Title: Ecclesiastes 1 "All is vanity"
Contents
Ecclesiastes 1 “All is vanity”
The book of Ecclesiastes is the last confession, testimony, and exhortation written by Solomon son of David. It is a poem of repentance in which Solomon, who had lived his whole life, looked back on his life and confessed his sins.
1. "Vanity, vanity, vanity, vanity, all things are vanity" (2)
“Vanity and vanity, vanity and vanity, all is vanity” (2). This confession is the subject and core of Ecclesiastes. This confession is neither that of an atheist nor that of a pessimist. This is the confession of Solomon, a man of faith and devotion who believed in God well when he was young and was loyal to God. This is the confession of Solomon, a man of blessing who was after God's heart and received God's love and blessings abundantly.
However, when Solomon came of age, he began to pursue worldly riches and honors and pleasures rather than God. He adorned his palace with gold and silver jewels, and began to indulge in wine, women, songs, and pleasures. However, in his old age, by the grace of God, Solomon returned from his fallen path to God's bosom. Just as David returned from his sinful path to God's bosom. Now, Solomon made a confession of penance just as David wrote a psalm of penance. He confessed that he tried to pursue the world's riches, glory, and pleasures, but it was all in vain.
2. "The words of the evangelist king of Jerusalem" (1,12)
“The words of the evangelist” (1). Solomon did not want to reveal his name in this confession of penance. It was embarrassing to use the name Solomon, which means "peace with God." The word "evangelist" here refers to a person who gathers people and testifies with a repentant heart about what he has learned. Jesus once commanded Peter, "After you are converted, strengthen your brethren" (Luke 22:32). David once confessed to others, "I will teach you the way of the Lord" (Psalm 51:12, 13) after he was converted. An evangelist is a person who repents and then confesses to others what he has learned with a repentant heart. Solomon is now making a confession of repentance as an evangelist after he has been converted. Solomon referred to himself simply as "the son of David, the evangelist king of Jerusalem." Like his father David, he himself has returned to God's bosom. It means that he is now sufficient as an "evangelist".
3. "What is the profit of all the toil that is toiled under the sun... The eye is not satisfied with seeing" (3:8)
“What is beneficial” (3). “Seeing is not enough” (8). The core content of Solomon's confession of penance is that all human labor and efforts in pursuit of worldly wealth and glory and pleasure are futile, useless, and do not bring satisfaction. Neither wealth nor knowledge nor pleasure brings true satisfaction or benefit. They are all as empty as chasing the wind and nothing new. They end up only bringing fatigue to a person. Politics, business, academics, games, and family life all bring only fatigue, anguish, anguish, and anxieties. Everything you see or hear sooner or later gets boring. It does not straighten the bent. All toil under the sun, all toil in this world is in vain. After all, what is true, useful, satisfying, new and blessed is what is above the sun, what is beyond this world, and what is in the hand and bosom of God. Only what is done in relation to God is truly true, beneficial, rewarding, and satisfying.