His Word is a Lamp: Ecclesiastes

The book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s exploration of life through the lens of life being temporary (1:2). The word translated as "temporary" in this verse is difficult to translate. It means “vapor" or "breath", with the connotation of something being temporary or that life is ephemeral. In view of this, Solomon ponders what man gets for his toil on the earth (1:3) and then sets his heart to explore and understand the answer to his own question. In this pursuit, as seen in chapter two, Solomon explores: pleasure (2:1), wine (2:3), achievements and building great projects (2:4), obtaining great wealth (2:7), and making his name great (2:9). These are all still pursuits people engage in today. All of this leads to what I think is the main verse of the book in 3:11, which has two points:

1- God has made everything beautiful in its time

2- God has put eternity in the hearts of mankind

Ultimately, these ponderings all point us to Jesus, who redeems all things in all aspects of life, including life's temporary nature. In Christ, we find the answer of why we're here, what our purpose is in life, what happens to us after death, where we belong, and where to turn to when we wrestle with life. Solomon advised the reader to enjoy the gifts of God and life (3:12-13), and Jesus is God's ultimate gift to us. I think that's why this book is included in the canon of Scripture. The prophets point to the Messiah’s promised arrival, the kings show the need for a righteous ruler, and the priests show the need for ministry to God’s people and forgiveness of sin. Ecclesiastes uniquely shows us that God is here for us in the big questions of life and that these existential questions/longings we have can be answered in Christ. May our Father who knows us so personally (Ps. 139) direct our hearts to Himself through His Son, so that our hearts and souls will be satisfied in Him (Lam. 3:19-24, Ps. 63:8, Col. 2:19).

Let us once again thank God the Father for sending His Son!

Pastor Andy 

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