Book of Ecclesiastes – A Thimble-full of Theology for Daily Living

The End of the Matter: Ecclesiastes 12:9-14

We move now from the Preacher’s own words to those of the author and his concluding remarks about what he has shared with us. An old beer commercial used to say, “You only go around once…you’ve

Youth and Old Age: Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8

The Preacher has been holding up the mirror to our faces, urging us to see the reality we so want to ignore. As we have aged we have seen the mirror clearly revealing the disintegration of our youth. I

How Should We Then Live: Ecclesiastes 11:1-8

Years ago a well-known apologist/evangelist, Dr. Francis Schaeffer, created a video study called “How Should We Then Live,” an attempt to give a Christian answer to the world our philosophical

Wisdom, Good or Bad: Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20

The Preacher feels the need to bring home the point that wisdom is not the answer to life, but is preferable to foolishness. His wisdom had helped him see the futility of life and of the search for some

Eat, Drink and Be Merry: Ecclesiastes 9:1-12

Are we supposed to like the book of Ecclesiastes? No, at least not from the perspective that this book makes us feel good. But it is like he wrote earlier, “It is better to go to the house of mourning

Dealing With the Powerful: Ecclesiastes 8

Even as we learn to give up seeking control of our lives and their future courses, we are nevertheless faced with the control others may have over our lives. How do we deal with that? The Preacher has

Unified Theory: Ecclesiastes 7:15-29

“The majority in Western culture have long ago ceased to believe that empirical inquiry is only a limited inquiry into the universe God made…and have come to think of it as an all-embracing method

Proverbial Wisdom: Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

The Jews believed that God was the fount of wisdom for His people and that God used wise people to convey that wisdom. The Proverbs were considered gems of wisdom from God. It was understood that these

Eyes on Wealth: Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12

Perhaps the most staunch belief mankind has is that a good future can be guaranteed by amassing wealth. As much as we argue against it (see, for example, Fiddler on the Roof), like the rich young ruler

Spiritual Manipulation: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

One of the ways we humans try to guarantee a positive future is manipulating God. Oh, we don’t call it that. We call it making a vow. It seems very spiritual. After all, Jacob did it: Then Jacob

So Frustrating: Ecclesiastes 4

Eve was a Yugoslavian Jew whose once prosperous family lost all during the Nazi persecution of Jews. Her family all had to separate and hide in various ways but eventually she and her sister were caught

Beasts: Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

Are humans really so messed up that to enjoy the original perfection of the earth with no futile elements would keep them from seeking the Lord? The Preacher gives his own answer. Moreover, I saw under

Beautiful and Baffling: Ecclesiastes 3:1-12

Michel Onfray is a French philosopher and atheist. In his Atheist Manifesto he writes: “By aiming for paradise, we lose sight of earth. Hope of a beyond and aspiration to an afterlife engender a

A Futile Search: Ecclesiastes 2

I remember, vividly, wondering why I had not been able to get a job in my field of study and deciding it was because I had not been faithful enough in my daily devotions. God was withholding a job from

Straightening a Paper Clip: Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

Have you ever tried straightening a paper clip? Try as you may, you cannot get it perfectly straight. I suppose you could resort to heating it until the metal becomes malleable and use some rolling

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