I don’t know about you, but I don’t go to the Book of Ecclesiastes
very often. I get confused when I try to figure out what the Teacher
says. (“Teacher” is the self-given name of the writer of this book—
Ecclesiastes 1:1.)
For example, Ecclesiastes 2:18 tells of hating one’s work In
Ecclesiastes 2:24, the writer says there is nothing better than work.
For example, Ecclesiastes 3:9 asks what one can possibly gain from
one’s work. In Ecclesiastes 3:13, the Teacher says it is God’s gift
for everyone to enjoy his or her work.
For example, Ecclesiastes 4:4 says that people work out of envy of
others. Ecclesiastes 4:8 tells of those who have no one with whom to
share their riches.
One thing that I learn from all this is that it is important to know
the context of biblical writings. It is important to know the
question, in order to make sense of the answer. What was God’s intent
in inspiring the biblical writer?
Have you ever played the game “Word Trip”? In this game (I play it on
my phone), one is provided seven letters and spaces in which to spell
out words that can be made out of those letters. (For example, what
words can you make out of the letters S E E C P I L?) Reading the
Bible can be a lot like that. How do you put together the various
messages in order to find out what God is saying to you?
There is a key question raised at the very beginning of this book:
“What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the
sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) The same questions emerges in Ecclesiastes
2:11, 2:22, 3:9, 5:11, 5:16, 6:8. Maybe the writer of this book
shares our stumbling for an answer. Look at Ecclesiastes 11:5: “Just
as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother’s
womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.”
The Teacher draws it all to a close at the end of the book. “Fear God
and keep his commandments, for that is the whole duty of everyone.”
(Ecclesiastes 12:13) The commandments of God call us to find a way to
love. Even in our work and toil.
What Someone Else Has Said:
In The House on Lowell Street (Linda
Keane, Deep River Books), there is this line: “They may agree in
principle,” Rose said, “but they don’t want to do anything.”
Prayer:
As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Help me in
my work, O Lord...”
