The Point of it All
The main point of the book of Ecclesiastes is that it reveals the complete vanity of life when it comes to attempting to find meaning and purpose apart from God. The writer, whom most believe to be Solomon, stated in chapter one, “I’ve used my mind to understand human wisdom and knowledge, as well as madness and stupidity. Now I know that this is like trying to catch the wind. With a lot of human wisdom comes a lot of heartache. The greater your knowledge, the greater your pain” (vs. 17–18, GWT).
For years, many have coined the simple phrase “ignorance is bliss,” which reveals, in a nutshell, what Solomon was teaching. Yet he was not meaning that one should do away with worldly learning altogether and just live in complete foolishness. What Solomon revealed was that the philosophies of man cannot give lasting hope and peace to the longing heart. A heart that has been forgiven is greater than a mind full of intellectual data. In chapter 2 of Ecclesiastes, Solomon also wrote, “And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy” (v.10, KJV).
If true satisfaction could not be found in worldly knowledge, perhaps it could be found in fleshly pleasures. Solomon held nothing back. Whatever he wanted, he bought. He accumulated possessions to try to muster peace. The glamorous stories of lottery winners and inventions that seem to rake in millions overnight get many people saying, “Boy, if I just had this much money, I would need nothing else.” Yet mankind has an insatiable appetite for temporal things. We are like the child who begs and pleads for his parents to buy a new toy in the store, reassuring them that he would want nothing else for weeks. But when he gets home with his prize, after a few hours, the glamour seems to wear off. He notices its imperfections, how the parts don't move as smoothly as before, and how the paint is chipped in certain places. The toy is tossed aside, and his affection easily shifts to some other toy he sees on a commercial.
Worldly possessions will decay and fade away. The knowledge we accumulate could easily be forgotten or lead us down the wrong path. Jesus said in Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” What is your ambition in life? Is it to pursue man-made philosophies? Is it to attain riches? Is it to experience renowned fame? Please know that satisfaction and purpose are not about how much you have accumulated, but about how much of your heart is surrendered to Christ.
