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OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY THE BOOKS OF ECCLESIASTES AND THE SONG OF SOLOMON OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY THE BOOKS OF ECCLESIASTES AND THE SONG OF SOLOMON
OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY THE BOOKS OF ECCLESIASTES AND THE SONG OF SOLOMON OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY THE BOOKS OF ECCLESIASTES AND THE SONG OF SOLOMON OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY THE BOOKS OF ECCLESIASTES AND THE SONG OF SOLOMON
CHAPTERS TO READ: Eccles. 112; Song 13, 7,
8.
TITLES
The title of the Book of Ecclesiastes begins with
the Greek word for church or assembly (ekklesia),
then adds an ending (tes) which indicates occupation
or primary pursuit. Ecclesiastes is generally trans-
lated preacher, but this is not the usual Greek word
for preacher. A literal translation of Ecclesiastes
would be church-man. The closest we can come in
modern parlance is lay preacherone who usually
does not preach, but who has a message to share.
The title The Song of Solomon is a shortened
form of the first line of the book: The Song of Songs,
which is Solomons. Song of Songs is a Hebrew
expression for the greatest of songs. Solomon wrote
1005 songs (1 Kings 4:32); this apparently was one of
his favorites.
BACKGROUND
At first reading, Ecclesiastes seems to be a gloomy
book. The writer, having tried everything to find
happiness, is disillusioned. Everything is vanity,
he concludes. (Vain here means empty, useless.)
Phrases like vanity of vanities are used thirty-four
times in the book. We need to understand the per-
spective of the writer. Under the sun, which ap-
pears thirty-one times, is a key expression in under-
standing his perspective. Under the sun (i.e., in this
life), all is emptiness. This book has a powerful mes-
sage for all who try to find happiness in the things of
this life (Lk. 12:15; Phil. 4:11). The book hints that we
must look beyond this life to find happiness. God is
used forty times. We must look beyond the sun to
God; then life will make sense (12:13; Rom. 8:18-
25).
Jewish tradition says that Solomon wrote this
book in his old age. The historical books (1 Kings;
2 Chron.) do not record that Solomon repented after
he went astray in his old age; perhaps this book is his
cry of penitence.
Also, according to Jewish tradition, Solomon
wrote The Song of Songs in his youth. Since at the
writing, the groom (probably Solomon) apparently
had only a few wives (6:2, 3, 8), this may be true. In
contrast with Ecclesiastes, this book is full of zest for
life. It seems to celebrate Solomons love for his bride.
Since most of Solomons marriages were politically
motivated, marrying for love was a special thing.
It is often difficult to grasp who is speaking in the
Song. The Hebrew text has masculine and feminine
pointings and often indicates shifts from one indi-
vidual to a group. Versions which show this are
helpful.
The simplest way to view the book is that God
recognizes the importance of married love. The Jews
preferred to think of the book as an allegory that
spoke of Gods love for Israel. Since the Israelites
were Gods special (chosen) people, but not Gods
only people (God was concerned about all nations, as
the Book of Jonah shows), this interpretation does no
violence to general Bible truth. Many Christian inter-
preters advocate the idea that the book speaks of
Christs love for the church, but this idea poses a
major problem: It makes the church one love among
many, and this is not so (Mt. 16:18; Acts 20:28; Eph.
1:22, 23; 5:23, 25). Usually, the simplest view of a
given passage is the correct one.
OUTLINES
Ecclesiastes is hard to outline, and there are a
variety of views of The Song of Solomon. The out-
lines below represent one approach to each:
ECCLESIASTES
PROLOGUE (1:1-11).
I. Solomon seeks happiness in wisdom (1:12-18).
II. Solomon seeks happiness in riches and regal
living (2, 3).
III. Solomon seeks happiness in prominence, power,
and prestige (46).
IV. Solomon seeks happiness in earthly, forbidden
pleasures (7, 8).
V. Solomon comes to the conclusion that happiness
Ecclesiastes: The Emptiness of Life
The Song of Solomon: A Song of Love
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is not found in these, but in devotion to duty in
this life and in preparation for the life to come
(9:112:7).
EPILOGUE (12:8-14).
THE SONG OF SOLOMON
I. Scene one: In the kings palace (1:22:7).
II. Scene two: The bride recalls her days of courtship
in the spring in northern Palestine (2:83:5).
III. Scene three: The writer recalls the wedding day,
when the bride came to the palace (3:65:1).
IV. Scene four: Returning to the palace setting, the
bride sings of her love; she wishes to return to the
scene of courtship days (5:28:4).
V. Scene five: Back home in northern Palestine (8:5-
14).
LESSON FOR US
There are no direct references to the Messiah in
Ecclesiastes or The Song of Solomon, but we must
always keep in mind that it is Jesus (Lk. 11:31) who
gives meaning to life . . . and who makes our mar-
riages all they can be!
The best known passage in Ecclesiastes, 3:1-9,
begins, There is an appointed time for everything.
And there is a time for every event under heaven,
and then it lists examples: a time to give birth, and
a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot
what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; . . .
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; . . . a time to keep,
and a time to throw away; . . . a time to be silent, and
a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a
time for war, and a time for peace. Some scholars
take the passage to teach that all of life is predeter-
mined, but that would remove the free moral agency
of man. Others say that these verses stress there is an
appropriate time for all things. Solomon makes that
point several times in the book (3:11; 8:5, 6; 11:9; 12:1).
Since the context (2:26; 3:9, 10a) is negative, however,
the passage under consideration seems to teach that
life is frustrating. Nothing stays done; good and bad
seem to cancel each other out.
Is there any way to make sense out of life? Verses
1-9 are followed by one of the most meaningful
passages in the book, one of the rare occasions in
Ecclesiastes when heavenly sunshine breaks through
the earthly gloom. In verses 10-15, we see four sug-
gestions for making sense of life:
I. KNOW THAT THE HAND OF GOD IS IN ALL
THAT HAPPENS (3:10).
A. Gods name was not mentioned in 3:1-9. Now
it is.
B. Gods plan in all that happens is to exercise
men.
II. UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS VALUE IN
ALL THAT HAPPENS (3:11).
A. All of the things in 3:1-8 are beautiful in
their time (beautiful is the literal Hebrew).
We may not always see the beauty, but con-
sider Rom. 8:28.
B. One value exists in all that happens: We are
impressed with the fact that this world is not
our home. God has set eternity in our hearts
(see NASB, NIV, and other modern transla-
tions), so this world can never satisfy.
III. REALIZE THAT THERE IS MUCH GOOD IN
THIS LIFE THAT WE SHOULD ENJOY (3:12, 13).
A. Look again at 3:1-8. Sad times follow happy
times, but happy times also follow sad times.
There is always something to look forward to.
B. Notice the simple pleasures of 3:13; these are
things the humblest of men can have. We
must learn to enjoy the simple things of life
(Phil. 4:11); these are Gods gift to us.
IV. LEARN THEN TO TRUST IN GODAND
LEAVE ALL THINGS IN HIS HANDS (3:14, 15).
A. Verse 15 again notes the endless repetition of
life, but adds the important thought that God
is in control.
B. Verse 14 lets us know that when God does
something:
1. It is permanent.
2. It is perfect.
3. It has purpose.
C. Since God is in control, we may draw some
conclusions:
1. We need God; without Him, all is a vicious
circle.
2. We need to learn to fear Him, respect Him,
and do His will (12:13).
3. We need to trust Him and leave things in
His hands.
CONCLUSION
Eccles. 3:1-15 puts us in our place. It humbles us,
but it also fills us with confidence. We are nothing;
God is everything. In Him, all is right!
Copyright, 1993, 1999 by Truth for Today
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Making Sense of Life (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15)