Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books in the Old Testament. There is a raw honesty to it that really resonates with me. It tells me that it’s OK to be frustrated by this fallen world and it’s OK to ask questions about things that don’t seem to make sense. It also challenges a lot of the ideas of the modern “religious” climate that we find ourselves in. One of the powerful things about the book of Ecclesiastes is that it helps me get in a mindset of introspection. I hope we can all do some introspection this week and share with each other on Wednesday.

1. Observation: The word ‘Vanity’ is appears 38 times in the book of Ecclesiastes. This accounts for more than half of its appearances in the entire Old Testament. It is the Hebrew word ‘hbl’ (hebel). It is also translated as vapor, empty, nothing, worthless, fleeting etc. in other contexts. Why does life seem so vain to Solomon (and us)?

2. Correlation: How does Solomon’s struggle over the futility of this world being rooted in death (ex. 9:4-6) correlate to 1 Corinthians 15:50-58? How does the fullness of the Gospel in the revelation of Jesus change the way we look at the issues presented in Proverbs?

3. Interpretation: What does he mean by “Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise.” (7:16). Note: It is helpful to look at both the immediate context of the surrounding verses as well as the overall context of the whole book.

4. Application: How do we apply the wisdom of Ecclesiastes? In what ways do you relate to the Preacher (Solomon)?

5. What about Ecclesiastes resonates most with you (either generally or specifically)? Be prepared to share with the group on Wednesday.

God Speed and happy reading.