“The fool closes his hands and eats his own flesh — better is full hand of rest than two full hands of anxiety and exasperating the spirit.”

(Ecclesiastes 4:5-6)

The contrast to working and competing to grow in competence is to be lazy and complacent, perhaps only ever doing the most basic minimum to sustain oneself. It is the belief that the world entitles you to a living and to pleasure, so let them work while you relax and be entertained at their expense. Not only is such a mindset ungodly (see Ephesians 4:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:10) but it is self-destructive. You end up consuming your own flesh. And while, in most cases, this does not degrade into literal cannibalism (though such has taken place in history), how often do such folks end up consuming all that their family has and all of their worldly goods, living like a leech off of those around them.

This is not to suggest that there are not times when one must rely on friends, family, church, or even social programs to get by. Indeed, hard times will befall us all and it is humbling being on the receiving end of such Christian charity. At the same time, such things are designed to be temporary and not perpetual states of being. Then, when one gets back on his or her feet, the idea is to turn around and assist others as you have been assisted. Such is a mark of Christian character.

There is a little discussion about the figure of speech that Solomon employs around the idea of the closed hand and then the single hand-full of rest or the double hand-full of anxiety. Commentators seem in more or less agreement that the folding of the hands or the closing of the hands is a reference to sloth — wishing to not “put one’s hand to the plow.” The discussion comes with respect as to how one handles the single and double hands full. Some commentators suggest that Solomon is saying that some rest (one handful) is better than lots of anxiety (double-hands full). 

As I read this, though, given Solomon’s repeated use of the word עָמָל (amal) to refer to hard work in this book, I would suggest that verse 6 contains the words of the sluggard who is closing his hands. Basically he is saying, look folks, I know that I could have both hands at work, but there is a chance that all I will receive is toil and hardship under the sun, so I will be content with only a handful of rest. In the end, the final message is much the same: it is honorable to work and dishonorable to be slothful.

The sad thing, as I observe society around us, is that sloth calls loudly to those in the streets. People are promoting socialism in the American society and the government seems to be creating more and more social programs to satisfy the people’s outcry. People say that education should be free, food should be free, medicine should be free, and the list goes on and on. Solomon would say that those who champion this cause are fools. And indeed, whatever label one gives them, they are poor students of history as socialism has created some of the greatest human tragedies in all of history. One only need spend time in eastern Europe and the impoverished state of many of the former eastern bloc countries. Woe to us if we repeat their failures.

Yet, I do not wish to stop there as the move toward social welfare is largely being driven by a young and poorly educated segment of our society. There is also an older segment of our society that has embraced the notion that at the age of retirement, they can stop working and contributing to society altogether. Instead, many just simply resign themselves to watching television almost all day long. This too is unhealthy and self-destructive. The notion of a retirement age where one stops working altogether is not a notion with Christian roots. For the Christian, retirement from a given vocation is nothing more than an open door to work in the community, the church, and the family. Paul speaks exactly this way when he calls on older men and women to mentor those coming behind them (Titus 2:2-9). 

Perhaps think about it this way. Think about how beneficial it would be to our congregations if every retired person in our flock would spend just 10 hours a week working either at the church (doing maintenance and repair) or in the community (visiting our shut ins!) or both. Think about how beneficial it would be if retired members in our congregation took to studying seminary-level classes to be better teachers in Sunday School or other kinds of teaching ministries of the church. Think about how beneficial it would be if a church had the foresight to retain a retired minister on their payroll to be a trainer and theological teacher of younger men seeking the ministry as well as to assist the church’s pastor in his daily activities. God has made mankind to work (Genesis 2:15) and he has made Christians to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). Why would we seek to rest and slumber all the day long?

“Also, I saw that every exertion and that every skill in work is because of the jealousy of a man’s companion. This also is vanity and exasperates the spirit.”

(Ecclesiastes 4:4)

In every endeavor of life there are those whose skill and expertise outdoes those that are around them. In today’s culture, these are sometimes referred to as “outliers”… people who distinguish themselves from all those around them. And while it is true the some people have gifts and leanings in a particular area of life, at the heart of these outliers is work and practice, work and more practice, and then even more practice at their craft, no matter what that craft happens to be. The American Inventor is quoted as saying, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

Solomon, it seems, recognizes this dynamic but goes on to ask the question, “What drives these outliers?” His conclusion is that we are driven to perfect our craft out of jealousy — we look at other craftsmen around us and we desire to be better than they are and to distinguish ourselves from those around us. And I must confess, as I look back at some of the jobs I have worked and crafts that I have plied, there is great truth in this. And, this is not a bad thing.

Healthy competition tends to stretch you and to push you further than you would go without it. In the seminary I attended, competing for grades was frowned upon (we were all in it together). At the same time, when I was taking Hebrew, the classmate who sat beside me had a different way of thinking. He would look over my shoulder at my grades to compare and it was not long before a healthy competition ensued, which propelled both of us toward the top of the class. 

When I was in High School, I competed on the Varsity Swim Team. While I was never exceptional, those who were and who broke school records had their names put on a big board in the pool area, which prodded everyone to do better. When I worked for Domino’s Pizza, we used to compete in what was called a “Two-Tray” competition — how quickly could two trays of dough be slapped out to size, placed on the screen, and sauced. Again, this drove us to improve our speed greatly. At the time, I worked under the man who had the second-fastest time in the country and under his tutelage, I too, got very fast, which was important in the high-volume store in which we worked. In college, I ran blue-prints for a company to help pay bills. Here, I broke the company record for how many blue prints could be run through the machine in an hour. My direct boss held the record prior to me, which created healthy competition between us — something that only served to improve the service the store offered to its customers. Similarly, during the decade and change that I worked as a carpet installer, I sought to distinguish myself, though here, not with speed, but with precision and skill, particularly in custom work. 

I imagine we can all think of times when healthy competition drove us to improve. I grant, too, that sometimes healthy competition can go over the top and create resentment and unhealthy rivalries, but I would still say these tend to be the exceptions and not the rules so long as the competition is instigated by the competitors and not by those outside the competition. As Solomon, I can say that “I have seen” instances where parents push their child in a sport way too hard and often that harms the child rather than helping him or her. 

Why then does Solomon say that this kind of competition exasperates the spirit? In the end, records and achievements are not lasting. There will always be someone else who will be better than you or who will work faster than you. There will always be someone to dislodge your record. And, in the end, what does the record get you anyway? A little notoriety for a little while? It won’t last. So, if what drives you is just that you wish to be better than everyone else, you will find your spirit exasperated at the end of the day and at the end of your life. Yet, if you wish to be better than everyone else because you wish to be the best you can be to the glory of Christ, that is entirely a different matter. Distinguish yourself not for your own gain and glory but for God’s.

“And I returned to see all of the oppression which is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed and there is none to comfort them. In the hand of their oppressors there is power but there is none to comfort them. And I praised the dead who are already dead over the living who are yet alive, and better than either are those who had not yet been born, who have not seen the work of evil which is done under the sun.”

(Ecclesiastes 4:1-3)

For a king who was quick to employ forced labor (1 Kings 5:13; 9:15), this may seem to be an odd matter to muse upon. Yet, it doesn’t seem that this is the kind of oppression on which Solomon is dwelling. Instead of that which was done under his authority as king, it seems that he is looking back toward 3:16 and the language of justice and wickedness — those people who pervert justice and who use their own power for their own gain, oppressing the people under their power to achieve their ends. This is the true oppression of the wicked.

At face value, though, Solomon’s response to this oppression may seem a little bit odd — rejoicing in those who are dead and no longer facing oppression and saying that those not yet born are in an even better place than those who are living. Is this indeed Solomon’s sad conclusion? Could we be wrong about Solomon’s book and is perhaps he throwing in the towel to some sort of nihilism? Certainly, we should know better than that by now.

As we have already noted, Solomon is looking around the world at some of the tragedies that take place in the world around him, while at the same time recognizing God’s sovereignty over these events as well. So, for the moment (as he says in the previous passage), because you do not know what is going after you, work and labor and leave a legacy of integrity and faithfulness to God behind you.

First of all, though it is a horrid and sad thing to suffer under the hands of men, there is yet dignity in human suffering. Did not our Lord enter into this world as a suffering servant? While his suffering climaxed on the cross, was not his life marked by suffering as a sinless man amongst sinful men? How often indeed, is God the Father said to be grieved by the works of men as we read through our scriptures? Oppression even by the most vile and wicked in history is a tool that God uses to refine his church. But is it just through our suffering under oppression that the church is refined? No. The church is also refined when she takes a stand for what is right and just and is persecuted for Jesus’ namesake. I think of the Barmen Declaration and those brave Christians who resisted Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. I think of those Christians who suffer to protect the oppressed in many of the nations where Christianity is illegal. I think of the countless times through history where Christians have stood up to powers and principalities in this world because they were simply being faithful to God’s call that they do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God (Micah 6:8).

Thus, the key to understanding this passage seems to be Solomon’s repetition of the idea that none to comfort the people. In other words, how sad and sorrowful it is when God’s people do not rise up and stand against the wicked and protect the widow and the orphan from their oppressors. Indeed, when there is no one to stand up for the oppressed, indeed, in observing matters from the perspective of being “under the sun,” it may indeed be better had they never been born. 

“All go to one place. All is from the dust and all will return to the dust. Who knows if the spirit of the sons of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down beneath the earth? I saw that there is nothing good but for man to rejoice in his work and in his portion because who can bring him to see what will come after him?”

(Ecclesiastes 3:20-22)

In death, the bodies of both humans and animals go to the ground. Decay sets in and unless extraordinary measures are taken, the bodies of both man and beast decay into the dust. And, as Solomon surveys the world around him, he observes that he cannot tell whether the spirits of man go up (toward the heavens) or whether the spirits of beasts reside beneath the earth. 

As a pastor, I conduct more funerals than I would like to admit…we live in a fallen world and death is a real part of that reality. And while I often have the pleasure of conducting services for a believer whose fruit were readily apparent, there are also times when I conduct services for those whose spiritual fruit is rather unclear. And in cases like these, while the fate of the body is readily apparent, we cannot know for certain the fate of the soul. And so, just as I cannot “preach someone into heaven,” I also do not presume to place myself in God’s seat of eternal judgment. So at that point, I honor the good that the person has done in the family or community and preach Christ for the living. 

But it is this uncertainty that I think that Solomon is observing as he looks at the death around him. If someone is a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, we can be assured that glory is the destination that lies ahead. If someone is not, hell calls. Yet, there are also people who profess to be Christians but show little or no evidence or regeneration…and with Solomon, we say, “Who knows?” The answer to that question, of course, is that God knows and he will bring every deed into judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:14), for he is indeed the eternal judge over mankind.

And so, what is the conclusion? Rejoice in your work. Do your work to the glory of God. And even if you are an unbeliever or a person whose faith is unclear in the eyes of men, rejoice in laboring in ways to serve your family and community, for in that you will be remembered fondly. 

“For there is a fate for the sons of man and a fate for the beasts; the fate of one is amongst them. As death comes to this one, so too death comes to that one. The Spirit is one with regard to all. There is no advantage that man has over beast because everything is a vapor.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:19)

Here I depart somewhat with conventional translations of this verse. The most significant is seeing the reference to the Spirit here as the third member of the Trinity rather than the spirit of man and animal. While I do not wish to read Thomas Aquinas’ different kinds of spirits for different kinds of things (plant, animal, man), there are certain Biblical references to the spirit in man that cannot be attributed to a spirit in animals…for example, understanding (Job 32:8). Further, the spirit in man is the focus of God’s judgment (Proverbs 16:2; 20:27). Thus, it does not seem right to say that man and beast both have the same spirit and Solomon would have known that as he is the author of Proverbs as well as Ecclesiastes. Thus, I appeal to what Arnold & Choi would call a “preposition of manner” reflecting on how an action is taken as to the object. Thus, the Spirit of God acts similarly in bringing both man and beast to death in His timing and for His purposes. 

The second area wherein I depart from conventional interpretation is in translating הָבֶל (hevel) at the end of the verse as “vapor” rather than as “vanity,” which is the more commonplace rendering of the term in this book. Yet, in context, Solomon is reflecting on the brevity of life and on the permanence of death, so it seemed more appropriate to apply the term in this way for this use.

In the end, though, the interpretation is much the same. Both man and beast go to the grave — in this, man has no advantage over the beast (though he has advantages in many other ways). And in light of this reality, we must come to terms with what that means for us…this, as we might expect, Solomon will do in the verses that follow…

“I spoke to my heart with respect to the sons of man that God is purging them, yet to see that they themselves are as beasts to themselves.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:18)

While often, Solomon’s phrase, “I spoke to my heart” or “I said to my heart” indicates the beginning of a new section, these words seem to form a bridge between verses 17 and 19. In verse 17, Solomon speaks of a place of judgment where both the righteous and the wicked will be judged — the sheep separated from the goats, to borrow Jesus’ language in Matthew 25:32. Here, in verse 18, the same idea is captured in the idea of God purging men. The Hebrew word that I translate here as “purge” is the word ברר (barar), which refers to cleansing something by purging, testing, or sifting things out. Surely this takes place in the absolute sense at time of final judgment where mankind will be purged and cleansed. The elect will be glorified, having their sin and dross once and for all time removed. Those chosen for destruction will also be removed from the race of man and condemned into the pits of hell for all eternity. Thus, both individuals and the race will be cleansed in this judgment.

There is some debate as to how one translates this final verse. Some translators imply that this is simply a reference to man as a beast (particularly in the context of the verses that follow). Yet, I lean toward Luther’s translation along with that of the 10th century Rabbi, Sa’asiah ben Yosef Gaon, who saw this as a reference to the way the wicked of mankind behaved like beasts toward the righteous. As the Rabbi commented that the difference between the righteous and the wicked is as great a distance as is the distance between man and beast. The final word, לָהֶם (lahem — “to them”) seems to support this reading and not simply be seen as a reflexive pronoun.

Reading the text in this manner causes one to interpret not only the final judgment of God, but also the many earthly judgments that God brings into our lives as a tool to refine mankind — to make the elect godly and to distinguish the wicked more and more from those of faith. And, indeed, is that not what often happens in this life during times of crisis. The wicked become hardened and often, like animals, seek simply to save themselves. At the same time, the Godly grow in faith and often go to great lengths to care for others.

The sad thing is that in our culture, for more than a generation, children have been taught that they are no different than animals, just perhaps with a more developed brain. The law of the jungle teaches the survival of the fittest and we have a generation today that seems to be living it out in our schools, our communities, and sadly, sometimes even in our churches. Yet, the scriptures teach that mankind bears God’s image and thus has dignity that is altogether different than that of the animals. And our behavior toward one another ought to reflect that distinction. All too often, even in the context of the church, it does not…

“And again, I observed that which was under the sun. In the place of judgment there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. So, I spoke to my heart that the righteous and the wicked will be judged by God; there is a time for every matter and a time for every work — it is there.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:16-17)

Having teased us slightly with the answer to his question (namely, the sovereignty of God), Solomon again looks to the world “under the sun” and begins reflecting on the injustice and wickedness of man in places where justice is supposed to be done. Yet, there is corruption amongst those who hold the power of judgment over others. 

Isaiah writes:

“How the faithful city has turned to whoredom; a full measure of righteous judgment lodged with her but now she is murdering. Your silver is dross; your wine is weakened with water. Your princes are rebels and your companions are thieves. All of you love a bribe and you run after rewards, but the fatherless have no justice and the dispute of the widow is not brought to them.”

(Isaiah 1:21-23)

Paul the Apostle did not shy away from quoting pagan writers to show that some observations are plain even to those apart from divine revelation, and so in one instance he says to the Corinthians, “bad company ruins good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33 — a quote from the Greek dramatist, Menander). When the city that is designed to stand for God’s righteousness tolerates selfish gain, bribery, and corruption, then she will fall into wickedness and injustice. And there is no greater illustration of this than when the leadership of the Jews elected to put Jesus to death — committing the greatest injustice of all time (though it is a blessed injustice for those of us who are redeemed by the Lamb’s blood). And this injustice in Jerusalem did not begin with Herod and Pilate. Isaiah writes of it; Solomon writes of it; and frankly we see God’s condemnation of the people throughout the Scriptures. 

The sad thing is that we see this same kind of injustice take place in many churches. When church leaders use their influence to coerce church members, when pastors seek to use their position for personal gain, when the widows and orphans are ignored by the deacons whose job it is to take care of them, when church discipline and instruction takes a back seat in the lives of the elders who are called to this task in the life of the church, when ideas are embraced because they are pragmatic or because other churches are doing them, not because the Bible instructs us to do them, when we permit any or all of these things, then we are guilty of permitting wickedness to take the place of righteousness in God’s house. We are no better than the Pharisees, Sadducees, and chief priests who executed our Lord. 

Solomon indeed is wise to say that there is nothing new under the sun. The sad thing is that we who are redeemed and who have Solomon’s words before us often fall into the same traps and sins as the wicked of generations past rather than learning from their errors and walking in righteousness.

“I know that everything that God does is eternal and there is nothing that can be added and nothing taken from it. God has done it that those before him should fear. That which is has already existed and that which is to be has already existed. God continually seeks that which is pursued.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:14-15)

In contrast to man and his labors which fade, God’s labors and plans are eternal. We have mentioned Isaiah 40:8 already…that the grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God lasts forever…so do his works. What we do and plan is only ever for a season; God’s design is eternal and infinitely more worthy of praise. And thus, we would say of the completed word of God…nothing can be added or taken away from it. 

Verse 15 provides a little more of a challenge to translate as it is a little more poetically phrased. What is being spoken of here? There are really two ways in which we might put these words together. The first, and perhaps simpler way, is that these are a reflection of Solomon’s earlier words that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). This can then stand as a reminder to us that yes, events come and go but they have been done before by others.

Yet, the heart of this passage is on the sovereignty of God. What has come to pass has taken place because God has so ordained it to happen — the end from the beginning (Ephesians 1:4,11; Isaiah 46:10). Thus, it can be said that those things that exist today have always existed in a sense — that sense being in the mind of God as part of his ordained plan. And even those things that are yet to happen have their surety in the fact that this too is ordained by an almighty God. That which is already existed. That which is to be, this too has already existed in the mind of God.

Does that make us robots and automatons, fated to a given end without any choices? No, we do make choices, yet the choices we freely make are consistent with God’s eternal design and plan and so, in freely choosing, God’s will comes to pass. Does this give us the right to just sin all the more — could we not just say that this is the sin that God has ordained for me? Perhaps the unbeliever might say this, yet they are nevertheless choosing a path of rebellion against God. But, for the believer, we must never say such things because we have been born again to newness of life. And thus, with a new nature, our affections toward our old sins ought necessarily to have changed and our choices ought to reflect the new nature and not the old.  And still, God’s plan still comes to pass.

Sometimes people struggle with this notion. Since the so-called “Enlightenment” especially, people have become accustomed to speak in terms of autonomous human “free-will.” Yet, if a human’s will is free in the absolute sense, God is not sovereign in that same sense. Further, if the human will is utterly free, then we can have no assurances of the promises of God. No, there is great comfort in the Biblical doctrine of divine sovereignty. Every promise that is offered and assured in Christ can be spoken of as real and sure in our lives and though we do not yet have a full experience of such things, we can be assured of their reality in the promise of an unchanging and absolutely sovereign God. 

“I understood that there is nothing good for him but to be rejoice and to do good in his life and also, all men should eat and drink and find goodness in all of his undertakings; it is God’s gift to him.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)

“Do not be anxious, but in everything, with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which exceeds all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The last thing, brothers, is that whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is upright, whatever is holy, whatever is lovely, whatever is praiseworthy, if there is virtue and if there is praise, think on these things. Those things that you have learned and taken and heard and seen in me, engage in these things. And the God of Peace will be with you.”

(Philippians 4:6-9)

Be clear in your mind, what Solomon is not saying is that you should “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you die.” He is also not taking the approach that the stoics would later take and suggesting that there is no point in pleasure. Solomon is also not celebrating moderation at this point in his discussion (but know that we will come back to the notion of moderation a little later). Instead, Solomon is saying that it is good to rejoice in God and that it is good to do good works (works that glorify God) and that it is good to eat and drink and enjoy the fruit of your labors here on earth, for this is God’s gift to you. Yet, to understand this properly, you must understand that it is a gift from God and thus to be enjoyed to his glory. 

This, too, is the heart of what the Apostle Paul sets before the church in Philippi. Set your minds on the things of beauty and the things that honor God for they come from God. Enjoy these things, find pleasure and wonder in them. Be drawn to God as you look at God’s creation. 

“I have seen the undertaking which God has given to the sons of man to undertake; he has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has set eternity in their hearts, which the man cannot find out what God has worked from the beginning to the end.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:10-11)

Paul writes in Romans 1:20 that the invisible attributes of God have been clearly seen since the beginning of time…in other words, when mankind looks at the world around them (and when a person looks at oneself), he or she cannot help but recognize the hand of an eternal God. Solomon is saying much the same thing when he says that God has put eternity in man’s heart. Deep down there is a sense that there are eternal things and that this is ordered by an eternal God — it is part of our innate understanding that God exists. We cannot fully comprehend the scope of things, looking from the beginning to the end, but we understand that God has so ordered such things. 

And this, folks, is the beginning of the answer. If one toils and labors and struggles through life simply for earthly gain…it is vanity — it will pass away. Yet, if one finds their meaning in a pursuit of the eternal — of God himself through Jesus Christ the Son — then one will find that their life has substance and meaning. Such will be the conclusion of Solomon as we continue through this book.

Another thing to note is this very familiar phrase that God has made all things beautiful in their time. It is an expression of God’s absolute sovereignty over his creation. Nothing surprises God, there is no “Plan B” with God, and there is nothing that is done that he has not first both foreseen and foreordained. He has indeed predestinated all things so that all things may indeed become beautiful in their time — in the ultimate sense for humanity, the believer being glorified and the unbeliever being condemned to eternal torment for their sin and rebellion — a reflection of God’s almighty and eternal power. Man loves to cling to the fantasy that he is master of his own fate and captain of his soul, but it is God who ordains all things that comes to pass — including those things for which we pridefully take credit.

“What profit does a worker have in his burden?”

(Ecclesiastes 3:9)

If you are laboring after earthly rewards, Solomon is teaching us, then of what value will that be in the scope of eternity? The works of man are but a flower in the field while the Word of God will last forever (Psalm 103:15-16; Isaiah 40:6-8; James 1:9-11; 1 Peter 1:24-25). This is not a matter of fatalism but perspective. How often we labor for things that are used and consumed in a moment. In the west, we have embraced what some call a “Throwaway Society.” In other words, most things are not made to last or to be repaired when broken. They are made to last a few days and when broken, be thrown into the garbage dump. And while this mindset creates great problems in some areas, it does illustrate Solomon’s point: if you spend your days laboring just for things that will last a year and then be thrown out, have you really gained anything?

Jewish tradition, found in the Midrash, would suggest that this passage also reminds us of our study of God’s Word. Indeed, we labor day in and day out but often forget what it is that we have studied or, when studying one thing, discover three other things that we need to spend time studying. I remember sitting down with one of my professors while a senior in seminary and telling him that at the end of my seminary training, I felt like I knew less about the Bible than I did when I first arrived at seminary. Of course, that is not because I lost knowledge, but my perception of what there was left to learn only grew while in seminary. And thus, while I learned a vast amount as a student, I also became aware of the vastness that there was yet to learn. 

The point behind this is not to say that the study of the Bible is futile. It most certainly is not. The study of the Bible reveals God and his character and that ought to draw you more deeply in relationship with Him. At the same time, the infinite depth of God’s Word and the countless nuances and things to learn is meant as an assurance to us that we will never get bored with such a study and we will never — even in eternity — fully plumb the depths. Instead, we will always be pursuing more.

Yet, the same thing cannot be said about the endeavors of man on this earth. They are shallow puddles compared to the oceans of depth found in Scripture. And so, if your end is little more than the toils of your labor, you will find it frustrating and wanting — it is vanity if left to itself. Do you want to know what Paul means when he says that we are to do everything in the name of Christ (Colossians 3:17)? It means that we find meaning to our labors (whatever our trade may be) in Christ and not in the labor itself. 

Before entering full-time ministry, I spent 11 years as a tradesman installing carpet. In many ways, home improvement work can be satisfying because you can witness the transformation of a room or a home through the work you do. But the true satisfaction came not because I was putting down a new surface for people to walk on, stain, and wear out. The true satisfaction came with the recognition that I was using skills that God had gifted me with to bless and minister to others. In addition, it gave me the opportunity to spend time in a lot of people’s homes, to pray for them and often to talk to them about eternal matters. In those eleven years, I was easily in several thousand people’s homes; who knows how many seeds God gave me the privilege of planting during those years. That, beloved, is how you find meaning and not vanity in your toils.

“There is a time to rend and a time to sew back together; a time to be silent and a time to speak.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:7)

A mark of deep sorrow in many cultures is that of rending one’s garments. And so indeed, we find Solomon setting out another set of human experiences that mark time. Now, it should be pointed out that Solomon has already spoken of life and death, and while he could be repeating himself with different illustrations, in the context of the couplet, it seems to be that he has another kind of sorrow in mind.

Jesus said: 

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled.”

(Matthew 5:4)

In the context of the beatitudes, Jesus is not talking about those who grieve the death of loved ones, but he is speaking of those who grieve their sins. And this seems to be what Solomon is addressing here. Take a survey sometime of all of the times the people rent their garments and sat in ashes and sackcloth in the Biblical times. One thing that you will discover is that while such actions were often done at the death of a loved one (e.g. Genesis 37:34), you will often find that it is done in times of great grief regarding sin (e.g. Numbers 14:6, 1 Kings 21:27).

Thus, if we understand Solomon’s words in the context of grief and godly sorrow over sin, then there is a time to rend our clothes in confession of sin and repentance and then there is a time to sew those clothes back together, receiving the promise of forgiveness in the completed work of Christ (see 1 John 1:9). 

Then, when one parallels this idea with the words that follow it in the couplet, we discover that there is a time for silence and a time for speaking — a time for awed and humble silence before the Lord of the universe (the proper response of the sinner before God on high — see Job 40:3-5) and a time to speak — to lift our petitions before a glorious heaven, not just in confession and repentance but in praise of the God who sent his glorious Son to pay the debt that we believers owe for our transgression of his Law. 

“There is a time to seek out and a time to give up as lost; a time to protect and a time to throw away.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:6)

Once again Rashi interprets this verse in conjunction with the people of Israel and I would call your attention to the Messianic significance of this language. In Luke 15, Jesus tells a series of three parables about lost things…a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. It could be argued that as you move into Luke 16, there is a fourth parable in this series — that of a lost steward, but that is a conversation for another day.

The point of these parables is the extent that the owner will go to when it comes to preserving that which is entrusted to him or to her. What is interesting about the parables is that when it comes to the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, in both cases, the owner goes to great lengths to seek those things out and to intentionally bring them back with the rest of the items. Yet, when it comes to the lost son (and the lost steward), the father (rich man) does not go out actively seeking to bring the persons back, but refrains, instead waiting for the person to come to their senses and return to him. In other words, there is a time to seek out that which has been lost and a time to refrain from seeking — in many cases, to trust the hand of God to return your loved one to you.

Likewise, then, there is a time to guard things and protect them while there is also a time to discard things. In a world of hoarders, there is obvious application to this, but remember that there is a conceptual parallelism between these two couplets. Thus, if the first deals with redemption, so should the second. And indeed, when one looks at the scope of Biblical history, this is exactly how we see God working in the lives of his people. When they are obedient, he draws them close; when they are disobedient (usually pursuing idols), he scatters them from his presence. One need only peruse the book of Judges or the periods of exile to see this reality worked out in ancient Israel and to read the letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor to see the same worked out in the Christian churches of John’s day.

The challenge for us, in daily application, is to understand what to hold onto and what to let go…and not so much with “stuff,” but with relationships, jobs, activities, etc… All of these things are part of the human experience, but not all things or friends are for all seasons of our lives. As I think back across my life, I am grateful for the friends and mentors that God brought into my sphere of experience. Many of these people not only walked through very difficult or challenging times with me but many also kept me out of trouble during my rebellious years. And again, for them and for their actions, I am eternally grateful. Yet, while the gratefulness is eternal, many of these friendships were for a season and we have both moved on in different directions — not because of any break in the friendship, but simply because in God’s timing, the season had come to an end. And who knows, if God chooses to alter trajectories in life, perhaps those friendships will be rekindled. There are a few of those relationships, though, that have proven to transcend seasons and be more permanent. These are the ones you must especially guard, protect, and treasure. Discerning between these two categories is always a challenge, but indeed is an important task in life.

“A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to distance from embracing;”

(Ecclesiastes 3:5)

This passage is one that is interpreted in a number of different ways, depending on how one reads it. Recognizing that the couplets are designed to communicate extremes in the experience of mankind, probably the most natural reading of the text is to see this in the context of punishment and forgiveness. As capital punishment was often carried out by the throwing of stones, the idea conveyed is that there is a time for the casting of stones (execution of punishment) and a time for their gathering (in a time of peace). Assuming that is a correct translation of the first part of the verse, then the latter portion of the verse can be understood in the context of forgiveness — there is a time to embrace in forgiveness but also a time to step back and allow the consequences of the law to be laid out in full.

Yet, the Rabbi’s tend to lean toward a more spiritual interpretation of this phrase. Midrash Lekach Tov argues this verse to be prophetic and to anticipate the fall of the temple, where the stones were scattered all over Jerusalem and then the later rebuilding of the temple as recorded in Ezra. The renown medieval Rabbi, Shlomo Yitzchaki, better known as Rashi, referencing Zechariah 9:16, connected the stones with the people of God who were scattered into exile and then returned — presuming this is a correct interpretation of the first half of the verse, then the second half can be understood as the embracing of reunion when families and communities are reunited.

Presuming that Rashi is correct, then one cannot fail to see the connection between this passage to that of Christ building the church. Christ, of course, is the precious cornerstone laid in Zion to which believers, as living stones in a spiritual house (a new Temple), are aligned and laid (1 Peter 2:4-8). And thus, as the Gospel goes out, the stones are gathered together. If this, then, is our reading of the text, Solomon is focusing not simply on seasons experienced in the lives of individuals, but in terms of seasons experienced in the lives of a people…in particularly, God’s people. This too is how we often mark time and times.

“There is a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;”

(Ecclesiastes 3:4)

Once again we see Solomon setting forth parallel ideas for us that mark the passage of time in extreme boundaries. On one hand there is the weeping and mourning that would be attached to the depths of our sorrows in life and then on the other hand, there are times of easy laughter and dancing that speaks of a spirit and a time where everything is good.

We need these balances in our lives. The first is there to remind us that we are not yet in heaven and that we should long for that time; the second is to remind us that we are not in hell and such an existence should be feared. So, to balance out the tragedies and sorrows of deaths, losing jobs, conflicts, and personal struggles with sin there are baptisms and weddings and milestones that are reached. And, in the end, God is to be glorified.

Why we need to hear these words of Solomon is important. When we are going through a time of doubt and trial, sometimes it feels as if the dark valley through which we walk is all that exists in the world around us. In the same way, when we are planning a celebration, we can sometimes fall into the thinking that nothing could go wrong. Further, we can also fall into the trap of thinking that our world is the only one that is in existence or that our world is the only one that matters. Solomon, looking back on the ups and downs of his life, reminds us that there are seasons of sorrow and seasons of joy that we all will walk through…and the recognition of the season helps give us perspective. There is an end to the dark valley of trial and there will also be something that brings us “back to reality” after our times of joy. This is not to take away from the growth and the lessons that take place in each season. Yet, there are seasons and seasons come to a close.

“a time to slay and a time to heal; a time to make a breach and a time to build;”

(Ecclesiastes 3:3)

The second couplet of Solomon once again presents extremes. While the first pair dealt with animal and plant life, this seems to shift more into civil activities. The word הרג (harag), which we translate as “kill” or “slay” is often used in the Old Testament to refer to a judicial act (see Leviticus 20:16) or to an act of war (see 1 Kings 9:16). Similarly, the language of פרץ (parats) commonly refers to making a breach in a wall or fortifications. 

Thus, while he will later get to the language of war and peace, it seems that there is a time too, to put one’s enemies to death and a time to heal from the crimes they have done; there is a time to tear down walls and fortifications and a time to rebuild ones that have been thrown down. Again, a balance, and like that of being born and dying, events that are instigated not by anything in the natural world, but which rest wholly in the experience of man.

There is an inference here that ought to be noted. While the execution of justice (the extreme version being capital punishment) is needed to bring healing to a family or to a community; when justice is withheld or there is a miscarriage of justice, healing does not take place. While we clearly ought not punish the innocent for crimes they did not commit, when the punishment is too soft (or short) or is too long deferred due to a bogged-down appeals process, the wounds that the criminal committed against the community remain open and susceptible to infection. And though the execution of a man for his crimes is not something that most of us would relish, for such capital crimes that break down the community or family, they initiate a time where healing can take place.

“There is a time to be begotten and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted;”

(Ecclesiastes 3:2)

Solomon now illustrates his point about the nature of the passage of time based on human events with a series of extremes — one event at the very beginning and one event at the very end of a season of one’s experience. And, thus, with extremes in place, everything in between is implied. And so Solomon goes on with a series of events in the cycle of life.

The initial pair that Solomon chooses is that of life and death — first in the animal world and then in the plant world. What is interesting is his choice of words. For example, while ילד (yalad), or “beget,” can refer to the birthing process, it also can be used to speak about the origins of something’s or someone’s existence. Given God’s commands to protect the life of the unborn (see Exodus 21:20-29), it seems perfectly natural for Solomon to recognize life as beginning at conception and not simply at childbirth — again, a reflection of the totality of a person’s lifespan.

This would parallel with the agricultural imagery he also uses. He does not speak about when a plant sprouts, but when the seed is planted into the ground. And, though our English Bibles sometimes imply that Solomon is paralleling planting with harvesting, a more literal translation is that when the plant is uprooted from the ground, something done at the very end of the season so that the stalks can be tilled under. Again, the fullness of the life-cycle is reflected in his couplets.

What is also interesting about Solomon’s choice of illustrations is that the timing of the first couplet varies from person to person…or perhaps I should say, from couple to couple. Children are brought about in the ordinary way all through the calendar year, but for plants, there are specified seasons in which the seed must be laid into the soil. In most areas of the world, one cannot wait until mid-summer or autumn to plant one’s crops because they will not have long enough in the ground to sprout, mature, and then bear fruit. Similarly, while people die at all times during the calendar year, the time to tear down a field and allow it to go fallow is dictated by the crop and by the climate in which you live. 

And so, while both sets of seasons are very much part of the human experience, what we have here is a pair of one season governed entirely by the experience of people and the other governed by items in the natural order. And for each there is a time and a season.

Why is it so significant for Solomon — and now for us — to explore this notion about time and its passing? The simple answer to that question is that we live within time and God governs time and the times in which we live. While some cycles are predictable (planting and harvesting, for example), there is much in life that is unpredictable (how many beautiful babies have been born into this world who were originally “surprises” to their parents). The first are things we can ordinarily control; the second are in the providence of God. And thus, the lesson for us all is to focus our energies in those areas in which we have some control and learn to trust God in those areas in which we have no control. We exist “in time;” God does all things “in His time.”

“For to a man that is good before him, he gives wisdom and knowledge and jubilation. But, to the sinner he gives the obligation to harvest and to gather to give to the one who is good before God — this is also vanity and exasperates the spirit.”

(Ecclesiastes 2:26)

Sometimes, when we read passages like this, we walk away scratching our heads. We look around the world and see that the wicked prosper and the righteous often under the boot of those who have power in society. We find the church also, often being battered about by the whims of fallen society and we wonder how is it that Solomon can write that the wicked find themselves in failure and having to serve those who are righteous.

A big part of the answer is that Solomon once again is looking at eternal things. In the end, no matter the power the wicked develop in this life, it will fall by the wayside and they will enter judgment. Yet, there is another aspect to the question, which is that Solomon is most commonly writing here about general principles, much like you find in the book of Proverbs. And so, there is a principle at work…do the wicked always end up serving the righteous on earth? No. But, in the grand scheme of things, when one looks at the events of all of history, you will often find the norm is that God causes failure in the works of the wicked and raises up those who serve him.

Of course, there is truly none “good” but God…which means that the ultimate model of this is found in Christ. And though the wicked put him to death, he raised from the dead and one day all of mankind (even the wicked) will bow at his feet and proclaim Him to be Lord to the glory of the Father (Philippians 2:9-11). And, in this case, Solomon’s final phrase does not apply to all man, but to the exasperation that the wicked feel when they are laid low before the righteous. Indeed, all of their works will be brought into total frustration.

“Is it not good for a man that he eat and that he drink and that he make known to his soul the goodness of his toil? I saw that this also was from the hand of God, for who eats and who hustles more than me?”

(Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)

Solomon shifts to a rhetorical question. He has been exploring the idea of how all of the things he labors for will pass into the hands of others and it tempted to despair in that reality — it is vanity indeed! Yet, the common sense wisdom is that eating and drinking and finding satisfaction in one’s labors is good. How does one reconcile these two ideas.

The answer is indeed, that this comes from God. Do not miss what he is proposing. Solomon is not just saying that food and drink comes from God (it does), but he is saying that the satisfaction that we find — the goodness of these things for which we labor — also comes from God. But, how does God bring that pleasure and satisfaction to us? Therein lies the great deception of the west — a deception that we Americans are prone toward.

I have to think that there was a time in his life that Solomon would have gotten along splendidly in America — work and labor to amass as much wealth as possible. Yet, as we read Ecclesiastes, Solomon is clearly beyond this stage in his growth; many (if not most) Americans are not. Because there is work to be done and money to be made, businesses are now open seven days a week. And because money isn’t the only thing that consumes us, there are also activities that take place seven days a week. 

And so, people go, go, go. Yet, God set for us a different pattern of living. In God’s economy, we would go, go, go six days a week, but when it came to the seventh, we would have the opportunity to rest. This is the pattern that God modeled for us in creation. And how did God exercise rest on the seventh day? He had already pronounced his work of creation to be “very good,” now he sets the day apart as holy — a day for his purposes. This makes the Sabbath day not only a day of worship but a day for taking satisfaction in the things that God has permitted your hands to complete.

Without that day set apart, work leads you into a rat race. Solomon understood that satisfaction comes from the hand of God and we will never truly appreciate that unless we follow God’s model of work and rest.

The final verse of this passage is translated in various ways, depending on the translation one is working with. Literally it translates: “for who eats and who hastens outside of me?” Many of our Bibles will take the term חושׁ (chush) to derive from the Akkadian word meaning “to be glad,” yet, when used elsewhere in the Hebrew text, it is translated as “to hasten” or “to hurry.” Thus, I have translated this as “to hustle” reflecting the nature of Solomon’s labors. Not only has Solomon enjoyed life more fully than any of his subjects, but he works harder (he hustles) than his subjects as well. In other words, he is saying, “Who knows this better than me?” In Solomon’s day, no one could say they did.

Yet, my concern is for our day and the desire that Christians take to heart the importance of the Sabbath as a day (a whole day!) set apart for the things of God and not for the things of man. If we pursue the things of God on the day set apart for God, then surely he will show us how to properly be satisfied in the earthly things he sets before us.

“So I turned my heart to despair over all the anxieties with which I had been anxious under the sun. For there is a man who has troubled himself with wisdom and with knowledge and with skill but a portion will be enjoyed by a man who has not toiled over it. This is also vanity and it exasperates the spirit. What then is it to a man who has had every anxiety and exertion of his heart, who is anxious under the sun? For all his days are suffering and his work is vexation. Also, in the night his heart does not rest. This too is his vanity.”

(Ecclesiastes 2:20-23)

As we have worked through this passage, I have chosen to translate the word עָמָל (amal) as “anxiety” rather than “toil” as is often done. The reason behind this is that it seems that Solomon’s focus is not just regarding the things that we might sweat and labor to accomplish, but the things that we sweat and labor to accomplish because they are a burden upon our hearts to do so. As I have often noted here before, work is not a product of the Fall (Genesis 2:15), but frustrated work and the sweat of our brow (Genesis 3:19) — that which makes us anxious over our labors. 

And so, when people inherit that which they have not worked for and for which they have no appreciation for the anxiety and toil required to create such a thing, how often do they value what they receive? How much more often do they squander their inheritance and lay it to waste. As the old saying puts it: “Easy come — easy go.” And as Solomon looks over his great empire, seeing the inevitability of this taking place, he feels a burden on his heart and realizes that if you build an empire simply for your own ends, it is vanity because it will not last.

This language anticipates the language later in this book where he speaks about enjoying the little pleasures of life — the wife of your youth, for example. We will not get ahead of ourselves, but how often, when amassing an empire, when building a business or even a reputation within a business, or while simply pursuing your goals, the simple pleasures of life and the pleasure of a rich family life is sacrificed. And, beloved, to what end? How many people have wealth and success, but in their later years are miserable because they have sacrificed far more valuable things on the altar of their vanity. Heed the wisdom of Solomon. Jesus poses the matter this way — what gains a man to win the world if he loses his soul in the process? Solomon seems to be putting it similarly in this book by asking, what gains a man to win the world if he loses the simple pleasures of life, his friends, or his family in the process? 

Take heed, beloved, of the wisdom of Solomon.

“Then I saw that there is an advantage to wisdom over foolishness as light is advantageous over darkness. The wise one has eyes in his head and the fool walks in darkness; yet, I knew also that there is one fate that befalls all of them. I spoke to my heart, ‘The fate of the fool will also befall me; so why have I been so wise?’ And I spoke to my heart, ‘This is also vanity.’”

(Ecclesiastes 2:13-15)

Light and darkness play an important role in the scriptures from beginning to end and they are often used to contrast truth from lies, God’s ways from the the Devil’s, and righteousness from sin. Here, Solomon uses the analogy to contrast a life of wisdom with a life of foolishness — they are set apart from each other as night and day are set apart from one another. And thus, the wise man has eyes in his head (he sees clearly) but the fool walks about in the darkness (he is like a blind man, stumbling through an unfamiliar room).

The thing that disturbs Solomon’s soul as he reflects on this is that in the end, both the wise man and the fool are both laid in the ground. It has often been said that death is the great equalizer — rich and poor alike, wise and foolish alike, educated and uneducated alike, the accomplished and the sluggard alike — no matter your ethnicity, the color of your skin, the bloodlines you have, no matter what you have done, death will claim you. 

So then, why has Solomon bothered being wise? Now, do not be tricked into thinking that Solomon is embracing a kind of fatalism here — one that says, ‘we are all fated to die, so why bother in this life?’ That is not consistent with the rest of the text. Solomon is posing a rhetorical question with these words…one that he has already answered in the verse that has gone before it. Why bother being wise? It is worth the bother because life in the world will be better as it is filled with light. Remember, wisdom is better than folly and walking in the light is always better than walking in darkness. 

So why then is all of this vanity? Again, as we have seen thus far, from a purely worldly perspective, everything fades and passes away. If you strive to know all human knowledge and learn to apply it well, you will indeed live a better life than that of the fool, but without a relationship with God it avails nothing on an eternal scale. Wisdom is indeed better than folly, but true wisdom begins with a fear of the Lord — without it, all human wisdom is vanity.

“Then I turned away to see wisdom and madness and foolishness because what is there for the  man who comes after the King? He does that which is already.”

(Ecclesiastes 2:12)

Once again we find Solomon turning away from one pursuit and moving on to another. And, while in modern culture, people often glory in playing the fool, in a Biblical worldview, there is little worse than you can do or be. If wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10), foolishness begins with the denial of God’s existence (Psalm 14:1; 53:1). While the wise are an honor to God and a blessing to those around them, the foolish bring shame and ruin (Proverbs 13:20). 

While it is impossible for someone truly wise to play the fool (theism and atheism are mutually exclusive notions), a characteristic of Solomon’s wisdom that we find in this book is that he is willing to explore the ideas and notions of competing worldviews. And as such, he seeks to give them a fair hearing. So, be aware that he is not trying to combine madness and foolishness with wisdom; he is exploring the contrast between the two poles.

The rabbinic writers often parallel the idea of madness with the judgment of God. Indeed, there is much to be said about this notion, for when God withdraws his grace and blessing, irrationality follows. Only the briefest survey of western society is needed to illustrate that great truth; as we have rejected God as part of education and life, people have thrown reasoned argument and logic to the wind, embracing an extreme post-modern notion that all things are relative — even the language we use to describe such things. Jeremiah speaks of the madness of the nations that are under God’s judgment (Jeremiah 25:16; 50:38; 51:7); indeed, such words could be said about America today — and even of the American church which is endorsing immorality rather than opposing it.

Solomon concludes this verse with an interesting conclusion. Essentially, he is saying, “Look folks, you try and innovate, but your king has already done all of these things.” In other words, the king with his wisdom and resources can do more than you can do; you cannot rival him. So what is there left to do? He leaves that open-ended, though the rest of the book will be leading you to the answer. Or, if we look back to Proverbs 13:20, we find ourselves a summary:

“The one who walks with the wise, he will be wise; but the companion of fools does evil.”

As we listen to the words of wise Solomon, may we become wise by learning from his wisdom.

“I bought manservants and maidservants and sons of the house; it was mine. Also, there were great herds of cattle and sheep that were mine — from everything that was before me in Jerusalem.”

(Ecclesiastes 2:7)

The purchasing of these servants indicates that these men and women are slaves. “Sons of the house” is a bit of an unusual phrase for us, but most identify that this is a reference to the children of slaves that became a part of his household. Some sources understand this not so much as the children of the slaves, but as a reference to stewards that are also purchased by Solomon as he establishes his court. The grounds for this understanding can be found in Genesis 15:3, where Eliezar, Abraham’s steward, is referred to as a “son of his house.” Either way you understand this phrase, the overall conclusion remains the same: Solomon established a court that was the awe of his world. Truly, it must not have just been the Queen of Sheba who was impressed, but the world itself (hence Solomon’s many brides…typically the results of treaties in ancient times).

You will notice the emphasis on the first person in this text…twice within this verse. Solomon declares that these things are “mine” (literally: “to me”). He is making it abundantly clear that all of these things belongs to him, that there is no rival to him in all of the land, and that the best of everything in Jerusalem was at his disposal. And many people in our world today would only dream of living in such opulence…yet, Solomon will very clearly say at the end of all of this, it is vanity.

How easily our hearts are swayed by the wealth of those around us and how often we think to ourselves, “if I just had some of that person’s wealth…” Yet, not only is that a breaking of the tenth commandment, it betrays a false assumption — that earthly wealth and resources brings happiness. They don’t. So, the real question is not what you would do with wealth if you had it, but what are you doing with the resources you do have. 

“I enlarged my works. I built for myself houses and planted for myself vineyards. I made for myself gardens and orchards. I planted in them trees that bear every fruit. I made for myself pools of water and I caused the forest drink from them as the trees sprouted.”

(Ecclesiastes 2:4-6)

Solomon was famous in his time and even today for the building projects that he laid out. While he is likely best known for the building of the Temple of his day, he spent twice as much time building his own palace. In addition, he had the a number of cities rebuilt from the ravages of war and had a series of “store cities” built for keeping his possessions. Further, there were places for his chariots and horses and he commissioned the building of a fleet of ships to acquire even more wealth and prestige for his name. That is not to mention the orchards and gardens he built outside the walls of the city (it was forbidden to plant an orchard inside Jerusalem’s walls) What Solomon did, he did big, there is no denying that.

But do you notice a theme here? The first-person is used repeatedly through this text. And in each case, he emphasizes the first person when he says repeatedly, “I made for myself…” Therein lies the problem. Solomon is speaking of building to suit his own reputation and thus his own vanities rather than building to pursue God’s glories.

Isn’t it interesting how we fall into the same trap as did Solomon? We pursue our own agendas and our own wealth rather than pursuing God’s Kingdom an this glory. And then we wonder why we are not satisfied. We labor and build, but to what end? If you are more concerned about your own status, reputation, or legacy than you are with God’s, then you need repent of your sin and reevaluate your life…simple as that. The real question is, “Will you?”