I LOVE the book of Ecclesiastes. In many ways, it feels like the most “human” book in the Bible. The author is surveying the world and pointing out how the world just doesn’t make sense! Injustices happen to good people; people who work hard to save up their wealth often die before they enjoy it; and satisfaction in life can seem so far away. Better yet, we don’t ever get any good answers! So, what is the point of this book?
The Wisdom Literature of the Bible (think of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes) can be divided into three categories:
- Passages of Orientation – “This is how the world works!”
- Passages of Disorientation – “How the world works doesn’t make sense!”
- Passages of Re-orientation – “I may not fully understand how the world works, but I know the One who ordered the world!”
Basically, all of Ecclesiastes lives in a world of disorientation. The way the author thinks the world should work does not align with how it actually works. Throughout it all, the author is trying to find meaning in a disorienting world. Aren’t we all?
The key to unlocking this text is the repeated phrase “under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 5:13, 18 and 6:1). If we find our meaning, purpose, and value in the things “under the sun” like family, wealth, and the pleasures of food, we will be “chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 6:9). BUT, when we bring the Creator of all that is under the sun into our lives (hint: GOD!), we can find purpose and deep enjoyment in all that is created!
Questions for reflection:
- When you look at the world, are you in a place of orientation, disorientation, or re-orientation?
- What things “under the sun” do you try and put meaning and worth in? How can turning to God instead bring a deeper joy and meaning into your life?