecclesiastes, I’ve included the BibleProject perspective of the book and it may help you with the context, too.]
Beloved, we all have doubts. I wrestle with fears and often think, "I don't get this." That is part of being human. But God is not discouraged by your doubting. Look how Jesus responded to John later in Matthew 11 — He gently reminded John of His evidential ministry. Jesus told him that blind had received their sight. Jesus pointed to the evidence, and then He went on to encourage John by talking about how he (John) was the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. John was seeking clarity from Jesus, and Jesus provided both assurance and comfort to John the Baptist.
Trust the Faith Process
You may have uncertainties. That's okay. But can we choose at this moment to set our cynical flesh aside and be a seeker of Truth?
Maybe you're saying, "I have watched others walk closely with the Lord, but I don't know what that experience is like personally." That's okay, you're right where you need to be for Jesus to meet you there. But at some point, you have to trust the process. You have to be willing, like that father in Mark 9, to say, "I believe, help my unbelief!"
I’ll leave you for the week to ponder these words and your heart’s response to Jesus’ calling of “Follow Me.” Follow Him, and seek first His kingdom. All the other stuff will come (Matthew 6:33).
“Therefore, when reason can go no higher, let faith get on the shoulders of reason and say, 'I see land though reason cannot see it, I see good that will come out of all this evil.' Exercise faith by often resigning yourself to God, by giving yourself up to God and his ways. The more you in a believing way surrender up yourself to God, the more quiet and peace you will have.
—The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs
Our youngest, Fin, on the shoulders of my husband, Chris.
As Jeremiah Burroughs puts it, ““Therefore, when reason can go no higher, let faith get on the shoulders of reason…” Let your children sit on your shoulders of reason and build their faith.