Ecclesiastes: Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Vanity of Self-Indulgence:

San Isabel National Forest | Buena Vista, Colorado 

Solomon had a unique gift from God - Wisdom. Not only was he given wisdom but he was able to differentiate between things unlike anyone else I have read about. The richest and wealthiest man (perhaps who ever lived) that did not waste his time with saving his riches, he spent it lavishly attempting to buy happiness and joy. He went well beyond the means of anyone else in history when he set himself to the partying scene. He built forests, not gardens. He created lakes, not just pools. He built a house that took 14 years to build. He bought slaves, entertainers, herds, and flocks well beyond anyone else. He had more silver and gold than any other province. He sought out - and indulged - many, many concubines who are only for his pleasure. Yet, his wisdom - a gift from God - stayed with him as he remembered the goal that he was trying to complete. Anything he saw and desired, he took or bought. Anything he wanted, he did. Any woman he wanted, he married or made a concubine in his house. He found pleasure in all of the things he did and yet he was not fulfilled. When he looks back on all he accomplished he is left feeling empty and void of meaning. How? Because we all have an eternity-sized hole in our soul that cannot be filled with trinkets, toys, sex, lust, possessions, etc. only God can serve that purpose in our lives. I constantly believe that if I had this or if I had that, then I would be happy and fulfilled. I always think that I can build my own happiness and seek my own joy without God, but I can't. If only I could turn this into my daily thinking and know that He is the only true path to Joy and I can only be fulfilled through Him.

The Vanity of Living Wisely:

The next step that Solomon decided would be to know that his wisdom will truly give him the knowledge above the fool to live a better life that is more meaningful. Regardless of whether you are wise or you are a fool, both die. Both are forgotten. Their toils are not contrasted nor reviewed upon death, they are simply gone. What is the point of being wise if you end up 6 feet under next to the fool? I love these verses because it helps stunt the pride that runs deep within me. I consider myself an intelligent person and often belittle those who I feel are less intelligent than myself - yet all is vanity. It does not matter who is smarter than who, because we will both die and be judged before God and it has nothing to do with intelligence, only Christ can save us, we cannot save ourselves. What is the point of wisdom if we don't see that God is the almighty creator and author of everything we understand? He is the beginning and end of all wisdom and we will never fully know God. Thus, we should humbly approach those around us because in the eyes of the Lord - we are all fools.

The Vanity of Toil: 

What is the point of working hard and burning ourselves out to obtain things? It will be left to someone who may or may not be foolish. The person that comes after us will not fully appreciate the toil that went into the things that have been earned over many years. Imagine you create an empire of business, you have spent 30-40 years perfecting your trade and creating something out of nothing. You have built a foundation of morals and integrity into the company. Then, the person that takes over the company runs it in a completely different way and changes everything you had rooted into the company and it goes bankrupt prior to you even passing away. What is the point? Legacy? You will be forgotten. However, we should work diligently - not to be remembered or to leave a legacy - but for the glory of God. What does this look like? In the modern era, it is being a hard worker who is diligent, acts morally, someone who acts with integrity, someone who strives for excellence because we want to reflect God's glory in the workplace. We should be the best employees a company has and mostly be behind the scenes, never seeking extra attention or self-empowerment, but being meek in our success and admitting when we fail or make mistakes. This goes across all aspects of our workplace. We should walk with a quiet confidence that shows we are different but we do not boast - because we have nothing to boast in outside of the Cross - and this should create an environment of peace and patience within the workplace. If we truly believe that God is in control of all things and that He will work all things together for our good (in Heaven) then why should we lose our temper if something doesn't go our way? We don't get the recognition we feel we deserve? We don't get the promotion we knew we should? If we believe what we say we believe, we must live it out in humility. We will bring glory to God through our actions if we put the emphasis on serving others, not ourselves. 

Lord, I pray that you will work in me in a way that draws me out of my sin and into your presence. Purge me with hyssop and cleanse the deep-rooted pride that runs through my heart and soul. I seek to know you, but I have a lot of sin between myself and your Holiness. Please guide me out of the desert and into your presence. Amen. 

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