Bold In Christ Ministries

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV

Vanity by definition is that which is vain, futile, or worthless; that which is of no value or profit. something vain, empty, or valueless. The world’s system is based on vanity according to the writer of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon is the writer of Ecclesiastes. He was the 3rd king of Israel and the son of King David the 2nd king of Israel, a man of great renown. The Bible has great stories of men who conquered the world and scaled great heights. The Bible is filled with many stories full of resources to equip one for a fruitful and functional life here in this world. Today, we are going to look at the teachings found in Ecclesiastes about life. Ecclesiastes 1:9 NLT says History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.

King Solomon was the wisest king in Israel. He was Blessed by the LORD. He was a man full of wisdom which grew his fame far and wide earning him great recognition. King Solomon gained lots of wealth and married many wives and concubines like his father King David, over his tenure as king of Israel. He was a man who for sure tasted the fine things and pleasures this life could offer. King Solomon came to the conclusion that there is nothing new under the sun, generations come and go and the circle continues. Over the duration of King Solomon’s life, he realized how frail everything under the sun is, and he wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes how it all was meaningless in the end. And that knowing God was the most important thing at the end of one’s life. Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content Ecclesiastes 1:8 NLT.

The real reason why people feel unfulfilled and unhappy today, even after achieving and acquiring greater heights of success in this life is because no one can find satisfaction in the things this world can offer. “For who, limited by human wisdom, knows what is good for man during his lifetime, during the few days of his futile life? He spends them like a shadow staying busy, but achieving nothing of lasting value. For who can tell a man what will happen after him to his work, his treasure, his plans under the sun after his life is over?” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ 6‬:‭12‬ ‭AMP. He teaches how vain every pursuit under the sun is and that at the end what matters is, were you able to enjoy what God has provided you with while still breathing? As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands. Ecclesiastes 5:15 BSB.

It’s important to remember that each new day is a blessing under the sun. The truth is tomorrow is never promised and no one knows what is brings. On a daily basis, someone somewhere loses their life. No one knows when their end will come. Only God knows every man’s final hour. James 4:13-15 BSB says Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” ] You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”

It is a vanity of vanities to be chasing after the things of this world only to end up losing your soul in the end. It is all chasing after the wind. The constant need to gratify the flesh with its earthly desires leads mankind into all kinds of rebellion, disobedience, idolatry, adultery. Further away from the commands of God. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows 1 Timothy 6:10 BSB. This leads to compromise, greed, comparison, envy and jealousy and kinds of evil. That is but just but a brief glimpse at the reality of this world. The hearts of men are filled with constant discontentment with self and others. The need to have more or be better than others. That is why after every great achievement there is no lasting satisfaction. It’s because it’s all that this world offers is fleeting. Don’t get me wrong. It’s good to work hard to meet your needs, to help those around you and the needy. But living your entire life constantly chasing what is considered success in this materialistic world in the end is vanity of vanities. 

Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh craving for sensual gratification and the lust of the eyes greedy longings of the mind and the pride of life assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things-these do not come from the Father but are from the world itself.  And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings, the passionate desires, the lust of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides remains forever. 1 John 2:15-17 AMPC. At the end of life what happens to your soul? It won’t be about what you gathered here on earth that matters, but it will be about whether you knew God and lived right before Him. The Bible says in Mathew 16:26 AMP – “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” 

Life is a wonderful gift from God meant to be enjoyed. It is truly a beautiful thing and a blessing to be alive today. In Genesis 1:26-28 NIV: Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” God’s intention has always been for mankind to enjoy this gift, He has given unto us. But how we do that could either lead us closer to Him or further. When God created mankind(Adam and Eve), His plan was for mankind to have a close and intimate relationship with Him but due to disobedience, rebellion and lust, mankind fell into sin and the curse of death fell on mankind. When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. But by God’s grace we can now have a close  relationship with God through the finished works of the cross in Christ Jesus Romans 5:12 NLT.

What a great gift it is to be loved by the Lord. He Restores us to himself through Christ Jesus. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners Romans 5:8 NLT. The world today has evolved technologically, many things are so advanced compared to the days of Moses, Noah, Abraham, David and Solomon. But the same sins that plagued generations past are still prevalent today. The same rebellion, disobedience and idolatry that existed in the old days still exists today. Mankind continues his search for rest and satisfaction in any other thing apart from the Creator.  If the Bible is not your Guide in this life then what is? For the wisdom of men is foolishness to God. This life is incomplete without God’s guidance. But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.  Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses 1 Timothy 6:11-12 BSB.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NIV