Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes 2 Ecclesiastes 2: Key verse – “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from Him, who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” v.24-25 Read Ecclesiastes 2 v.1—Chapter 1 came to the conclusion that wisdom did not hold the answer to satisfaction in life. In chapter 2 the Teacher explores the path of pleasure to find satisfaction in life but he finds that meaningless as well. As we start, do you agree with him that pleasure is meaningless? Why or why not? v.2-11: Five routes on the path of pleasure v.2—The route of laughter. “Laughter, I said, is madness and what does pleasure accomplish?” It is said that laughter is medicine for the soul, but the Teacher says it is foolish. He means to show that laughter is light, fleeting, and superficial. It’s like contrasting a comedy show with a tragedy play: The former is a flash in the pan, while the latter, because of its weightiness, may remain in our memories for years. Consequently, the Teacher views laughter as mere folly. What do you think about the value of laughter? v.3—The route of wine. “I tried cheering myself with wine”. The Teacher isn’t commenting on the merits or demerits of abstaining from alcohol. Rather, he is addressing the futility of using alcohol as a drug to mask one’s unsatisfied, soul-level longings. Even a moderate use of alcohol proves fruitless in the end from the Teacher’s vantage point for he says he partook of wine with “my mind still guiding me with wisdom.” What do you think about the value of wine? v.4-6—The route of achievement. The Teacher describes the various building projects he undertook: houses, vineyards, gardens, parks, fruit trees, and reservoirs to water his forests. But in the end, all of his contributions still left him feeling empty. What do you think about the value of achievement? v.7-9—The route of influence. The Teacher boasts of the number of people working for him and all his great possessions—herds, flocks, silver, gold, the treasures of kings and provinces, singers, and all the delights of a person’s heart. The outcome? “I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem” (v.9). Yet it still was not enough to provide lasting satisfaction. What do you think of the value of influence? v.10-11—The route of indulgence. The teacher indulged in whatever he desired, resisting no prospect of outward entertainment or inward satisfaction. Yet still, having taken an account of all he had done, he found it was all meaningless. What do you think of the value of indulgence? v.12-26: The Teacher’s Three Observations: v.12-17—The Teacher observes the meaninglessness of wise living. Though in some sense there’s more gain in worldly wisdom than in folly, we have to temper our expectations because “Like the fool, the wise too must die!” (v.16) What do you think about this? v.18-23—The Teacher says, “I hated all the things I had toiled for”. He isn’t saying that work, where God is in control, is irrelevant, but he is pointing out that when our labor is an end in itself, our days will be filled with sorrow (v.23). From man’s perspective under the sun, his work is meaningless. What do you think about this? v.24-26—There is a best way to live. “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment?” The Teacher observes that there are two foundations upon which we can build our lives: upon sand—the way of folly—or upon the rock, leading to true satisfaction (Matthew 7:24-27). When we understand the true and living God and why He sent Jesus, enjoyment of eating, drinking, and satisfaction in toil becomes an attractive proposition. What do you think about this? Psalm 16:11 speaks of pleasures that come only from God’s hand. How do these differ from those the Teacher sought in chapter 2? How can we obtain them? Hymn—Be Thou My Vision: Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart, Naught be all else to me save that Thou art, Thou my best thought by day or by night, waking or sleeping Thy presence my light Be Thou my wisdom and Thou my true word, I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord, Thou my great Father, I Thy true son, Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one. Be Thou my battle shield, sword for the fight, Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight, Thou my soul’s shelter, Thou my high tower, Raise Thou me heavenward O power of my power. Riches I heed not nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine inheritance now and always, Thou and Thou only first in my heart, high King of heaven, my treasure Thou art. High King of heaven my victory won, may I reach heaven’s joys bright heaven’s sun, heart of my own heart whatever befall, still be my vision O Ruler of all.