Ecclesiastes in Hebrew means Koheleth “to bring together” “to assemble” but the Greek translation is Qoheleth meaning Teacher, Preacher, Speaker, or Philosopher. This book was written by Solomon about 1000 years before Christ. The theme of this book is going to be very human to us: What is the meaning of Life? What is the point of living? Is this all there is to Life?
Ecclesiastes may seem quite pessimistic at first, the word Meaningless comes up 37 times in only 12 Chapters. There are 5 ‘Wisdom’ books in the Bible and we are about the read the last of them.
JobPsalmsProverbsSong of Songs- Ecclesiastes.
If you have been to college you may have taken Philosophy as a course. Philosophers are divided over the Meaning of Life. Oh how they go round and round like it is an unsolvable question. This book refers to Our time on this earth as “Life under the Sun”.
Here is what the author is writing about: Apart from God what is life about? The author writes this book from experience. He tries to find joy, satisfaction, meaning but without the Lord. He tried science, philosophy, drinking, possessions, wealth, music, materialism, fatalism (predetermined), and Religion (legalism).
The book does not condemn any of those concepts as a part of life but to recognize that those without God will leave us feeling meaningless. Human effort will never complete us.
- Chapters 1-4 is Solomon’s Search
- Chapters 5-10 is Solomon’s Sayings
- Chapters 11-12 is Solomon’s Solution
I am extremely excited to read this Book of Wisdom. I just know that when I am done with these 12 Chapters I will be changed.
Reading the Bible - 2021 