Table of Contents
Ecclesiastes
The book of Ecclesiastes is the testimony of “the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” Solomon had been given more wisdom, wealth and power than any man of his age, and for years he tried everything the world could offer: learning, building, pleasure, riches, fame. He wrote this book as an old man, looking back on where it had all led, and his verdict opens the book: “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” Life “under the sun,” lived apart from God, is a breath, a vapour, a chasing after the wind.
This series reads Ecclesiastes chapter by chapter, following this site’s study of Proverbs. It is the most honest book in the Bible about the emptiness of a life without God, and one of the plainest on the state of the dead: “the dead know not any thing.” But it does not end in despair. The Preacher’s final word is the key to everything he has searched for: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” and “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
List Of Articles
Vanity Of Vanities
the words of the preacher the son of david, vanity of vanities all is vanity, what profit hath a man under the sun, one generation passeth away, no new thing under the sun, and in much wisdom is much grief
Ecclesiastes 1I Made Me Great Works
solomon proves himself with mirth and wine, builds houses, vineyards, gardens and pools, gathers silver, gold and singers, withholds nothing his eyes desired, and finds all vanity and vexation of spirit, for the wise man dieth as the fool, until he sees that joy is from the hand of god
Ecclesiastes 2To Every Thing There Is A Season
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to weep and a time to laugh, god hath made every thing beautiful in his time and set eternity in their heart, whatsoever god doeth it shall be for ever, god shall judge the righteous and the wicked, and all are of the dust and all turn to dust again
Ecclesiastes 3A Threefold Cord
the tears of the oppressed who had no comforter, work driven by envy, better is an handful with quietness, the lonely man who labours without end, two are better than one and a threefold cord is not quickly broken, and an old and foolish king who will no more be admonished
Ecclesiastes 4Keep Thy Foot
keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of god, be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools, let thy words be few, pay that which thou hast vowed, he that is higher than the highest regardeth, he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, and the sleep of a labouring man is sweet
Ecclesiastes 5Who Knoweth What Is Good For Man
riches, wealth and honour without power to enjoy them, a hundred children and a soul not filled with good, all the labour of man is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not filled, better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire, and life spent as a shadow
Ecclesiastes 6A Good Name
a good name is better than precious ointment, better to go to the house of mourning than the house of feasting, the patient in spirit is better than the proud, be not righteous over much, there is not a just man upon earth that sinneth not, and god hath made man upright but they have sought out many inventions
Ecclesiastes 7It Shall Be Well With Them That Fear God
a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, keep the king's commandment in regard of the oath of god, no man hath power in the day of death, because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, it shall be well with them that fear god, and a man cannot find out the work of god
Ecclesiastes 8The Dead Know Not Any Thing
one event to the righteous and the wicked, a living dog is better than a dead lion, the living know that they shall die but the dead know not any thing, eat thy bread with joy, whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might, and the poor wise man who delivered the city
Ecclesiastes 9Dead Flies
dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour, so doth a little folly, yielding pacifieth great offences, folly set in great dignity, if the iron be blunt whet the edge, the words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, princes who eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness, and a bird of the air shall carry the voice
Ecclesiastes 10Cast Thy Bread Upon The Waters
cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it after many days, give a portion to seven and also to eight, he that observeth the wind shall not sow, in the morning sow thy seed, truly the light is sweet, and rejoice o young man in thy youth but know that god will bring thee into judgment
Ecclesiastes 11Remember Now Thy Creator
remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth, the poem of old age when the almond tree shall flourish, the silver cord loosed and the golden bowl broken, the dust returns to the earth and the spirit unto god who gave it, the words of the wise are as goads, and fear god and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man
Ecclesiastes 12