Giving Meaning to the Meaningless

The Book of Ecclesiastes is often dismissed as depressing. It is best known for its opening statement, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Vanity in Hebrew is hebel. Hebel indicates something that is empty, short-lived and unsatisfactory.

The richest, wisest and most accomplished King reflects on his life and determines it has been hebel – empty and unsatisfactory. The two questions raised are, why is life in general hebel? And why in particular was Solomon’s life hebel?

Solomon relates that work is without true value because it does not have a lasting impact on society (Ecclesiastes 1:3-7). History stubbornly repeats itself despite human efforts (1:8-11).

Even work that is done to make an individual’s life more pleasant and to accumulate possessions is also futile (2:4-11). That which is achieved and possessed is only left to others which may not appreciate them, deserve them or preserve them (18-23).

Solomon was arguably the wisest human to ever live. Yet he saw wisdom as futile and the source of grief and pain (1:12-18). Wisdom was hebel because the wise and the foolish both die, and both are forgotten (2:12-17).

Solomon explored pleasure and found no comfort or meaning in it (2:1-3). The cure for emptiness was not another empty pursuit.

At this point Solomon remembers God and relates the central truth of the book. Everything that is done by man’s labor and wisdom and for man’s purposes and pleasure is meaningless. But God gives “wisdom and knowledge and joy” to those who depend on His strength, live according to His law and wisdom and accomplish His purposes (2:24-26).

God teaches Solomon that He has appointed a time for every event under heaven. These appointed events are given to fill men’s lives with meaningful activities (3:1-10). God has also set eternity in their hearts (3:11) so they will be drawn to live and work for Him and not just themselves. “I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should revere Him” (3:14). Truly, “Only one life will soon be passed, only what is done for God will last.”

Why did Solomon reach this level of despair? 1 Kings 11:9-10 states, “Yehovah was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from Yehovah, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him… that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what Yehovah had commanded.” The intimate relationship he had enjoyed was gone and with it the presence of God that adds meaning and fulfillment to life.

All that we do “under the sun” can either be “striving after the wind.” Or it can be done to the glory of God, which enlivens it with purpose. Our greatest stiving should be to one day hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).