The Problem Stated

While Proverbs purports to show the rules of wisdom and godliness Ecclesiastes seems to present the exceptions to the rules. On a deeper level, however, Ecclesiastes deals with the world as it is. The rules presented in Proverbs are all true, but some of the justice will not be seen in this life, it will have to wait for eternity. Also, mankind is in real trouble in this world.

"Mankind’s problem is further aggravated by the contrast between the brevity of life and the apparent permanence of the earthly realm (cf. Ps. 90:4f., where man is as effective as a midnight watch, as energetic as sleep, as enduring as grass). Thus the inherent vanity of the earthly realm gives no hope of change. Goes…comes…remains represent Hebrew participles and imply continuity of action, ‘is continually going…coming…remaining’. For ever means that ‘under the sun’ there is no conceivable end to the problem of earthly futility."[1] (italics in the original)

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day to the last syllable of recorded time; and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."[2]

It sometimes seems that this troubled earth will continue forever in this miserable state. The author of Ecclesiastes personally sorted through the activities man is able to do “under the sun” and came to some definite conclusions. One may wish to question why he should involve himself in some of these activities, but

"The morality of his project is not under consideration, for the secular man is being shown the failure of his life-style, on its own premises."[3] (italics in the original)

He found no meaning in anything he tried. The only way meaning can be derived is from God, who is outside of creation, giving us an external vantage point not under the sun. Ronald Mayers, a professor at Cornerstone University, once quoted G. E. Moore, “The ought cannot be derived from the is.”[4] (italics in original) Simply observing creation will never provide the information we need. Divine revelation transcending this realm is an absolute necessity, and so, God provided Holy Scripture.

During the questioning of our value systems in America in the 1960’s Bob Dylan was said to be a leading voice. He had two main characters he constantly sang about in his songs, and he admitted that he was actually both of those characters. He was the Joker, who questioned all reasoning (due to a lack of transcendent perspective), and he was the Thief, who wanted to prove to everyone that they really owned and could own nothing (due to death as the great eraser). This viewpoint is really very accurate when life is looked at without an eternal perspective. Later, Dylan began to take a much closer look at Christianity and the Bible as well as Judaism as he searched for a higher perspective on life. Solomon agrees with the generally insane nature of this world:

"This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. Anyone who is among the living has hope –even a live dog is better off than a dead lion."[5]

Solomon uses the term “meaningless” over thirty times in Ecclesiastes. He begins with the statement:
"Meaningless! Meaningless! Says the teacher.
Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."[6]
Throw everything out and start over. His long list of meaningless activities includes: pleasure, toil, advancement, oppression, injustice, riches, long life, esteem, fine quality work, knowledge and even wisdom itself which ends in meaninglessness. All of these things are “under the sun” and said to be vain. The twin villains of death and decay erase everything.

Jesus understood this completely. He owned practically nothing and had no place to regularly put his head (no home). He did not concern Himself with daily provisions or a career. He must have spent time working (as a carpenter), which is required by scripture, even though He did not gain anything that lasts as a result of His labors. No furniture made by Him has survived. Ultimately, His work was to do the will of His Father. Effectively, He avoided everything that Solomon listed as meaningless.

Howard Hendricks has said that there are only two things you can take out of this world, God's word and people, so he devoted his life to building God's word into people.

[1]Eaton, Michael A., Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary, Downers Grove, Illinois, Inter-Varsity Press, 1983. , p. 58.
[2] MacBeth, William Shakespeare.
[3] Eaton, p. 68.
[4] Mayers, Ronald B., Religious Ministry in a Transcendentless Culture, Washington, D. C., University Press of America, 1980, p. 44.
[5] New International Version, Ecclesiastes 9:3-4.
[6] New International Version, Ecclesiastes 1:2.