ECCLESIASTES 9–12 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man (Ecclesiastes 12:13). As the Teacher concludes his teaching, he provides us with the foundations of a biblical philosophy of life. First, he tells us that death does … Continue reading “THE BOTTOM LINE ON LIFE”
THE HOUSE OF MOURNING
ECCLESIASTES 6–8 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart (Ecclesiastes 7:2). The first three chapters of Ecclesiastes lay out the foundational perspectives of the book: meaningless life perceived “under … Continue reading “THE HOUSE OF MOURNING”
THE INSCRUTABILITY OF HISTORY
ECCLESIASTES 3–5 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Because we as human beings exist in time, the meaning of our lives is intimately connected to historical events and realities. … Continue reading “THE INSCRUTABILITY OF HISTORY”
EVERYTHING HAS A PURPOSE
ECCLESIASTES 3:9–22 I thought in my heart, “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed” (Ecclesiastes 3:17). In the ancient world the primary concern of philosophers was the nature of reality and the essence of things. We call … Continue reading “EVERYTHING HAS A PURPOSE”
A TIME FOR EVERYTHING
ECCLESIASTES 3:1–8 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1). As we have seen, the Bible teaches that time is linear and that history is moving toward a goal in terms of the plan of God. The fact that history is real for God, since He made … Continue reading “A TIME FOR EVERYTHING”
“CHASING AFTER THE WIND”
ECCLESIASTES 2 I thought in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless (Ecclesiastes 2:1). The Teacher spends most of chapters 1 and 2 of his treatise discussing various ways in which he sought the meaning of life. He tried … Continue reading ““CHASING AFTER THE WIND””
LIFE UNDER THE SUN
ECCLESIASTES 1 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:14). The phrase “under the sun” is a constant refrain in Ecclesiastes. It occurs 29 times in the book. To understand it we need to go back to Genesis 1. … Continue reading “LIFE UNDER THE SUN”
TIME LINE OR VICIOUS CYCLE?
ECCLESIASTES 1 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course (Ecclesiastes 1:6). In ancient pagan thought the world was not regarded as the creation of a personal God. Instead, the world had always existed. “God” was simply another way of saying “world” … Continue reading “TIME LINE OR VICIOUS CYCLE?”
A FINAL APPEAL
PROVERBS 30 “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (Proverbs 30:5). Our culture is one where complex issues become “sound-bites,” where emotion or “expert opinion” often replaces facts and logic. With its many dictionaries and encyclopedias, our culture encourages us to think ourselves knowledgeable, wise, … Continue reading “A FINAL APPEAL”
WISDOM’S MORAL IMPERATIVE
PROVERBS 8 “For whoever finds me [wisdom] finds life and receives favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 8:35). Scholars often contrast the authority of the Law and prophets (“Thus says the Lord”) with the “sanctified common sense” of the proverbs (“It seems to me …”). Some even say that proverbs are suggestions which we are free … Continue reading “WISDOM’S MORAL IMPERATIVE”