Ecclesiastes 1: Is it all vanity?

Mike Bishop said:

Hey everyone.... so I am studying Ecclesiastes right now. I thought the book was very cynical, and now I have stumbled across a video on YouTube that has changed my perspective. It is quite lovely and I really recommend it to everyone.

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I didn't get it? I mean, the video was Ecclesiastes verbatim, plus some imagery? Did the imagery change the pessimism meaning at all?

But, all the same, I never looked at Ecclesiastes as being negative or despairing, but quite the opposite rather. I always interpreted it as being extremely enlightening and thus, emancipating. It gives us the answer as to where to place our efforts on earth, and what both the reason behind, and outcome is, of when we have misguided ambitions. It was so interesting to learn how all our aspirations are based on vanity, and which can only lead to turmoil and vexation of spirit. I loved it, for when I pondered upon it, it took away a lot of anxiety and selfishness. And, I began to realize how important and imperative it is to esteem others higher than ourselves (Philippians 2:3), and to look out for other's interests and not our own (Romans 12:10).
How much peace came with that insight.
I've always regarded Ecclesiastes as the key to life, as far as our secular life, or interactions with the world, is concerned.
A very positive book as far as the wisdom is concerned, ...that's why it's in the Bible, it's meant to direct, or re-direct our efforts to the path of contentment (again, as far as pertaining to our temporal earthy existence) .

Mike Bishop said:

Hey everyone.... so I am studying Ecclesiastes right now. I thought the book was very cynical, and now I have stumbled across a video on YouTube that has changed my perspective. It is quite lovely and I really recommend it to everyone.

Click to expand...

Indeed (Ecclesiastes) is very cynical and depressing. As Enoch111 pointed out it is life under the sun that is being addressed. Solomon a great man of God, highly favored and blessed by God, provided such great counsel in the book of (Proverbs), yet became the things warned of in (Proverbs).

Now as an old man he is reflecting back on his days under the sun and seeing vanity in all of them. Bringing him to his conclusion in (Ecc. 12:13) "...Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."

Stranger

The book of Ecclesiastes is God allowing man to record his ideas, thinking and opinions!!!
Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

GISMYS_7 said:

The book of Ecclesiastes is God allowing man to record his ideas, thinking and opinions!!!
Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

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Possibly more than ideas, thinking and opinions. Ecclesiastes 1:14-16 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. [15] That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

—Isaiah 45:2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

...that wanting can not be numbered. Daniel 5:27 TEKEL ; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

—Mark 15:28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

(Ecclesiastes)“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.”
—Luke 1:48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

—Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things,(Vanity) but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.(also Vanity)

Have you not noticed, the closer one gets to Christ, the farther from the world one gets. than you realize all the work you did to earn you wages where pointless and profited you nought. When you build things knowing they are only temporal and will one day disappear just like a blade of grass, that all thing we create fail and perish, even a computer programme is nothing without a computer and power to run it, so yes it is all vanity, we do our best to impress, than it is forgotten, we live we die and than we are forgotten, God set a beginning to this world and an end, so it all become pointless before we started, yet we still do our best, knowing it does nothing.

DNB said:

I didn't get it? I mean, the video was Ecclesiastes verbatim, plus some imagery? Did the imagery change the pessimism meaning at all?

But, all the same, I never looked at Ecclesiastes as being negative or despairing, but quite the opposite rather. I always interpreted it as being extremely enlightening and thus, emancipating. It gives us the answer as to where to place our efforts on earth, and what both the reason behind, and outcome is, of when we have misguided ambitions. It was so interesting to learn how all our aspirations are based on vanity, and which can only lead to turmoil and vexation of spirit. I loved it, for when I pondered upon it, it took away a lot of anxiety and selfishness. And, I began to realize how important and imperative it is to esteem others higher than ourselves (Philippians 2:3), and to look out for other's interests and not our own (Romans 12:10).
How much peace came with that insight.
I've always regarded Ecclesiastes as the key to life, as far as our secular life, or interactions with the world, is concerned.
A very positive book as far as the wisdom is concerned, ...that's why it's in the Bible, it's meant to direct, or re-direct our efforts to the path of contentment (again, as far as pertaining to our temporal earthy existence) .

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Good to read Ecclesiastes in conjunction with the New Testament, blending wisdom from different perspectives.

Enoch111 said:

Sorry. I do not watch videos. No time.

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You know Scripture Revealed by the Father, that is hundred million thousand percent better than videos.
God's Word Remains.... all else is vanity.....


hey, Didn't someone else say that too ? recently ?

farouk said:

Good to read Ecclesiastes in conjunction with the New Testament, blending wisdom from different perspectives.

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Yes, of course. Ecclesiastes is only one perspective, a very profound one, but it has to be taken in context. As you said, it is not comprehensive enough, in and of itself. It needs to be balanced with other maxims of life that Jesus and Paul spoke about, i.e. where one can find true contentment and utter joy, even while hear on this earth.
Thanks!

DNB said:

Yes, of course. Ecclesiastes is only one perspective, a very profound one, but it has to be taken in context. As you said, it is not comprehensive enough, in and of itself. It needs to be balanced with other maxims of life that Jesus and Paul spoke about, i.e. where one can find true contentment and utter joy, even while hear on this earth.
Thanks!

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I think for example of the Lord Jesus as the wisdom of God in Corinthians...

Mike Bishop said:

Nicely said, my friend.

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Thank-you; the unity of Scripture is important, in all its undoubted diversity.

Matthew 12:42 King James Version (KJV)

42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.


Solomon is darkening counsel with a depressing outlook.

Elihoenai said:

Matthew 12:42 King James Version (KJV)

42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.


Solomon is darkening counsel with a depressing outlook.

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"A greater than Solomon" rejects the 'diversity' of pagan cultures/ fallen men.

Joseph77 said:

"A greater than Solomon" rejects the 'diversity' of pagan cultures/ fallen men.

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Does that mean greater than Solomon is Pure and Unadulterated?

Elihoenai said:

Does that mean greater than Solomon is Pure and Unadulterated?

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The One Greater is Jesus.. Perfect, Pure, Unadulterated.

Joseph77 said:

The One Greater is Jesus.. Perfect, Pure, Unadulterated.

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To be those spotless qualities required by the Father, Yeshua/Jesus is Ultra Extremist Uncompromising Fanatic.

Good to read Ecclesiastes in conjunction with what the New Testament says about the Lord Jesus as the wisdom of God.

Elihoenai said:

"...a greater than Solomon is here"...
Solomon is darkening counsel with a depressing outlook.

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Solomon in Ecclesiastics expresses the way which is visible to and understood by and for carnal man, that is...the man who walks in his flesh and after his flesh alone. As Solomon states it more than once "all is vanity", but when he writes that, he is expressing the viewpoint of carnal wisdom, which is what most men use today. When we see and understand this it is indeed a "depressing outlook". At the end of the Book, Solomon speaks with the wisdom of God:

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Ecc 12:13

If we read things from men today expressing things from their own carnal minds we see in them and their way that "all is vanity". Solomon also writes about correct Way to go as we read here:

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." Prov 9:10

That is the correct beginning but few men enter in there:

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt 7:13-14

Lots of people, it seems, today, even among those claiming to be "Christians" walk through the "wide" and "broad" way having started or detoured to the wrong highway and continue though it certainly looks nothing like the "highway of holiness".

"And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein." Isaiah 35:7-8