Day #1: Understanding Solomon

 It is not always easy to know how to interpret the Old Testament. We would like to take the things we have learned from Jesus, Paul, Peter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and look for them in Ecclesiastes.  But in doing this, we must remember there is "progressive revelation" throughout the Bible. Although there is one unified whole, some truths in the New Testament were not fully revealed in the Old Testament.  Although they were intended to lead to Christ, prior generations were not completely aware of God's plan.  Old Testament saints lived by faith in what had been revealed, just as we do now.  They lived by the light they had received; our light is far brighter with the revelation of Jesus Christ.  (Jn 1:1-5)

The Bible is God-breathed and divinely inspired (1 Tim 3:16).  All of it is profitable for spiritual growth.  Solomon’s books, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon have been in the "Megilloth" since the 6th century AD.  Along with Ruth, Lamentations, and Esther, they have been read in the synagogue during festival times.  Ecclesiastes has been read for the Feast of Booths. 

Sometimes as we read Ecclesiastes, we may be tempted to debate some points with Solomon.  This can be a healthy exercise if we want to sharpen our New Testament theology.  But it can also prevent us from fully grasping Solomon's wisdom and the truths the Holy Spirit has inspired in his writings. Remember Ecclesiastes is in the Bible for a reason.  We must ask what we should learn from it, not whether we agree with all of it.

Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Pet 1:20-21, NET Bible)

We must respect Solomon.  He started with a profound humility and love for God (1 Ki 3:3). He reigned over Israel during their golden years.  The kingdom was expanded, and the wealth of the kingdom grew to its greatest height. They had peace on all sides (1 Ki 4:20-34).  And yes, Solomon, though extremely wise, was not entirely righteous.  He failed to obey the specific commands of God on three issues: 1. Not amassing great personal wealth 2. Not acquiring too many horses and 3. Not marrying many wives, especially foreign women (Dt 17:14-20). These women drew his heart away from pure devotion to YAHWEH and toward foreign gods. Although warned three times about these issues, he continued in disobedience.  As result, although God honored his promise to King David, He judged Solomon's disobedience (1 Ki 11:9-13).  After his death the kingdom was divided, and its wealth was carried off to Egypt (1 Kings 14:25-36). Although he started well, we know he didn't finish well.

So, considering his failure toward the end of his life, we must ask, "Can we trust Solomon?"   With its place in the biblical canon, Ecclesiastes has a unique place in wisdom literature.  Arguably the wisest man who has ever lived, until Jesus (Mt 12:42), Solomon must be respected and understood.  As an old man he is reflecting on a long life of success and failure.  He is writing to the young men in his kingdom so that they would avoid the mistakes he made.  In doing so he is showing remorse for those mistakes.  And he diminishes the value of his greatest attributes. Although wise he shows the limitations of wisdom.  Although rich and powerful he calls these things "vanity".  He built the Temple, yet he claims great accomplishments are meaningless.  With many wives and concubines, he warns about their charms.

Solomon should be respected, despite his failures.  Indeed, we can learn from his failures as well as his success.  And if you need wisdom for living on this earth, here it is, in the Book of Ecclesiastes.

What's wrong with Ecclesiastes?

But I've noticed that quite a few Christians have a problem with the book of Ecclesiastes, and I'm not sure why that is. Could it be because Solomon has the courage to ask questions that seem too hard to answer?  Is it because he asks questions, we should be asking but are afraid to ask?  Some think Christians aren't supposed to ask questions at all. Or maybe we don't like being confronted with the futility of those things we often build our lives around.  I don't know.  But I like Solomon, and I like his book.

It appears he has it all- wisest, richest, the most influential, and the most beautiful wives.  Yet, Solomon clearly sees the futility of life.  Wait a minute the Christian says, "life is not futile."  Maybe it isn't, but maybe it is- under the sun.  And there appears to be a great equalizer in life. We all end in the grave.  So where is the meaning and purpose in life?  That’s the question Solomon seeks to answer in his book, Ecclesiastes.

Why is it so unsettling?  Because Solomon is not so quick to give our pat answers. "There is eternity", we might say.  But don't be so quick to go there.  Before we jump to quick answers, we should consider the power of his arguments.

Solomon systematically explores the main pursuits of man.  He takes the things we typically think will bring satisfaction and shows their futility.  I think most Christians today would like to soften his arguments.  "Wait a minute, there is SOME meaning in those things, just not ULTIIMATE meaning", we might say.  Solomon would disagree.  He sees the total futility of those things we commonly strive for.  He declares "all is futile". 

      “Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher,

    “Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!” (Ec 1:2, NET Bible)

Some of the key topics Solomon discusses are the accumulation of wealth, accomplishments, pleasure, hard work, and even wisdom.  They are relevant to us today, if we are willing to ask the hard questions and look deeper into the nature of our fallen world.

Questions to consider:

  1. What do you know about Solomon? (For more info read 1 Kings: 1-11)
  2. Read Ec 1:1-11. What is your first impression of Ecclesiastes?
  3. Why do you suppose Solomon says, "everything is futile"?

Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005), Ec 1:2.

Read on to Day #2

 

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