ECCLESIASTES1

Bible study Hand outs

This book has many negative statements about life. The theme of the book of Ecclesiastes
comes from the idea that all is meaningless or vanity of vanities (Eccl. 1:2; 12: 8). Solomon
discovered that life without God is meaningless. This idea is repeated 37 times in this book.

Vanity of vanities is living life without God. Any pursuit in life that leaves God out is
meaningless. This suggests the theme of the book.

 The main purpose of Ecclesiastes is to show that life without God is empty, useless,
and meaningless.

The teacher (qoheleth as he is known in Hebrew) does not want people to live this empty,
useless, and meaningless life that leads away from God (Eccl. 12:1-14).

From Ecclesiastes we can suggest the following outline.

A. Introduction of the problem (Eccl. 1:1-11).

 The problem is life without God is meaningless.
 The phrase under the sun (Eccl. 1:4) occurs 29 times. Those living under the
sun are those who focus only on this world. Life for them is meaningless.

B. The Teacher’s Personal testimony (Eccl. 1:12 – 2:26).

This section describes the teacher’s life. He sought wisdom in many places.

He tried wisdom (Eccl. 1:17 -18)

He tried wit (Eccl. 2:2)
He tried wine (2:3)
He tried works (2: 4-6)
He tried wealth (2:7-8; 5:10)
He tried women (2:8) – Solomon had 1000 women in his life. 700 wives and
300 concubines (1Kings 11:3). His personal testimony was he did not find one
upright woman among a thousand (Eccl. 7:28).
 He tried worldly fame (Eccl. 2:9)
 He tried worldly pleasure (Eccl. 2:10, 11)
 All these pursuits were a long trip for nothing. It was a chase after the wind. This
phrase occurs 9 times in this book (Eccl. 1: 14. 17; 2:11, 17, 26; 4:4, 6, 16; 6:9).
 When we seek things first and God last we are chasing after the wind (cf Matt. 6: 33).

C. Comments on time (Eccl. 3)

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Material used taken from Survey of the Old Testament: An Independent-Study Text. By Dr. John Wesley
Adams & Dr Roger D. Cotton.

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  Timing is very important. There is right and wrong timing for everything (3;
1-8). God makes everything beautiful in its time (3;11).
D. Comments on society (Eccl. 4).

Remember Solomon is examining life under the sun (Eccl. 4:1). Thus he writes:

 The oppressed have no comforter (Eccl. 4:1 cf 2Cor 1:3).

 The dead are better than the living. Those not yet born are better than the
living (4: 2 -3).
 Work without God is like chasing after the wind (Eccl. 4: 4-6).
 It is better to have a friend than to be lonely (Eccl. 4:7-12).
 A poor wise youth is better than an old foolish King (4: 13-16).

E. Comments on worship and wealth (Eccl. 5-6).

 Fulfil the vows and promises you make to God (Eccl.5: 1-7)
 Do not be greedy about money (5:8-17).

F. Proverbs on Wisdom (Eccl. 7: 1 – 8:1).

 Notice the frequency of the word better in Ecclesiastes 7: 1-10.
 Wisdom is beneficial to those who have it (7:11-12)
 Even the righteous perish (7:15)
 One wise man more powerful than 10 rulers in a city (7: 19).
 We should ignore some things that people say (Eccl. 7: 21).
 Bitter than death is a woman who is a snare ... but the man who pleases God
will escape her (Eccl. 7:26).
 God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes
(7:29).

G. Comments on Justice (Eccl. 8:2 – 9:12)

 Obey the Leaders (Eccl. 8:2 cf Rom 12: 1-7).
 Even a wise man cannot fully comprehend all that God does on earth (8:16-
17).
 All share a common destiny – the righteous and the wicked (Eccl. 9:2).
 Enjoy life with your wife (Eccl. 9:9).
 The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to
the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and
chance happen to them all (Eccl.9:11).

H. Further reflection on wisdom (Eccl.9: 13 – 11:6) [home work]

 Why was the poor man’s wisdom despised (Eccl. 9:13-15)?
 Apply Ecclesiastes 10:4 to today.
 How Ecclesiastes 10 does:20 apply to today?
 In one sentence summarize the principles in Ecclesiastes 11:4-6.

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I. Conclusion and Solution (Ecclesiastes 11:7 – 12:14)

Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 is a description of old age. Youth is wonderful, but we all grow
old. Our vision dims (Eccl. 12:2), our legs become shaky (12:3), our hearing may be
lost (12:4), Strongmen stoop (12: 3), We eat little meat because our teeth become few
912:3), our hair turns white (12:5). Dust returns to dust (12:7; Gen 3:19).

Having described the futility of life without God, Solomon makes this conclusion:

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. For
God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden
thing, whether it is good or evil.