What is the Point?

Summary

In the first verse we are introduced to the author: The preacher, who channels the life experience of Solomon, son of David. Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, after being given the gift of wisdom by God (1 Kings 3). With this wisdom came wealth and power. Solomon had at his fingertips the extents of human pursuits, yet in these things he found no happiness; he recognized the limitations of the temporary. This book is written to present these limitations by attempting to answer the question: What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? (3) This is the question of all people: what is the meaning of life? Ecclesiastes is bookended with his answer: vanity of vanities, all is vanity (2). This is not so much to bury us under the weight of depression, but to force us to come face to face with what we already sense: this life as an end in itself is not fulfilling. In the past, this question was mulled over in the streets and discussed at length; today it is often overwhelmed by the schedule of events (busyness). We would do well to consider the question: What is the meaning of life? and,  Am I living for it?

---