THE ELUSIVE MEANING OF LIFE

ECCLESIASTES 1:12-2:11

TODAY PEOPLE LOOK FOR THE TRUE MEANING OF LIFE IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES.
LIKE THE PEOPLE OF SOLOMON'S DAY, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR PURPOSEFUL PLACES.
LIKE THE PEOPLE OF SOLOMON'S DAY, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACES.

THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT FOUND IN HUMAN PHILOSOPHY (WHAT I THINK)
12 I THE PREACHER WAS KING OVER ISRAEL IN JERUSALEM.
13. AND I GAVE MY HEART TO SEEK AND SEARCH OUT BY WISDOM CONCERNING ALL THINGS THAT ARE DONE UNDER HEAVEN: THIS SORE TRAVAIL HATH GOD GIVEN TO THE SONS OF MAN TO BE EXERCISED THEREWITH.
14. I HAVE SEEN ALL THE WORKS THAT ARE DONE UNDER THE SUN; AND, BEHOLD, ALL IS VANITY AND VEXATION OF SPIRIT.
15. THAT WHICH IS CROOKED CANNOT BE MADE STRAIGHT: AND THAT WHICH IS WANTING CANNOT BE NUMBERED.
16. I COMMUNED WITH MINE OWN HEART, SAYING, LO, I AM COME TO GREAT ESTATE, AND HAVE GOTTEN MORE WISDOM THAN ALL THEY THAT HAVE BEEN BEFORE ME IN JERUSALEM: YEA, MY HEART HAD GREAT EXPERIENCE OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE.
17. AND I GAVE MY HEART TO KNOW WISDOM, AND TO KNOW MADNESS AND FOLLY: I PERCEIVED THAT THIS ALSO IS VEXATION OF SPIRIT.
18. FOR IN MUCH WISDOM IS MUCH GRIEF: AND HE THAT INCREASETH KNOWLEDGE INCREASETH SORROW.
SOLOMON MADE A SEARCH OF HUMAN WISDOM "UNDER THE SUN". HE LOOKED AT WISDOM THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE GOD AND FOUND IT TO BE "VEXATION OF SPIRIT" (VS. 17). HE ALSO FOUND IT TO CAUSE GRIEF (VS. 18)
THIS IS NOT A CONTRADICTION TO SOLOMON'S DECLARATIONS OF THE VALUE OF WISDOM IN PROVERBS.
IN ECCLESIASTES SOLOMON TALKS OF HUMAN WISDOM.
IN PROVERBS SOLOMON TALKS OF GOD'S WISDOM 4:5-7, 9:10)PROVERBS 1:7
THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE: BUT FOOLS DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION.

PROVERBS 2:1-9
1. MY SON, IF THOU WILT RECEIVE MY WORDS, AND HIDE MY COMMANDMENTS WITH THEE;
2. SO THAT THOU INCLINE THINE EAR UNTO WISDOM, AND APPLY THINE HEART TO UNDERSTANDING;
3. YEA, IF THOU CRIEST AFTER KNOWLEDGE, AND LIFTEST UP THY VOICE FOR UNDERSTANDING;
4. IF THOU SEEKEST HER AS SILVER, AND SEARCHEST FOR HER AS FOR HID TREASURES;
5. THEN SHALT THOU UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD, AND FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
6. FOR THE LORD GIVETH WISDOM: OUT OF HIS MOUTH COMETH KNOWLEDGE ANDUNDERSTANDING.
7. HE LAYETH UP SOUND WISDOM FOR THE RIGHTEOUS: HE IS A BUCKLER TO THEM THAT WALK UPRIGHTLY.
8. HE KEEPETH THE PATHS OF JUDGMENT, AND PRESERVETH THE WAY OF HIS SAINTS.
9. THEN SHALT THOU UNDERSTAND RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND JUDGMENT, AND EQUITY; YEA, EVERY GOOD PATH.


THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT FOUND IN PLEASURE (WHAT I ENJOY) 2:1-3

1. I SAID IN MINE HEART, GO TO NOW, I WILL PROVE THEE WITH MIRTH, THEREFORE ENJOY PLEASURE: AND, BEHOLD, THIS ALSO IS VANITY.
2. I SAID OF LAUGHTER, IT IS MAD: AND OF MIRTH, WHAT DOETH IT?
3. I SOUGHT IN MINE HEART TO GIVE MYSELF UNTO WINE, YET ACQUAINTING MINE HEART WITH WISDOM; AND TO LAY HOLD ON FOLLY, TILL I MIGHT SEE WHAT WAS THAT GOOD FOR THE SONS OF MEN, WHICH THEY SHOULD DO UNDER THE HEAVEN ALL THE DAYS OF THEIR LIFE.
SOLOMON TRIED TO FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE IN THE PLEASURES OF THIS WORLD, AND FOUND THAT IT WAS "VANITY". ALTHOUGH GOD IS NOT OPPOSED TO OUR ENJOYING OURSELVES, OVERINDULGENCE IS ALWAYS DISCOURAGED. THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS "TEMPERANCE" OR SELF-CONTROL (GALATIANS 5:22-23).


THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT FOUND IN PROJECTS (WHAT I DO) 2:4-6
4. I MADE ME GREAT WORKS; I BUILDED ME HOUSES; I PLANTED ME VINEYARDS:
5. I MADE ME GARDENS AND ORCHARDS, AND I PLANTED TREES IN THEM OF ALL KIND OF FRUITS:
6. I MADE ME POOLS OF WATER, TO WATER THEREWITH THE WOOD THAT BRINGETH FORTH TREES:
SOLOMON INVOLVED HIMSELF WITH GREAT BUILDING PROJECTS, SUCH AS THE TEMPLE, HIS OWN PALACE, AND THE BUILDING OF CITIES. THESE DID NOT BRING TRUE SATISFACTION. THE BIBLE ENCOURAGES US TO WORK (COLOSSIANS 3: 17, 23), BUT WORK IS NOT TO BE OUR GOD.

THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT FOUND IN POSSESSIONS (WHAT I HAVE) 2:7-11
7. I GOT ME SERVANTS AND MAIDENS, AND HAD SERVANTS BORN IN MY HOUSE; ALSO I HAD GREAT POSSESSIONS OF GREAT AND SMALL CATTLE ABOVE ALL THAT WERE IN JERUSALEM BEFORE ME:
8. I GATHERED ME ALSO SILVER AND GOLD, AND THE PECULIAR TREASURE OF KINGS AND OF THE PROVINCES: I GAT ME MEN SINGERS AND WOMEN SINGERS, AND THE DELIGHTS OF THE SONS OF MEN, AS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND THAT OF ALL SORTS.
9. SO I WAS GREAT, AND INCREASED MORE THAN ALL THAT WERE BEFORE ME IN JERUSALEM: ALSO MY WISDOM REMAINED WITH ME.
10. AND WHATSOEVER MINE EYES DESIRED I KEPT NOT FROM THEM, I WITHHELD NOT MY HEART FROM ANY JOY; FOR MY HEART REJOICED IN ALL MY LABOUR: AND THIS WAS MY PORTION OF ALL MY LABOUR.
11. THEN I LOOKED ON ALL THE WORKS THAT MY HANDS HAD WROUGHT, AND ON THE LABOUR THAT I HAD LABOURED TO DO: AND, BEHOLD, ALL WAS VANITY AND VEXATION OF SPIRIT, AND THERE WAS NO PROFIT UNDER THE SUN.

SOLOMON DID NOT FIND TRUE SATISFACTION AND THE MEANING OF TRUE LIFE IN WHAT HE OWNED (LUKE 12:15).
HE WAS AN EXTREMELY RICH MAN (1 KINGS 9:10-28).

THE MEANING OF LIFE IS FOUND IN A PERSON (WHO I KNOW)
COLOSSIANS 1:13-20, JOHN 14:6, PHILIPPIANS 1:21, 3:4-11
WE GO TO THE NEW TESTAMENT TO FIND THE TRUE MEANING OF LIFE. IT IS FOUND IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST!
WHEN WE KNOW CHRIST AS SAVIOR AND LORD WE KNOW THE REAL MEANING OF LIFE.