I have officially made it to Ecclesiastes in the Bible. Ecclesiastes is considered part of the wisdom books of the Bible. The others that are included are Psalm, Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Job.
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
King Solomon.View Post
Who is the audience?
The people in the kingdom and us.
Why is the author sharing with the audience?
King Solomon wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes to share how meaningless life is without God. King Solomon furthered the work of his dad, David. He united the twelve tribes more in serving God. He built a temple for God. He is considered Israel’s wisest and richest king. Yet, by the end of his life, he found himself worshipping pagan gods. We read Ecclesiastes and can identify with King Solomon’s journey as our lives have probably included paths where we walked closely with God and paths of separation from God. We can also accept that King Solomon has walked this path and has some authority on both of those paths.
“I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 NIV
“The Lord was pleased that King Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, ‘Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice. I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for- both wealth and honor- so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.’ ”
1 Kings 3:10-14 NIV
I love the honesty of Psalm and now Ecclesiastes. There is something so life honoring in embracing our vulnerability and speaking the truth. In a world that sometimes sees both as weakness. The place of truth and love is honoring our story and feelings. They don’t make us weak. It makes us powerful. It’s also the place of healing and acceptance.
King Solomon has a dream that God asks him to ask for whatever he desires. He asks for wisdom to run the kingdom. God tells him he will give him wisdom as he asks. Also because of his what he asks for, God will give him wealth and honor too.
Who are they?
King Solomon can be us. What should we be praying for? Godly wisdom.
What can they represent?
Godly wisdom is all we need. As we pray to walk in purpose, God begins to add other things; and it is complete. We never have to ask, it’s beyond anything we really have the capacity to ask for, and it’s bigger than our wildest dreams.
What does God require from us? Obedience and to keep his commands and decrees. We show up and walk in alignment with God and He begins to give us all the other things we need.
“Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also madness and folly, but I learned that this too, is chasing after the wind.
For with wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.”
Ecclesiastes 1:17-18 NIV
King Solomon is talking about the increase in knowledge and how it is futile. We accept that God is omniscient and that we are limited by our own perspective and understanding. Godly wisdom is allowing God to shape our understanding and logic.
“The fear (respect) of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,”
Proverbs 1:7 NIV
We get Godly wisdom by prayer, reading the Bible, worship, fasting, fellowshipping with other believers, and having Godly elders and mentors that we respect.
