Ecclesiastes 4:1-16

Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 

Not having confidence in any long-term effect of the reform project of chapter 3, Solomon looks at the hardships in his kingdom. He says the dead and the unborn are better off than those living under oppression. As king, why doesn't he do something? The answer is hidden in verse 4. The motivation for action is rivalry, also translated as ‘envy’ or 'jealousy.' No decree, no royal edict will remove envy from the heart. The best countermeasure to envy is contentment: contentment is not indolence (v. 5), but it is never achieved by the pursuit of more (v. 8). Contentment is not just a matter of material possessions but also being part of a community. This community is a life that comes from committed human interaction and can never come from owning stuff.

Solomon moves to an archetypical story of a bad king who is replaced by a young wise successor who was, apparently, oppressed and in jail. His ascension to power is cause for celebration. But before long the people are not happy with this king either. It leaves us with the question: “Was there something wrong in his heart or in the hearts of the people?”

“Lord, give me a heart that is at peace with You and finds contentment in relationships. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

After expressing hope that man can find meaning in his search for God (eternity in his heart), the author is confronted with another vanity or smoke. The author finds wickedness in two places: the courts and the religious institutions. A friend of mine recently faced an unfair, even false, accusation. It is hard to contemplate eternity in the heart when under the threat of injustice. It is also equally difficult to do so in the face of the evil of religious immorality.

This passage is difficult for us because the Hebrew word translated “spirit” can also be translated “breath,” as in the biological function of the lungs. Solomon is not questioning the immortality of the soul. He is pointing out that in the midst of injustice and irreligiousness, man is little better than an animal.

It is not hard to find injustice in government and wrong in the church. It is also easy to get wrapped up in a crusade to set things right. The problem is reform campaigns often fall into the trap of the same vice that they hope to correct. Since we can't predict the future of our reform measures, the best we can do is be happy with what we are doing.

“Lord, help me not to put my trust in religious movements or our government authorities but rather always in you. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

This most famous of all passages from the book, due to the song by The Byrds, is a bit of an enigma. But if we look at the greater context, it comes into focus. Verse 9 asks the question of what the point of everything is. In verses 2-8 we see the sum is zero. Each couplet comes to nothing. Almost as if to say “birth plus death” equals zero. We are returned to the opening of the book: “Meaningless, meaningless, all is meaningless.”

Clarity comes to us in verse 11. The word often translated “beautiful” is easier to understand as “appropriate” or “fitting.” There's a balance and symmetry in creation and life. That symmetry awakes in the heart of man as “eternity.” As we look at the world and its complexity and simplicity and balance, man realizes there is something more. There is a longing, a hunger in the hearts of man for something beyond. Which explains the last part of verse 11. Without this awakened hunger, man would never inquire about his Creator. In God we began to seek meaning.

“Lord, help all things drive me to seek and to know You. AMEN.” 

Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

One has to wonder if Solomon, approaching the end of his life, didn't look at his heir and future king in despair. Solomon's reign was larger than life, so grand as to seem mythic. But as he looks at the future king, perhaps, he realizes it will all be for nothing. His vast wealth, political influence, and expansive knowledge will, he fears, be squandered.

Part of the human condition is to deeply desire a lasting and meaningful contribution to those we will leave behind. But how can we be sure? Rehoboam was 41 years old when he began his disastrous reign. Did Solomon see in the 30-something-year-old prince the telltale marks of future failure?

What could be done in view of his heartbreak? Verse 24 is not so much an invitation to an indulgent life. That has been tried, and it failed. It is more than just focusing on the moment. There is more to it than taking nourishment and seeing the good of the effort. Rather than tormenting the mind on failure that might come, this is an invitation to see how honest work honestly done now can be a springboard to honoring God. 

“Lord, give me a life that is a positive legacy for the generations to come. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 2:1-17

Ecclesiastes 2:1-17

The new field of academic research known as "happiness studies" is nothing new. Solomon applies a systematic and rigorous approach to his pursuit of pleasure. With almost limitless resources and a sharp mind, he investigates how to be happy. His area of investigation is paralleled all over the world today. Using modern language, he had comic entertainment and a massive wine cellar, enjoyed natural beauty in his parks and gardens, and ate gourmet foods. He worked on meaningful projects of building and construction; grand estates were his home; he had a massive staff, so he never did anything distasteful and could indulge in any sexual adventure he desired.

He draws three conclusions from this long, massive effort and research project. First, all the pursuit of happiness is smoke and trying to catch the wind. Second, while their end is the same, there is a small advantage of the wise over the foolish. Third, the wise man and the fool both die and are forgotten. The conclusion of this great happiness study is “So I hated life…”

“Lord, protect me from my own appetites. AMEN."

Crowe's Nest Update

 

Ecclesiastes 1

Ecclesiastes 1

This is without a doubt one of the most enigmatic books in the Bible. But also a book that speaks to the universal human condition. The author opens famously with “vanity of vanities.” This word “vanity” or “futility” should better be translated literally as "smoke." The vigorous effort to capture something is like trying to grab smoke. For all the human effort to capture happiness, we are still chasing smoke. Happiness studies and the pursuit of happiness represent 1.5 trillion dollars a year in spending, but no one can grasp that elusive smoke. Two key points from this chapter. First, if you think you are someone else who will discover the missing secret of happiness, you're wasting your time. In verses 3-11 Solomon makes the point that the greatest of research hasn't produced the answer. Second, there's something wrong even if we can never articulate or find that missing part. Verse 15 tells us something is wrong or missing, but we don’t know what we don’t know. We can't account for what is not there. So where do we go for the answer? It comes at the end of the book, but that destination takes us down a twisting, turning, fascinating road.

“Help me, Lord, to hold all of life with an open hand and not to try to grasp the smoke. AMEN.”