Introduction to Ecclesiastes
A word about Solomon's writing of the pessimistic Ecclesiastes
11/20/20241 min read
Introduction to Ecclesiastes
The words in this book were rendered from words written in another language, long ago, by King Solomon. Oral tradition says that the King penned these thoughts in his old age. Since Solomon is fabled for his great wisdom, we would expect that this writing would be the most perfect distillation of wisdom, being the product of the full maturity of one of the wisest men who ever lived.
There is even greater reason to believe that these words contain golden treasure. After being so abundantly blessed by God with material wealth and divine wisdom, Solomon suffered a tremendous fall, a moral and spiritual decline of massive proportions. He orchestrated a murder to secure his throne, he worshipped gods who delighted in child sacrifice, and his stable of 1000 women, made up of 300 wives and 700 concubines, completely derailed his heart from God. He lost his way.
But then Solomon got hold of himself, and through recognizing the extent to which hedonism had debased his character, oral tradition tells us that he, with painstaking effort, worked his way back to sober nobility. Then he wrote this book. We should thus expect it to contain the most profound advice. The wisdom of a wise man, who, losing his wisdom, finds it again!
Having everything a man could want in achievements, education, wisdom, women and power, he was still not satisfied. Everything left him feeling empty, all was “vanity”. His throne of ivory, the steps of which were of solid gold, his beautiful gardens, his zoo, the luxurious and extravagant scenes of revelry, music, and sport which surrounded him, all left him unhappy.
So, reader, please have a look. See what the aged and repentant King decided to pen after regaining his senses. Is it possible the words of King Solomon, written 3000 years ago, can speak to us now, in the 21st Century?