Finding Life's Meaning
Study Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1: 1-9; John 20:19-23
Lesson 8

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Key Verse

Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

John 20:19b

 

INTRODUCTION

Everyone likes to think that the jobs that they perform by their hard work and the story of their life should be a beautiful thing.  No person likes to think that they have ‘messed up’ and made mistakes in the tasks they have performed.   

It is very bad and utterly dismaying to look back at what we have done or accomplished in our life and seeing that it is a total failure.  But even worst than this, is to realize that we can do nothing about it, we can't start over and we cannot exchange our present life for a new one.  

Actually, the most we can do is to warn our family and other people not to make the mistakes that we made, so that they hopefully will avoid our frustrating experiences. This essentially is what Solomon the author is doing in this Book.  

Accordingly, the major theme of Ecclesiastes is: that despite the constant efforts of persons and nations to live life to the fullest and expand personal or national horizons, to extend the realm of human existence, understand and experience everything that life has to offer, explore in-depth everything that life has, so that one would obtain information to make life a joyful experience, that quest will fail.  

Since sin entered into the earth God created, man has tried to advance himself, to make significant gains in life so that it would be fulfilling, beneficial, and enjoyable. But the drive for the fulfilling life, despite man's best efforts, have always been neutralized by the reality of death.  Sometimes he makes some strides, building up on the successes and discoveries of previous generations and sometimes he makes significant advances in some areas, but events has always checkmated his efforts.  

There are obviously remnants of the drive in man to flourish and fulfill the original mandate given to him in Genesis, to rule creation and profit from it. Despite his continuing strong attendance however, the ‘reign of death’ has interrupted the desire and plan of God that human beings flourish, with the exception of course of Enoch.  

So the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:20 rightly speaks of all of the creation being subject to futility and decay, not by its own eyes, but according to the righteous will of God.  

In the book of Ecclesiastes we will study the vast array of problems in human existence and we will with the writer, examine the activities and ambitions of men, their quest for wisdom, progress, pleasure, wealth and recognition in life and after death.  This book will make us understand the reality of the curse God placed on life, for we will candidly examine human strivings, the foolish pretence of men that they are masters of their own destiny, their eventual failure and the inability of man by his efforts to thwart the purposes of God.  

The deep questions that this book addresses fascinate us and all other previous generations. It brill ian tly and realistically examines the desperation and confusion in the human condition, ever since Adam plunged the race into rebellion, affecting men with the disease of sin.  We are looking at what happened to man, how it is with him, from the time of Adam's sin to the coming of Jesus.  

Ecclesiastes is part of the wisdom literature of the Bible and is its most philosophical Book; for it analyzes and presents the perspective of the world and the things of the world in detail.  

It is then easy to understand why people who give it a superficial reading feel, because of the repeated use of the words like “ vanity”,

“meaninglessness”, and phrases like “striving after wind”, that the writer is giving a negative and pessimistic picture of life and is in hopeless despair.   

But this is taking verses out of context, for example, the atheists who deny that there is life after death will argue that the book confirm their view.  Those who love following after pleasure as their main goal in life, argue that it endorses their “eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we must die” philosophy.  Those cults that believe in “soul sleep” pull verses out of context to justify their belief, that when the body dies the soul goes to sleep within the body.  

The book teaches that life is like a beautiful tapestry that God designed. There are thoughts about enjoyment, vanity and the theme of eternity in the heart. These themes run through the book in such a way, that we can see how God designed everything beautifully for mankind and that the true meaning of life will only be found, when we are in complete submission to Him.  

God actually used the life and thoughts of a man in an almost ideal situation to make an amazing experiment.  Solomon came from a godly heritage, was anointed King over Israel in times of immense prosperity and great peace, was blessed with great wisdom, had a brill ian t intellect and inherited fabulous wealth.  There was nothing that he lacked intellectually or materially. He had every advantage in life. He had vast influence and no enemies to speak of.  

What better person would there be to explore the meaning of life “under the sun”, to explore in-depth everything that life had to offer, to see if he could find out the necessary information to bring joy and fulfillment in life! Solomon’s observations are not exactly heartening and many find his comments to be sad and devastating.   

The Book however points us to God’s answer to man's dilemma and so at the end the writer concluded that to truly understand life and to be joyful and fulfilled can come only from fearing God and keeping his Commandments.   

They are some who challenge the inspiration of this Book, but the people of Israel certainly accepted it.  We should remember that in the Bible there are different types of literature. Some tell stories, like the narrative of Ruth , some are legal like Deuteronomy and Leviticus, some are historical like 1 and 2 Chronicles, some are poetic like the Psalms and the Songs of Solomon, others are prophetic like Isaiah and Jeremiah, while some are apocalyptic like Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation.   

Each book has a different teaching function and together they point to man's need of salvation in every area of life and teach him about his Savior and his God.  

Wisdom literature gives us practical direction to obtain emotional and spiritual healing and dealing with the brokenness of natural life.  For example, the Songs of Solomon celebrate the greatest gift of life, showing its full expression when two are unified with mutual purity and honor, displaying love as it is to be reflected in marriage.  The book of Job tells us how man wrestles with troubles which defy human explanation.  

The function and aim of Ecclesiastes is completely different, for with philosophy it emphasizes that the meaning of life is not to be found in life, but in the one who gives life.

THE TEXT

Verse 1.   The writer is called “Qohelet”, a title which means the Speaker, as in an Assembly, a Convener of the assembly.  In his role translations called the writer “ The Teacher” (NIV), “ The Preacher” (KJV/NASV), or the Leader of the Assembly.  

The author identified himself as Israel 's King and up until the literary and historical criticism trends of the 17th Century Enlightenment, everyone accepted that Solomon was the author.  The Mishnah, the Talmud, the LXX or translation of the Old Testament into Greek, all accepted Solomon's authorship.  Josephus, the famous Jewish histor ian , accepted it, as did all the early Christ ian writers.  All the descriptions in this verse, in 1:12, 1:16, 2:4-6, 7, 8, 9 supports traditional beliefs about the identity of the author.  

As the Teacher or Assembler, Solomon obviously wanted to teach what he had learned from examining what is clearly secular wisdom and knowledge, what he had learned from his experiment.  The ideas in this book are what you will hear discussed in political speeches, political movements, soap operas and in every philosophy that discusses how people attempt to live their life.  

What this Searcher will tell us is relevant for today, for we too expect that our strivings will bring us success and happiness. We too can look at everything that Solomon tried; the wisdom road, the pleasure road, the hard work and creativity road and the quest to pass on things to the ‘next generation’ to help them succeed.  

We too expect that we must have an advanced degree to succeed.  We must have the latest computer, take special seminars, send our children to the best schools very early in life so that they will succeed, or even start to teach them from the womb. We have to adopt the latest fad of trying genetic manipulation to produce perfect children and in the meantime change our toys for the latest and faster ones, indulging ourselves in pleasure.

Verse 2.  Solomon discovered that nothing in itself, no thing, no relationship, no pleasure would work or satisfy.  None of the philosophies, views of life, our strivings brought satisfaction.  Everything was ‘emptiness of emptiness’, nothing was more empty than life.  

We should remind ourselves at this stage, that Ecclesiastes is raising the issue of human existence in this fallen world and as such ends up at a despairing conclusion.  Solomon learns that when one lives in detachment from the Creator, everything is futile. There is no profit and life is totally absurd, without substance, utterly fruitless, filled with anxiety and frustration and ultimately amounts to a great ZERO.  

This book takes aim at those who are not aware that God has entered humanity in Jesus Christ, those who live in a world of darkness and so have come to the conclusion that death is all there is to life.  These people are confused and despairing and face life believing that Ecclesiastes is completely pessimistic.  

Certainly this Teacher wants men everywhere to straighten out their thinking, how they act, their values and so prepare themselves for their eternal destiny.  

Believers and unbelievers are told that if one looks to life for meaning, they will be surprised; for life is often unintelligible, hostile, meaningless, capricious, unpredictable, good on occasion, but with no guarantee.  It is only when a person realizes that it is only God who gives life and gives meaning to life, that there can be joy and happiness in any meaningful way.

Verse 3.  As Solomon affirms that all of life in itself leads to futility, he raises the question in this verse which takes him on his search.  

This is a question that we all should be asking, for we should all want to find out the key to continual delight, joy and pleasure in life.  We should be examining what we are doing, to find out what should be left, what will endure and where the long-term meeting of our needs will be found, after we have experienced all the pleasure and satisfaction that the world has placed on our platter.  

Note that Solomon is not dealing with heavenly revelation now, for he repeatedly uses the phrases “under the sun” and “under heaven”. See verse 3 as well as verse 9, for example. Solomon limits himself to what is apparent to the natural mind.  He is clearly reporting what we can learn “under the sun”, that is, in the visible world; examining what people actually believe when they do not go beyond man's power of observation and reason.   

This very wise, lacking nothing, powerful ruler, fabulously wealthy, shows us the inevitable result of a life without God.

Verse 4.   Having said that life is brief, short, empty and meaningless, Solomon now supports his idea by examining work and wisdom.  He turns to examining the endless cycles in life, how the human race, the succeeding generations, all come to life, live during their allotted period or term, passes on from this life, while the earth in contrast remains forever.   

What kind of gain, in terms of profit and loss analysis will people get from their hard physical labor, their striving to achieve earthly things, pushing of others to one side, doing evil when in the end they will simply pass on, failing to achieve anything permanent.  

When one looks at it from the perspective of the world, there is no advantage to work, for people come and people pass on, while the earth goes on.  

Thus, life is emptiness, unsubstantial, like a vapor that is faintly seen and like a soap bubble that quickly disappears when it bursts, leaving no trace of its existence, leaving no mark, accomplishing nothing.  Many generations come and go, kidding themselves, scratching around for a little while, but the earth continued as always, covering up their achievements eventually.  Men are weightless, unimportant and they die without fail. Death rules, controls and frustrates.  

Let us not forget that Solomon is actually repeating much of what his Father David said, for in Psalms 39:5,6 the same thing was said.  David also warned men in Psalm 4:2 and 24:4 about the foolishness of vanity.  

In Psalm 89:47-48, David had also taught us that were it not for God and an after-life, everything would be in vain or vanity.  The business of the world is fatiguing, wearying, of some interest and pleasure, but not of real permanent benefit and will not make us permanently happy or satisfied.  

We are here for a little time and then vanish away while the stream of mankind flows continually.  What then can we do that is permanent?

Verse 5.  Man's weightlessness stands stark when we look at nature, the created order which continues uninterrupted, achieving it’s designs within its limits. This is compared to the endless cycle of man's futile pursuits, his many energetic activity, the striving and accomplishments, with no real or lasting change.  

The sun follows an endless pattern of rising, setting and going back to where it started.  Man obviously should be reminded that he too is locked into a monotonous, ever repeating cycle, despite all his efforts.  Nothing really changes no matter how restless man is, for he will be back where he always was, finding no satisfaction.

Verse 6.   The wind also goes to the south, circling back to the north, continually repeating this swirling motion.  The wind travels on its predetermined course without ever accomplishing anything new or different.  This implies that men will live and die with no ability to break the endless cycle of life.

Verse 7-8.  There is a constant flow of water from river to the sea, and back again, producing nothing new or lasting.  

Thus the earth remains as it always was, with the sun, the wind, the rivers, traveling in the same course as they always have done.  They give man the same thing as they always have, and cannot satisfy, for nothing changes.  

Everything is busy, but nothing is able to fulfill, save or satisfy man's designs and longings.  Everything is repetitive and unending giving no advantage.  

It is all wearisome. The eye sees the same sight all the time, but it always wants something new and some variety.  But the eye will never get it, it's longing for something new will never be satisfied.  

The ear will at first love when it hears something pleasant, but it will soon tire of the same song and will look for another, never being satisfied with anything for too long.  So the pressure will always be on to come up with something new to tickle the ears.  

Men will always be inquisitive, always seeking something new, never satisfied and always crying for more.  

Let us realize however that this is not the normal view of nature that one hears in the congregation of God, for we like to think that everything that happens in the world testifies to the Creator.  

But remember that those who think there is no God there is no loving Creator behind nature, then life is monotonous, repetitive, weariness, boring and more than one can bear.  

Man can find no meaning or understanding in nature alone.  

This is jarring, for we have the feeling that it is the earth that should pass away and that we should stay around, lasting forever.  We feel instinctively that we were the crown of creation, which should have dominion over all things.  Or spirit tells us that our present situation is wrong and unjust and that something has been taken away from us.  Everything is backwards. We despair when one generation after another passes while the cycles in the earth remains the same.

Verse 9-11.   Every time we feel that we have discovered something that will make us last and will make life better, the reality is nothing new to really solve our problems, ever seems to show up.  We remain restless.  

It is not that we do not discover some new cures for illnesses, make advances in material things, but nothing meets the hunger in our hearts.  As a matter-of-fact we are often startled by the things that the ancients were able to do, technological marvels that we cannot duplicate.  We seem to be constantly forgetting so much and then speculate where these strange things really came from and who made them.  

We never remember things, we keep forgetting the old marvels and therefore things which appear to be new are not really new.  They do not solve the problem any better than the old ones ever did.  It is all a rehash, the old stuff over and over again.  

The corruptions of men, their complaints, their desires, the things they chase after, are still the same.  Their memories are short.  They imagine that they are discovering new things and expect happiness or satisfaction but it is futility.  

So Solomon’s question remains, “Is this all life is about?” It seems that man is always pursuing things that are empty and that can never satisfy.  There is nothing in sight to give continual and permanent delight, satisfaction and joy.  

Is there an answer which provides this missing element?

JOHN 20:19-23

Solomon, the personification of wisdom, had been placed in a position where he was able to investigate everything under heaven with diligence.  

From this study he concluded that all the toil and activity in which people were engaged were futile, as senseless as chasing the wind.  Man had a burdensome task which kept him preoccupied, but which basically got nowhere.  

There is not even assurance that one’s successors will appreciate one’s accomplishments and keep them alive.  There was seemingly no way out.  

Solomon did not simply make statements, but in this chapter, after telling us that all is vanity, he proved the truth of the statement from his own experience.  He had been given great and unusual opportunity to experiment widely and in wisdom tried it all.  The more he tried the more certain he became of the wickedness of the human experience.  

But by verse 24, he suddenly began to put a different perspective before us.  Here was the first ray of light.  He asserted that none could enjoy life without Him.  

This reminds us of David’s statements in Psalm 30 where he thanked God for delivering him with these words:

“ Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”  

We now come to the biblical examination of Genesis chapters 1-5, which told us about the reality of death hanging over all of life and neutralizing all human achievements, washing everything away in time.  

But ‘Death’s poisonous sting’ has been pulled. We will now see how Jesus of Nazareth gave the fatal blow to death. (See 1 Corinth ian s 15  which discusses the hope of the resurrection, and asserts the eventual transformation of the human body at Messiah’s return.)

Verse 19.   Here we see the answer to despair and frustration caused by failed humanism. God had now spoken by his Son, breaking through the pall that had hung over mankind and all of creation since the Fall. The desperate condition of mankind has been irrevocably changed.  

Jesus had been crucified, and had been resurrected.  He had appeared five times, to Mary Magdalene, to the women, to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, to Peter and now to the ten, Thomas being absent.

The disciples were deadly afraid of being arrested and probably killed by the Jews and Pilate.  Fear had so gripped them that they still suffered from some unbelief. But fear predominated.  

We are told that the doors were shut, but nevertheless the disciples had assembled themselves together.  

Some like to justify the erroneous transfer of the Sabbath worship to the pagan worship day of Sunday, by saying that this was a church assembly held for some religious exercise by the disciples and now ratified by Jesus.  This idea is obviously absurd and any common sense attention to the context would force one to distance himself from this vain idea.  

They would have gathered also to discuss the strange news of Jesus’ meetings and what had happened. We do not know how Christ entered the room, but it is clear that he was not limited or restrained by closed doors.  The body of the risen Christ was somehow different from his pre- crucifixion body.  

The Disciples were probably not only afraid of the Jews, but were likely also afraid of what Jesus would say to them.  Given their desertion of him and their unbelief at the testimony of the honest witnesses that had met Christ, they were probably expecting stern words of rebuke or blame.  

But his first words were words of peace, reconciling peace. They were obviously startled.

Verse 20.   He did more than was expected to assure them of who He was and that he was really risen from the dead.  

These were some of the infallible proofs of resurrection referred to in Acts 1:3.  He made quite clear that this was a real body, not merely a spirit body (whatever that means) that had survived after death.  But his body had been resurrected and was now in a new kind of existence, with new capabilities, but bearing upon it the marks of crucifixion.  This was certainly no apparition.  We know that the body of resurrected believers will be a body that can be held, but it will be glorified, qualitatively new but somehow related to the old body and which can participate in the ‘Marriage Supper of Lamb’.  

The disciples reacted with joy, now being thoroughly convinced that it was their Lord that had been resurrected. 

Verse 21.  He repeated his words of peace and to complete his assurance that they were still His disciples, he gave them a mission to complete his work on earth.  

He made them to understand that it was his Father that had sent him.  He was a divine messenger with the power and authority to make them his messengers, sending them on a divine mission.  There were now appointed to do his work, to spread his gospel and to be involved in the setting up of his kingdom.  They were heralds, preachers and publishers of his gospel.   

He had been sent to bring the light into darkness, to heal, to open eyes, to open ears, to cast out devils and proclaim the good tidings that at last Messiah had come to proclaim forgiveness of sins to all nations.  

They would have to continue his work.

Note that now they were sent out and would officially become Apostles.

Verse 22.   To accomplish their tasks, they needed new life and ability, so he breathed on them, promising the gift of the Holy Spirit to enable them.  

His act was of course very different from the filling of the Spirit which occurred on Day of Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit himself came with powerful manifestations.  

By breathing on them, He assured them that they were now having confirmation of a real and different life and power and he was bestowing this on them.  They would soon be enabled to do their new mission after they were filled by the Spirit, just as he had been totally filled by the Spirit and did his work under the power of the Spirit.

Verse 23.  He gave them authority to warn men of their guilt and announce forgivingness to those penitents with whom they came into contact.  

This was powerful authority and was a special commission given to the Apostles themselves who were the first preachers of the gospel.  So Peter under the power of the Spirit could strike Ananias and Sapphira with death and the Apostle Paul struck Elymas the sorcerer blind.  

But in every case we see that the Apostle acted under the authority of sound doctrine, on gospel terms.  They always pointed men to salvation which was in Christ alone.

CONCLUSION

There is ample evidence about what our Lord Jesus Christ did for us and anyone who believes it and asks Him to allow them to enter into his life will receive life, and will produce the beauty of holiness in their own life.  

The Book of Ecclesiastes warns both believers and unbelievers that it is only God who gives life and that the meaning of life is not to be found in life itself but only in God.  

Understanding life begins with the fear of God. God has a standard witch is totally different from the culture of human society, where idolatry of every kind, indecency and injustice rule.  

God has complete control and man is a finite creature.  We can certainly enjoy the things that God has created, but remember that they cannot last forever and they cannot give real, lasting happiness.  

As a matter of fact it is only when one has first established a truly Spirit based relationship with God, the Creator and Giver of material blessings, and the source of real joy and happiness, that we can escape life being vain and empty.