Bob Prichard

Topic(s): Old Testament

“Vanity” is the key word in the book of Ecclesiastes. “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:1-2). Solomon wondered, “What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3). He saw that nothing seems to change or improve. “One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again” (Ecclesiastes 1:4-7).

Solomon lived in vanity because he looked at the world with an “under the sun” perspective. His “I” problem caused him to see things as if there were no God. “I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven . . . I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge . . . and I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly” (Ecclesiastes 1:13, 16-17).

Solomon sought every pleasure possible, and learned that pleasure would not allow man to escape death, “therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Ecclesiastes 2:17). He asked, “For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity” (Ecclesiastes 2:22-23). He had not forgotten that there is a God, but he chose to live as if there were no God. The “under the sun” perspective dominates the world. People know that there is a God, but they choose to live as if He does not exist.

As Solomon ended his pessimistic look at life, he understood the necessity of obedience. “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). He advised following God before it is too late, before “the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern” (Ecclesiastes 12:6). He closed his autobiographical account with the words, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).