Ecclesiastes

Outline

Bible books contents
Message Key words Outline

The opening verse leaves us in no doubt as to the author of this unusual book: Solomon, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem. On reading it one can become rather discouraged! But when its message is understood and how it relates to the NT revelation then all becomes clear.

Message

In this book the phrase 'Under the sun' occurs some 29 times; 'Under the heaven ' 3 times; 'Upon the earth' 7 times and vanity 37.

The message is that life is vain and empty without God. For the Christian, however, life is not 'under the sun' but in the heavenlies Eph.2:6 and being in Christ is not futile and empty but full of meaning and purpose.

Key words

Vanity = empty, that which vanishes like a vapour

Vexation = torment of spirit

Consider = see with thought and reflection

Vanity of vanities is a Hebrew idiom. Usually when wanting to state the ultimate of anything the Hebrews would repeat the word in question. So 'Holy of holies' means the ultimate holy place. Perfect peace ( Isa 26:3) is literally 'peace, peace' meaning that the ultimate peace is to those whose mind is stayed on God. Contrast this to: vanity of vanities, this being the ultimate emptiness, and that is a result of life without God, as the book shows us.

Outline

Here is a suggested outline; but do remember than when looking at the message, it shows what life is like WITHOUT God.

note: uts = under the sun

1. Introduction Ch. 1:1-11
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
1:1-3	Vanity of vanities	Ps.39:5; Mk.8:36; Jms.4:14; I Pet.7-8	All is vanity v2
1:4-11	One generation passes, another comes	Things uts are never satisfied vv7-8	No new thing uts v9

2. Things seen (1) Ch. 1:12-18
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
1:12-14	All the works done uts		vanity and vexation of spirit v. 14
1:15-18	My heart had [=saw] great experience and wisdom		Vexation of spirit v.17

3. Things proved (1) Ch. 2:1-11
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
2:1-3	With mirth	prove = put to the test	vanity v.1
2: 4-11	Great works		Vanity and vexation v.11

4. Things seen (2) Ch. 2:12-3:22
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
2:12-15	Wisdom, madness and folly	One event happens to all v.15	This also is vanity v.15
2:16-17	No more remembrance of the wise than the fool	Solomon declares hatred of life. v.17	Vanity and vexation of spirit v.17
2:18-26	My labour uts	Solomon's heart despaired v.20	Vexation and vexation of spirit v.19, 21, 23, 26
3:1-15	The travail which God gives	No man can find out the work of God v.11	...God requires that which is past. v. 15
3:16-22	The place of Judgement		All is vanity v.19

5. Things considered (1) Ch. 4:1-6
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
4:1-3	The oppressions uts		Better the dead than the living v.3
4:4-6	All travail and every right work	right = suitable / convenient	Better a handful with quietness than both hands full with travail and vexation v.4, 6

6. Things seen (3) Ch. 4:7-14
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
4:7-14	The vanity uts, there is one alone		Vanity v.8

7. Things considered (2) Ch. 4:15-16
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
4:15-16	All the living walking uts		Vanity and vexation v.16

8. General counsel (1) Ch. 5:1-12
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
5:1-7	Be not rash with thy mouth		Fear God v.7
5: 8	If you see oppression		Marvel not v.8
5:9-12	The profit of the earth is for all		Sleep of a labouring man is sweet, ...abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep v. 12

9. Things seen (4) Ch. 5:13-6:12
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
5:13-17	Riches kept for their owners thereof to their hurt		What profit hath he that laboured for the wind..? v.17
5:18-20	It is good to enjoy the good of labour		God answers the joy of his heart v.26
6:1-2	An evil, a man doesn't enjoy the fruits of his labour		Vanity and an evil disease v.2
6:3-12	A soul not filled [=satisfied] with good	Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire [=soul] v.9	Vanity and vexation v. 9

10. Things compared Ch. 7:1-12
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
7:1-12	Some things better	a) A good name than ointment Prov. 22:1
		b) Day of death than the day of birth
		b) House of mourning than feasting
		c) Sorrow than laughter
		d) Rebuke of the wise, than the song of fools
		e) The end of a thing than the beginning.
		f) Patient in spirit than the proud in spirit
		g) Say not ' What is the cause that the former days were better than these'	God hath set the one over against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him.

11. Things seen(5) Ch. 7:15-22
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
7:15-22	A just man perishes in his righteousness..a wicked man prolongeth his life in his wickedness		There is not a just man on the earth that doeth good and sinneth not v.20

12. Things proved (2) Ch. 7:23-29
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
7:23-29	To be wise , far from him	prove = put to the test	God has made man upright, but they sought out many inventions [=devices] v.29

13. General counsel (2) Ch. 8:1-17
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
8:1-5	Keep the king's commandments	Rom.13:1-7	Whosever keepeth the commandment shall feel [know] no evil....v.5
8:6-8	The misery of man is great upon him		No man has the power over the spirit v. 8

14. Things seen(6) Ch. 8:9-10
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
8:9-10	A time where one man rules over another to his hurt		This is also vanity v.20

15. General counsel (3) Ch. 8:11-15
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
8:11-15	The heart of the sons of men is fully set to do evil		It shall not be well with the wicked v.13

16. Things seen(7) Ch. 8:16-17
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
8:16-17	The business upon the earth		A man cannot find out the work uts v17

17. Things considered (3) Ch. 9:1-10
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
9:1-10	One event happens to all	Jn.9:4; Col.3:17	Whatever your hand finds to do do it with all your might v. 10

18. Things seen(8) Ch. 9:11-10:20
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
9:11-12	The race is not to the swift		Sons of men snared in an evil time v.12
9:13-18	No one remembers a poor wise man		Wisdom is better than war, but a sinner destroys much good v.18
10:1-20	Error proceeds from a ruler, folly set in dignity	v.1 is an introduction to v.5	Curse not the king nor the rich v.20

19. General counsel (4) Ch. 11:1-12:7
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
11:1-6	Cast thy bread on many waters	Gal.6:9	You don't know what will prosper v.6
11:7-10	Rejoice O young man in thy youth		Childhood and youth are vanity
12:1-7	Remember thy creator in thy youth ( i.e. while you can)	This section describes old age and death.	The spirit shall return to God v.7

20. Conclusion Ch. 12:8-14
Ref.	Section	Notes	Conclusion
12:8-11	Vanity of vanities		The words of the wise are goads v.11
12:12-14	Be admonished		Fear God and keep His commandments v.13

Some NT answers

Many of Solomon's conclusions are depressing and pessimistic. But we have to remember that Solomon is speaking of life without God. For the Christian life is not like this at all. And here is a table comparing some of what what Solomon says with what the NT reveals to those who are born again.

I Cor.15:19
Eccl.	NT.
1:2	Jms. 4:14
1:9	II Cor.5:17; Eph.1:3
1:14	Col.3:1-4
2:22	Mtt.16:26
5:18	I Tim.6:17
6:2	Lk.12:20-21
7:12	Jn.17:3
8:2	Rom.13:1-7
8:17	Rom. 11:33
9:10	Jn.9:4; Col.3:17;23
11:1	Gal.6:9