If everything keeps repeating, does anything actually have meaning? I can't help but identify with Solomon here. The longer I live, the more I realize how meaningless the things of this world actually are. We literally grasp at the wind on a regular basis. For what? We spin around in circles trying to achieve things that don't have any meaning at all.
Who will remember it anyway?
So Solomon takes us on a journey of life experiments hoping he'll find something, anything that truly matters; beginning with practical wisdom and knowledge, and even madness and folly. His conclusion so far? you guessed it, meaningless, like chasing after the wind.
For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:18 NKJV
What a statement!
Isn't it true that the more we seek after the so-called wisdom of this world, it becomes painfully evident that its interpretation looks more and more like madness and folly?
Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. . . ." 1 Cor 3:18-19 NIV
God's word is always on point. When you have even a glimpse into the character of God it's easy to recognize that we actually live in a perpetual opposite day. The wise of the world are fools (any doubts?!), and fools, well, God counts them as wise. In other words, to the world, God's ways are foolish, thereby making those of us who follow Him fools. So, I'd venture to say, the truly wise person is fully aware that God is God and we are not.
Which kind of fool would you rather be?
And then there's knowledge; I think it's safe to say it's not much different at all. As a matter of fact, on its own, even for the Christian, swells the head, not the mind or the heart.
. . . .“We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 NIV
Remember this is an experiment of life under the sun, with no eternity in mind. Practical wisdom and knowledge not only come up empty, they actually cause grief and sorrow, and will never satisfy.
However, we find that the veil is lifted in a life set under the Son—
"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2-3 NIV
With no fulfillment found in wisdom or knowledge, Solomon moves on to pleasure in abundance, denying himself nothing his heart desired and to no avail of course. And then onto great projects from building houses and reservoirs to planting gardens and vineyards; acquiring servants and singers and a harem of women; amassing himself in silver and gold and special treasures. He became greater than all those before him, held onto wisdom, yet found no lasting fulfillment. (see Eccl 2:1-9)
Notice, the more Solomon set his eyes on the world, the more callus his heart became. All these things felt good to him, even rewarding...well, let's let him tell us—
I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil. vs 10 NIV
His heart's delight...but for a moment—
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun. vs 11 NIV
All the success, all the money, and all the ability to have both, yet he found no satisfaction. And us, ours is just a taste.
Are the pleasures you seek after taking God's place in your heart? What about your achievements, your career, or your ability to make money, are they blurring your vision? Are your aspirations for your future or maybe your kid's future dangerously close to mirroring the world's? It's so easy to be pulled in the wrong direction, even with the best intentions.
Think about it, we've taken pleasure and achievement to a whole new level. Desire rules right? So we should do whatever it takes to make ourselves happy. We've gone so far as to become numb to the needs of a child. Not just the pre-born, because that wasn't enough. Children are being made into sexual beings. There are people right now who are fighting to keep books in schools that contain explicit sexual content. Children, who are too young to decide their own bedtime, can make a decision to physically change who God made them to be. Why on earth do we close our eyes to such things and pretend it's not happening? You can pretend, but be sure, it is happening. Please stop chasing after the wind and wake up!
What is it going to take for us to realize it's all a trap? The devil wants nothing more than for you to chase the wind rather than seek Jesus. His desire is to have you fully, but distracting you is the next best thing.
The wise man’s eyes are in his head, But the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived That the same event happens to them all. Ecclesiastes 2:14 NKJV
It's obvious that it's better to be wise, and for crying out loud we must seek Godly wisdom, not worldly, however, like Solomon we realize that the wise die and are soon forgotten just like the fool (vs16). And isn't it the fool who works aimlessly to build a legacy simply for this world?
For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. Ecclesiastes 2:21 NKJV
Please hear me, I'm not saying it's a bad thing to prepare and help build for the next generation, but at what expense? Jesus said to be sure you're building your foundation on Rock and not on sand. (Matt 7:24-27)
Solomon concludes with this—
A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 NKJV
No one was in a better position to eat and drink and be merry than Solomon, but in doing so, he found little satisfaction. However, finally he acknowledges the hand of God and for a brief moment he realized that these things are not satisfying within themselves. God's creation is good, but it was not created to fill the gaping hole every human heart eventually realizes it has. Whatever is tempting you to either reject Jesus completely, take your eyes off of Him, or make Him in your own image, my sister would tell you to think ten seconds beyond that which feels good.Unfortunately, Solomon ends again chasing the wind. So far he came up empty. It's important we learn from Solomon, but don't look to him for life, look to Jesus, He's the One who has all you need. Ask yourself, if you were the one conducting Solomon's life experiments, where do you think you would land? What are you looking for to satisfy or to save you?Jesus said, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25
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