Day #199
Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 1 - 2 …
Throughout Ecclesiastes you will find Solomon
examining the various philosophies of people in all walks of life and
concluding that they are all “meaningless.”
Yet he inevitably ends up back in the same place … the ONLY place where
you and I can find meaning for anything in this life: GOD! You may
remember that Solomon asked God for wisdom to rule His people wisely, and God
gave it to him. It is this "wisdom" to which Solomon refers
when he says, "In all this my wisdom stayed with me" (2:9).
Solomon wasn't really trying to find a better reason to live other than
living for God; his God-given wisdom would not allow him to do so.
Rather, God is using him here to lay out for all to see the truth that
life IS meaningless … without God!
As you read through Ecclesiastes, you must keep in
mind Solomon's conclusion at the end: "Fear God and keep His
commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (12:13). Living
life without God and for yourself results in a meaningless life!
Solomon's opening words are an "attention-grabber”: “Meaningless!
Meaningless! Utterly
meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” (1:2). Solomon is describing life
without purpose … life without GOD!
Several times Solomon concludes, "there is
nothing new under the sun” (1:9). With
all our modern technology and all the things that have changed over the past
20-30 years, mankind remains the same. We may know more things than we
did a hundred years ago, but it seems we know ourselves LESS! More and
more people are trying to "find themselves," going from
counselor to counselor in an attempt to figure out what God has already
revealed in His Word: we need HIM!! Solomon writes, "I
devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven.
What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things
that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the
wind" (1:13-14).
Obviously, Solomon had not seen EVERYTHING that has
happened in the history of mankind, yet his statement is true because people
just keep repeating the same sins over and over again. Life without God,
no matter how you live it, is meaningless. You live, you die … and then
you give an account to God (12:14). Most people reject the truth of that
last part, but it is true nonetheless. Jesus said that there is a wide
road that leads to destruction and many are on it. When people say, "all
roads lead to the same place" they are at least partly
right. All roads through life, except one, lead to a meaningless life and
then death and then judgment. The writer of Hebrews says rather directly,
" … man is destined to die once, and after that to face
judgment …" (Hebrews 9:27).
Solomon even tried to define "wisdom,"
apart from God, and he discovered that this, too, was madness, folly, chasing
after the wind (1:17). Knowledge is not wisdom! Think of the
knowledge of the universe that the present generation has that no previous
generation ever possessed, but has it drawn them to their Creator? No!!
Those without the Spirit, no matter what age, nationality or race, are
blind and dead. Paul writes to the Corinthians, "Where is the
wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this
age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? … For the
foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom …" (I Corinthians
1:20, 25). True wisdom always points to its source … to the God Who knows
everything.
After examining the world's wisdom, Solomon examines
“pleasure.” Millions of people LIVE for pleasure, yet in the midst of the
pleasure they face despair because they find no satisfaction. All
pleasure is like a drug, you need more and more of it to satisfy your craving.
As someone has said about money, the same could be said of pleasure:
How much is enough? A little bit more! SUCCESS is the goal of
millions, but what is success? Solomon undertook great projects and received
praise from those around him, but what good is that? Do one thing people
DON'T like and they will forget everything good you have ever done in a heart beat.
Imagine doing this: "I denied myself nothing my eyes
desired; I refused my heart no pleasure" (2:10). Sounds like the
lifestyles of the rich and famous! "Yet, when I surveyed all that
my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless,
a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun" (2:11).
Such honesty is rare today, but much needed if you are to discover TRUE
meaning in life.
Solomon finally concludes, "A man can do
nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This
too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without HIM, who can eat or find
enjoyment?" (2:24-25). There is no true enjoyment of
anything without acknowledging God.
So is life without God! "To the man
who pleases Him God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness … but to the
sinner He gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it
over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after
the wind" (2:26). There is NO MEANING apart from knowing and
serving God. Jesus came to give us life, to give us freedom. He
said to the Jews who believed in Him, "If you hold to my teaching, you
are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will
set you free" (John 8:32). So many people have been
deceived into believing that "freedom" means doing whatever you want
… whatever the sinful nature leads you to do. But that is bondage!
Paul writes to the Galatians, "It is for
freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let
yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).
True freedom is the freedom from a meaningless life! We read in I
Peter 1:18-19 that we who believe in Christ Jesus, who have been born again by
His Spirit, have been "redeemed from the empty way of life handed down
to you from your forefathers." THIS is the life God calls you
and me to live. Ask Him for true wisdom and for the filling of His Spirit
and you will discover the abundant life Jesus came to give to those who believe
in Him!
"O Lord, my God, I confess that apart from You
life has NO meaning! I rejoice in the freedom that You give to all who
believe in Jesus and who are filled with Your Spirit. Give me wisdom and
strength to use my freedom to worship, to love, to enjoy, to serve You, my God.
As my Father in heaven, I rest in Your love and find meaning and purpose
each day in living in Your presence and for Your glory, in Jesus' name,
Amen"
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