1 2

12/15/15 a) The words Preacher “koheleth” has as it’s root meaning, to assemble or gather an 1-2 assembly in order to address it. b) The word is used seven times in We begin in our journey through Ecclesiastes and Ecclesiastes. Eccl. 1:1, 2, 12; 7:27; 12:8, pray that God will give us understanding that will 9,10 produce in our lives lest we think c) The word describes the office being ourselves the exception to the clear warnings in the exercised at the time of the writing. book of attempting to find satisfaction and d) The function of the Preacher is fulfillment in life apart from Jesus Christ. for the purpose of teaching, therefore some have translated it “the teacher”. Eccl. 12:9 The first eleven verses provide for us the prologue 2) He was the son of through much like John’s gospel in the first eighteen Bathsheba yet he had other sons born to him verses. in Hebron and in where he reigned. 1Chron. 3:1-9 Then the introduction follows in verses twelve 3) He is the king of Jerusalem. Eccl. 1:12 through eighteen. 1:2 The proclamation of the books theme. And then he begins the process of his experiment 1) Solomon declares that all is vanity. in chapter two to chapter twelve verse eight. 2) Solomon’s perception is the expression of life lived out through the eye of a person The final thing is the epilogue, from verse nine of without God. chapter twelve to the end. a) The word vanity “hebel” means vapor, or breath. 1:1-11 The prologue. * The repetition of it adds emphasis to it’s meaning and point. 1:1 He identifies himself by a b) The word is the same used for the name three-fold manner. of Adam and Eve’s son “Abel”. Is. 57:13; 1) He calls himself as the “Preacher” his Prov. 21:6 present office. - The noun form appears seventy-one times in the . 3 4

- Thirty-eight of those are found in the book 1:4-7 Solomon views life as one of Ecclesiastes, over half and the only monotonous cycle that just goes on and on chapter that it does not appear is chapter ten. as senseless and useless activity. c) The word is used by Solomon to mean, 1) The masses of people is replaced by the that which is unsatisfying, a waste of time, next generation. vs. 4 frustration, absurd, useless or of no profit.- 2) The sun repeats it’s daily cycle but The context must be considered to gain the nothing changes. vs. 5 appropriate meaning. 3) The wind currents are constant yet for - The other expression that is equivalent to it what purpose. vs. 6 is “grasping for the wind”. Eccl. 1:14, 17; 4) The hydrological cycle is ongoing. vs. 7 2:17 1:8-11 The conclusion of the matter. 1:3 The word profit “yithrown” 1) Man is unable to understand or explain mans advantage, benefit, sense or goal. completely and is wearisome to man. vs. 8 1) The word appears only six times in 2) There is nothing new “under the son”. vs. Ecclesiastes, 14 with it’s cognate form. Eccl. 9-10 1:3; 2:11; 3:9; 5;9, 16; 7:11 3) The people of the past are forgotten very 2) The expression “under the sun” is used by quickly and so will be by the future Solomon to indicate life here on earth apart generations. vs. 11 from God and on the earthly pain. * The phrase is key to the book as much as 1:12-18 The introduction to the book. the term “vanity”, in fact they can not be separated in the book! 1:12 The identity of Solomon for the 3) The word toil “amal” means misery, second time. travail, and energy expended. * The word appears twenty times in the 1:13-18 Solomon’s pursuit was like that of a book. Eccl. 1:3, 8; 2:10, 11, 18, 19, 20, 21, scientist to observe and document yet in 22, 24; 3:13; 4:8, 9; 5:15, 18, 19; 6:7; 8:15, disobedience God’s word. 17; 9:9; 10:15 1) “Under heaven” is synonymous to “under the sun”. vs. 13 5 6

2) He attested the vanity or emptiness and itself was vanity, senseless and unsatisfying compares it to “grasping for the wind”, in life. vs. 1 fleeting and impossible to satisfy apart from 3) Laughter, he said is madness, for no one God. vs. 14 can live laughing all the time. vs. 2 * Another phrase synonymous to “vanity”. 4) Wine equally was a waste by implication 3) He declares impossibility of man of the entire section. vs. 1-11 changing apart from God. vs. 15 * “While guiding my heart with wisdom” in a) The crooked, is sin-nature or falseness of attempt to observe and evaluate! man. a) A little sorrow makes us better and more b) The lacking is the unexplainable issues of mature Christians. Eccl. 7:3-4; Ja. 4:9-10 life that natural man can not know or the b) A life of pleasure blinds us from knowing believer in all the things of God. that we are dead while we are alive. 1Tim. 4) He gives his qualifications for such an 5:6 endeavor. vs. 16 * This is wisdom on the earthly plain of the 2:4 Solomon was a great builder. natural man. 1) He built the Temple. 1Kings 6 5) The conclusion from the beginning is 2) He built houses for himself. 1Kings 6:37- stated, “grasping for the wind”, “grief” and 7:7 “increased sorrow”. vs. 17-18 * Thirteen years for his own house and * The process begins, Eccl. 2:1-12:8 seven for the Lord’s! 3) He built houses for his pagan wives. 2:1-11 The dissatisfaction of pleasure. 4) He married pagan wives and built places of worship for them on the Mount of Olives. 2:1-3 The word to test “nacah” means to 1kings 11:1-8 prove, to attempt to verify the claims by his a. His wives turned his heart from God own personal experience or expose them as when he was old. 1kings 11:4 false claims. b. His kingdom was taken from him. 1) Mirth means happiness, he concluded that 1kings11:12-13 it in and of itself accomplishes nothing. vs.1 5) He built many other things. 1kings 9:15- 2) Pleasure means what is pleasant or 28 agreeable and he concluded that it in and of 7 8

2:5-6 Solomon was a horticulturist among 1) It is amazing the wisdom God can give to his other talents of poet, song writer, a man for the ministry and yet he can be so botanist, biologist, zoologist, etc. 1kings foolish in his own life’s decisions without 4:32-33 seeking God! * These would be worthless without 2) Solomon forgot that the wisdom was by adequate watering systems of receivers and God’s soveriegn choosing and not his own canals! ability!

2:7 His house was enormous. 2:10 Solomon knew no restraint during this 1) Solomon’s provisions for one day is time of his life in whatever he set out to do. staggering. 1kings 4:22-23 * The parable of the rich fool. Lk. 12:13-21 2) Solomon’s personal setting without servants was 1,000 wives plus children and 2:11 Solomon’s conclusion regards to himself. these first experiments was that they were 3) Servants and herds was a way to measure vain, not lasting and of no benefit for they a man’s wealth. serve only man not God. 4) Solomon’s administration is listed for us. 1kings 4:1-19 2:12-17 Solomon compares wisdom to folly

2:8 The wealth of Solomon is beyond 2:12 Solomon turns now to the man that imagination. succeeds the king will end up doing what the 1) The gold alone is recorded for us. 1kings previous king did, for they are both sinful 10:10-23 and imperfect. 2) The ontrepeneure Solomon had a horse * Wisdom based on the natural man not and chariot business going from Egypt. God’s. Job. 28:28; Ps. 90:12; Prov. 1:7; 9:10 1kings 4:26; 10:28-29 * Solomon went against the word of God. 2:13 Solomon then makes a distinction Deut. 17:16-20 between wisdom and folly and compares the excellence as light to darkness. 2:9 Solomon did excel all before him in Jerusalem and he was the wisest. 9 10

2:14 The wise man has perception and 3) I have showed myself wise “under the understanding while the fool does not yet sun”. they both end up dead. 4) This also is vanity.

2:15 He concluded that this also was 2:20-21 Second the awareness of this turned vanity! his heart to despair. 1) He had labored, toiled through knowledge 2:16 The wise man and the fool both end and wisdom and skill to achieve it. up in the same place, through death they 2) He would leave it to someone who had perish due to living apart from God! not labored for it.

2:17 The conclusion was the he hated life, 2:22-23 The ultimate question in Solomon’s it’s senselessness and futility by every mind is, what is the benefit of all the labor attempt to be satisfied through these expended in sorrow and grief night and day! endeavors apart from God. * His conclusion is VANITY!

2:18-23 The vanity of accumulating wealth 2:24-26 The reflective council for one’s for wealth’s sake. hard labor.

2:18 First Solomon detested life due to the 2:24 Man should enjoy the fruit of his labor. fact that all he had built and accumulated 1) This does not mean that he is to consume would have to be left to the man who would everything on himself. come after him. 2) This does not mean that he is not to live in contentment. Phil. 4:13; 1Tim. 6:6-8 2:19 Solomon’s thoughts were that there 3) This does not mean that he is not to be a was no guarantee that he would be wise and good steward. maybe a fool. 4) This does not mean he does not leave an * He was a fool, his son Raoboam. 1kings inheritance for his children. Prov. 13:22 12:16-19; 14:25-26 * It is God who has given to him all that he has! 1) All my labors. 2) I toiled. 11 12

2:25 Solomon acknowledges that the only way to enjoy this basic blessings is only with God. * The phrase “more than I”, means apart from God.

2:26 God makes a distinction between the saint and the sinner and imparts to his own. Ja. 1:5; 3:13-18 * This is also vanity and grasping for the wind!