Waterloo Hall Bible Study

9th July 2009 AM

UNDER THE SUN

A Study in Ecclesiastes

This is an unusual Bible book. Indeed – apart from a few well quoted
passages like that in Chapter 3 it is widely neglected. In fact we wonder
from time to time why it is in the Bible at all!

The translator of “The Message” writes:-

…More than a few. . . are surprised to find this kind of thing in the Bible.

But it is most emphatically and necessarily in the Bible in order to call a halt to our
various and futile attempts to make something of our lives, so that we can give our full
attention to God—who God is and what he does to make something of us. Ecclesiastes
actually doesn’t say that much about God; the author leaves that to the other sixty-five books
of the Bible. His task is to expose our total incapacity to find the meaning and completion of
our lives on our own.

It is our propensity to go off on our own, trying to be human by our own devices and
desires, that makes Ecclesiastes necessary reading. Ecclesiastes sweeps our souls clean of all
“lifestyle” spiritualities so that we can be ready for God’s visitation revealed in Jesus Christ.
Ecclesiastes is a John-the-Baptist kind of book. It functions not as a meal but as a bath. It
is not nourishment; it is cleansing. It is repentance. It is purging. We read Ecclesiastes to
get scrubbed clean from illusion and sentiment, from ideas that are idolatrous and feelings
that cloy. It is an exposé and rejection of every arrogant and ignorant expectation that we
can live our lives by ourselves on our own terms.

Ecclesiastes challenges the naïve optimism that sets a goal that appeals to us and then
goes after it with gusto, expecting the result to be a good life. The author’s cool scepticism, a
refreshing negation to the lush and seductive suggestions swirling around us, promising
everything but delivering nothing, clears the air. And once the air is cleared, we are ready for
reality—for God.
1

No one would deny that ours is a secular world. Hard and fast come the
criticisms of those who feel their faith should have an impact on their daily
lives.

Most recently a housing worker has lost his job because he suggested that
a terminally ill lady should consider prayer and God in the face of her
diagnosis.2
1
Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Ec). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.
2
http://www.christianlegalcentre.com/view.php?id=783
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The view expressed is that the believer should keep their beliefs separate
from their every-day lives and work.

Where ideas of God or prayer arise in the workplace believing workers are
told to leave their faith at home!

In such a world of SECULARISM and SCEPTICISM the book of Ecclesiastes

finds its natural place.

What are we left with if we “leave our faith at home” and address the
issues of life and death and purpose?

That is what ECCLESIASTES sets out for us.

Ecclesiastes is a UNIQUE book –

Unique in STYLE
Unique in SUBJECT
And
Unique in APPLICATION

It takes a PESSIMISTIC view of human affairs, concluding that the world is

pointless, and that only belief in God and acceptance of His will offers any
hope. It makes a stark contrast between the life of humanity without God
and life with Him.

It’s style is distinctive – arguing for the most part the pointlessness of life
in all its aspects. The writer uses language like that of PROVERBS – but in
a distinctively negative vein.

It’s application is not immediately obvious – and that too along with it’s
unusual; viewpoint has tended to make the book even less used.

What are we to make of such a book?

Should we dismiss it as an oriental oddity with little to say to us – apart

from one or two notable passages – or should we persevere to see its
relevance?

In fact the book’s viewpoint is timeless, and in our sceptical age it really
comes into its own. Many worldly people would agree with the writer –
provided they had actually read the book. I believe we should get to grips
with it.
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It is clearly not in the same class as the PROPHETS or even the PROVERBS
– but it has a UNIQUELY APPROPRIATE MESSAGE FOR OUR GODLESS AGE!

It is an apologetic for faith in God. It starts from a different viewpoint to

all other Bible books – but it argues for faith in God in a powerful – if
unexpected way.

In order to understand the particular force of this book I want to turn to a

strangely parallel passage in the New Testament:

ACTS 17:22-34 Paul at Athens

22
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that
in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your
objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what
you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
24
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and
does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he
needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From
one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he
determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this
so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far
from each one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your
own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
29
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like
gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill. 30 In the past God
overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he
has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has
given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
32
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others
said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council.
3

ECCLESIASTES does not mention the name of YAHWEH – and scarcely

refers to the Law or to Israel.

3
The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996 (electronic
edition.) (Ac 17:22). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
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This sermon of Paul does not mention JESUS by name. It is “you, your
worship . . . the God who made the world. . . life and breath and
everything. . . our being …the diety”
Paul’s sermon was to pagan philosophers with no mention of the Scripture
or Israel, nor of John the Baptist…”.

The only radically Christian element is the “resurrection” in v. 31.

This NT example helps us to see the way in which ECCLESIASTES

challenges the views of its time.

In a sceptical age and society Paul approaches the truths of the Gospel
from a different angle. He means to attract the attention if “thinking”
people. If we were left only Paul’s sermon at Athens we think Christianity
a poor thing. Much the same may be said of Ecclesiastes.

Qoheleth (the Preacher or Teacher) sets out a thoroughly pessimistic view

of the world of man. We know from our childhood that his mantra is
“Vanity, vanity, all is vanity”. And that’s about it. . . or is it?

Orthodox views of the book recognise the authorship to be Solomon’s – but

because the language of the book is inherently “modern” by OT standards
there are many who doubt that. It doesn’t really matter all that much –
because let’s be honest we don’t expect much from Solomon except
wisdom – and this book is never going to really stand beside the Proverbs
and certainly not the Psalms. It is book written from the standpoint of a
rich, self sufficient and wise king.

“I Qoheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem. . .” 1:12

“The words of Qoheleth, son of David, king of Jerusalem. . .” 1:1

“It is what Solomon would have said if he had addressed himself to

pessimism. . .

“The author does not claim to be Solomon, but places his words in
Solomon’s mouth. We may compare the practise of ascribing written
words to famous historical figures . . . a device common in antiquity. . .”
 PAGE 5

“It is as though there were a book under the pen-name of John Smith, King
of England which proceeded to press some lessons from the viewpoint of
an English monarch.” (EATON p 24)

So this is a book which approaches life from a particular perspective. It is

written from the point of view of someone rich enough and wise enough to
subject all human experience to various tests – and it comes to a very
negative conclusion.

As Patterson said:

Ecclesiastes is a John-the-Baptist kind of book. It functions not as a meal but as a bath.

It is not nourishment; it is cleansing. It is repentance. It is purging. We read Ecclesiastes to
get scrubbed clean from illusion and sentiment, from ideas that are idolatrous and feelings
that cloy. It is an exposé and rejection of every arrogant and ignorant expectation that we
can live our lives by ourselves on our own terms.

If you read it in today’s world – the secular age – you will see at once its
appeal.

Qoheleth only uses the general name for God (Elohim) – he never uses the
covenant name of J’weh or “The Lord” – and that is as important in getting
a handle on the book as recognising that this book asks a question – but
does not provide an answer. The answer is “blowing in the Spirit” of the
rest of God’s Word.

There are clues, certainly.

Notice the “bookends” of this book – the opening verses and the closing
verses.

Some see there a Messianic hint – and that raises the status of the book.

THE VIEWPOINT OF QOHELETH

You will be aware that the key words of this book are:

“under the sun”

“under heaven”
 PAGE 6

He is viewing human experience and existence from a unique standpoint.

He does not show us the temple or worship or the covenant – he looks at
the world from the standpoint of a wealthy entrepreneur who can spare no
expense – and experience life in it’s human entirety.

In the same way that JOB sees the world through the eyes of suffering,
SONG of SONGS through the eyes of a lover – Ecclesiastes sees with the
tunnel vision of scepticism.

You would expect his words to be popular today!

You get a glimpse of his world view in 5:2

“. . . God is in heaven
And you are on earth,
So let your words be few. . .”

He is a theist – but that’s it. God does not seem to touch the world “under
the sun” except after death.

His best working conclusion is to make the best of life – because that’s all
there is!!

If you are looking for HOPE – look elsewhere!

To conclude let’s take a look at the opening chapters:

1:2-11 EVERYTHING IS MEANINGLESS

EMPTINESS
VANITY

In this world there is nothing new

Only time passes
Events follow one another relentlessly and with
no real gain!

In creation everything follows a circular path

In human experience desire is never satisfied

1:12-18 WISDOM IS MEANINGLESS

2:1-11 PLEASURES ARE MEANINGLESS

 PAGE 7

Qoheleth suggests the empirical experimental approach – he will subject

all human experience to ruthless testing

Whether it be having a good time – or achieving great projects – the result

will always be the same – meaningless!

2:12-16 WISDOM & FOLLY ARE BOTH POINTLESS

Whilst it is better to be wise than foolish – the end result is the same.

Now we’re only at the beginning of this book and it is not looking any less
bleak!

2:17-24 TOIL IS MEANINGLESS

THE TURNING POINT IS 2:24

He is forced to look towards GOD

Our hearts beat faster – we anticipate a change - but we are disappointed.