articlesforchristians

Ecclesiastes means Preacher or Teacher

Ecclesiastes 12:13(NKJV) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.

• Author: Solomon in his later years
• Date: Approximately 931 B.C.
• Themes:
  • The pursuit of truth and the true meaning of life.
  • An understanding that everything under the sun is meaningless apart from God
• Purpose
  • The title of this book in the Hebrew Old Testament is Teacher or Preacher.
  • The Greek word for this book means speaker or one called out.
  • Solomon wrote this book after a lifetime of seeking things of this world to bring meaning and satisfaction of life. He writes this to spare future generations the bitterness of learning through their own experience that life is meaningless without God.
• Content
  • Life without meaning: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
    • Ecclesiastes 1:2-4: “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun? “One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth abides forever.
  • The limits of Man’s wisdom: Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:25
    • Ecclesiastes 2:16 For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come And how does a wise man die? As the fool!
  • A time for everything: Ecclesiastes 3:1-22
    • Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: time to be born, And a time to die, A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted, A time to kill, And a time to heal, A time to break down, And a time to build up, A time to weep, And a time to laugh, A time to mourn, And a time to dance, time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose, A time to keep, And a time to throw away. A time to tear, And a time to sew, A time to keep silence, And a time to speak, A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.
  • Disappointments and contentment: Ecclesiastes 4:1-5:20
    • Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. Or if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
  • Satisfaction in this life is limited: Ecclesiastes 6:1-8:17
    • Ecclesiastes 7:29 Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes.”
  • Life balanced with wisdom: Ecclesiastes 9:1-10:20
    • Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going
  • True wisdom in fearing the Lord: Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:14
    • Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments. For this is man’s all
• Christ in the book of Ecclesiastes
  • The principles of life as paralleled in Matthew 6:25-34
  • Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.