a study of the book of ecclesiastes · a study of the book of ecclesiastes • nothing seems to...

A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes

Chasing after the Wind

Casing after Success

Chasing after Health and Wealth

Chasing after Wisdom and Satisfaction

Chasing after God

June 5

June 19

June 26

July 3

July 10

1-2

3-4

5-6

7-9

10-12

THE NETT WORTH OF KING SOLOMON

12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had before or will ever have again.

13 I will also give you what you have not asked for: all your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. 1Kings 3:10-13


Chief Sources of Income 1. Commerce and Trading Solomon's partnership with Hiram brought him, every three years, things like ivory, monkeys, apes, etc. (1Kings 10:22-23).


Chief Sources of Income 2. Gifts The Queen of Sheba came special to Jerusalem to

hear Solomon's wisdom. She was so impressed that

she gave him camels, jewels, a large quantity of

gold and other gifts.

2 Chronicles 9:1, 9


Chief Sources of Income 3. Taxes 4. Tribute money 5. Inheritance 6. Turnover from assets


Some historians estimate his income all in to be

somewhere around 2 Trillion dollars

Pablo Picasso (1881-

1973)

• Vapour

• Breath

• Unsatisfactory

• Something transitory

• Meaningless

• Nothing

REFRAIN


24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should

eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I

saw, is from the hand of God, 25 for apart from him who

can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who

pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and

joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of

gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases

God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

REFRAIN


12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them

than to be joyful and to do good as long as they

live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and

take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to

man.

22 So I saw that there is nothing better than that a

man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot.

Who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13, 22

REFRAIN


18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting

is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the

toil with which one toils under the sun the few

days of his life that God has given him, for this is

his lot. 19 Everyone also to whom God has given

wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them,

and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is

the gift of God.


REFRAIN


15 And I commend joy, for man has nothing better

under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful,

for this will go with him in his toil through the days

of his life that God has given him under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 8:15

REFRAIN


7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine

with a merry heart, for God has already approved

what you do.

8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be

lacking on your head. 9 Enjoy life with the wife

whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he

has given you under the sun, because that is your

portion in life and in your toil at which you toil

under the sun. Ecclesiastes 9:7-9

PURPOSE


• Life is Meaningless if we live life without God.

• If you please God, he will give you a satisfied life.

• God gives us happiness.

• We must rejoice in our work.

• Wealth and possessions are a gift from God.

• Enjoy life.

• Without God, life has no meaning.


• Nothing seems to change (1:4-7)

• Nothing seems to satisfy (1:8)

• Nothing is new under the sun (1:9-11)

The World Order cannot give you Ultimate Meaning 1

Ecclesiastes 1:4-11


• A successful search for wisdom (1:12-14)

• A successful acquiring of wisdom (1:15-17a)

• Frustration that results even when you have wisdom (1:17b-18)

Wisdom cannot give you Ultimate Meaning 2



Wisdom cannot give you Ultimate Meaning 2

Ecclesiastes 1:12, 14


Wealth cannot give you Ultimate Meaning 3


• Pleasure didn’t bring meaning (2:1-2)

• Wine didn’t bring meaning (2:3)

• Houses, gardens and pools didn’t bring meaning (2:4-6)

• Servants, silver, gold and concubines didn’t bring meaning (2:7-8)

• Greatness and fame didn’t bring meaning (2:9-10)


Ecclesiastes 2:1-10


• The wise and foolish persons have distinct pathways (2:12-13)

• The wise and foolish persons have the same ending (2:14-16)

• Seeking wise living has no real meaningful end (2:17)

Wise Living cannot give you Ultimate Meaning 4



Wise Living cannot give you Ultimate Meaning 4

Ecclesiastes 2:17


• Work is not an end by itself (2:18-21)

• There is no end to work (2:22-23)

Work cannot give you Ultimate Meaning 5



Real Meaning is only found in and through God 6


24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and

find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25 for

apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one

who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the

sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to

one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.



Maude Royden

(1876-1956)



C. S. Lewis

(1898-1963)

He who has God and many other things has no more than he who has God alone.

a study of the book of ecclesiastes · a study of the book of ecclesiastes • nothing seems to...

Documents