I had always found Ecclesiastes one of the most difficult books in the Bible to understand. It seemed so downbeat and negative. The message seemed to be that everything is meaningless. That was not what I wanted to hear. Our church had a series of sermons on the book and as there were twelve chapters, I wasn’t looking forward to it. Then our minister gave an explanation which made sense of it all.
If the word ‘meaningless’ is translated as ‘temporary,’ it is more understandable. I think of the friends I had in my teenage years; now that I am in my 80’s, they are all gone. They were good in themselves but they were temporary. They have been replaced by other friends. ‘I applied myself to wisdom……… but I learned that too was chasing after the wind.’ chapter 11:17. Even wisdom is temporary. Only the knowledge of God is eternal.
I tried cheering myself up with other verses, chapter 2:3 ‘I undertook great projects.’ 2:4 ‘I amassed silver and gold for myself 2:8’I hated all the things I had looked for.’ And so it goes on and on, getting worse and worse. Everything is meaningless, except God. It is the permanence and everlastingness of Him that we need.