Title: The Vanity of All Things/Ecclesiastes 1
The emptiness of all things
Ecclesiasts 1
1. Introduction (1-3)
Author (1) - Solomon
“Vanity and vanity, vanity and vanity, all things are vanity” (2) -The vanity of all things without God. Not only all creatures in the world, but also all natural creatures are futile. Just as Adam's fall had an adverse effect on nature, everything human beings apart from God is useless.
“Man’s labor is in vain” (3) Therefore, we must live a life that fears and seeks God.
2. The emptiness of great nature (4-11)
① Finiteness of the human generation (4)
② Monotony and impermanence of natural phenomena (5-8)
Through examples such as the sun, wind, and river water, we are talking about the monotony and ephemeral nature of natural phenomena. In this way, all things are impermanent and vain, and those who see and hear them are not satisfied but rather tired.
③ Nothing new (9-11)
There is nothing new in this sinful world.
Under the sun, past, present, and future mean nothing.
You must realize that there is only something new in Jesus Christ.
3. The vanity of wisdom (12-18)
It records the futility of wisdom in relation to one's own life.
In fact, Solomon is the king of wisdom. He gained wisdom after offering a thousand burnt offerings to God, so he was the wisest king in Israel and the king who built the temple and palace.
The proverbs he wrote with wisdom place great emphasis on wisdom.
3:14 For wisdom is better than silver, and its profit better than gold.
3:15 Wisdom is more precious than pearls, and all your longings cannot compare with it.
3:18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who find it. Blessed are those who have wisdom.
4:7 Wisdom is the greatest, so be wise, and whatever you have obtained, take it for understanding.
When Solomon speaks of the futility of wisdom, he speaks of the futility of wisdom he felt when he later left God by a foreign woman.
Solomon is saying that human wisdom apart from God is useless.
The wisdom of the world is worthless, and only the wisdom that comes from the heavens that God gives is true.
This applies to blessings, honors, and everything else.