Remembering Our Creator
A guest post by Chad Ramsey.
Many students view the book of Ecclesiastes as an enigma.
Was King Solomon trying to provide an unfiltered look at life as it is by discussing his general observations or systematic discoveries?
Was he merely reporting his feelings as one who had experienced all life has to offer?
Or was he seeking to show man’s search for meaning is empty until he finds true meaning in God?
The Pessimistic Approach to Ecclesiastes.
Those who read the book as a pessimistic treatise see Ecclesiastes focusing on matters like uncertainty, man’s mortality, and man’s sinfulness. This interpretation finds Solomon’s search for meaning to have been a great disappointment.
To be fair, the author frequently emphasized man’s uncertainty by asking, “Who knows…?” (e.g., Ecclesiastes 2:19; 3:21; 6:12). He also described man’s mortality when he stated without qualification:
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2).
And man’s sinfulness is depicted in the book as a hindrance to the value of wisdom (Ecclesiastes 7:20; 8:11; 9:3).
It is hard not to find pessimism in Ecclesiastes when it continually emphasizes the vanity of life’s efforts. King Solomon did not whisper when he wrote:
“‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher; ‘vanity of vanities, all is vanity’” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
Nevertheless, Ecclesiastes is not entirely pessimistic. There are times when Solomon encourages his readers to enjoy life (Ecclesiastes 5:18) and live it to the fullest (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
Solomon’s Purpose of Ecclesiastes.
Those who read Ecclesiastes as if it simply contains Solomon’s reflections on the experiences of his pleasure-filled life fail to see the ultimate point of the endeavor.
Solomon is not seeking to emphasize the feeling of emptiness that accompanies a life conducted without purpose. He is instead seeking to show true meaning can only obtained by living in view of God (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
Without God, life is indeed meaningless; with Him, man has purpose and hope.
The Importance of Ecclesiastes’ Final Chapter.
The individual who reads King Solomon’s work without taking the final chapter into consideration will miss the point of the book.
It is not a pessimistic rant by a disgruntled king. Neither is it a mere existential reflection. Ecclesiastes is, instead, a systematic discussion concerning where life’s meaning can be found.
A careful examination of Ecclesiastes will bring the student into contact with both negative and positive remarks about life. Thus, an appropriate interpretation will seek to balance the two. This can only occur if one understands man’s purpose to be that of living joyfully within the boundaries prescribed by God.
Solomon summarized Ecclesiastes’ point in a simple, yet powerful way:
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
Chad Ramsey preaches for the Gloster Street Church of Christ in Tupelo, Mississippi. You can access their Bible classes and Chad’s sermons on Gloster Street’s YouTube page.
Chad was - and still is - “my preacher” from when I spent my high school and early college years at Gloster Street. I’m thankful to be able to share some of his writings with you.
