Nothing New (Ecclesiastes 1)

Ecclesiastes 1:1--2 (ESV) --- 1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

As we all know, nothing in this world is perfect. Time and time again, we are let down by the things that could provide us with what we need. From technology to infrastructure, everything in the world seems broken and fails to deliver on its promise. Whether it's a phone that won't charge or your car breaking down when you're already late for work, it's hard to deny that things don't seem right!

‌We are all seeking something that doesn't exist. We are working and striving for something constantly. When we get it, it's never enough. It fails to provide us with what we hope it will. Tonight, we are going to begin a series of studies in Ecclesiastes. This book was written by someone who got everything he ever wanted but found it wasn't enough.

What Do We Gain?

Ecclesiastes 1:3 (ESV) --- 3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?

This question is at the heart of the book. What's the point? What do we gain from our work? You see, he needed something else. All of his efforts didn't gain him much of anything. Everything he found was meaningless or vain. It was like he was striving for the wind. But he shares his findings along the way and makes many fascinating observations that will benefit us and help us know how to live the most valuable life.

‌This is Solomon's description of life "under the sun." The phrase "under the sun" will be repeated throughout this book. It recognizes that there is more to life than what is "under the sun," but Solomon can only observe life under the sun. It expresses the boundaries of his understanding. This is important because what he says may only be true when considering life "under the sun." Everything changes if we open our perspective to include knowledge of the New Testament. So we can see what Solomon says is from the atheistic perspective in many cases. Those who do not understand what Jesus has revealed about the spiritual realm would agree with Solomon on nearly everything he says. But later, Solomon will make statements that include God.

The Cycles of Earth Are Vain

‌We will take a more topical approach to this book, but understanding his initial statements is helpful for the first lesson. They help us understand the rest.

Ecclesiastes 1:3--7 (ESV) --- 3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? 4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. 5 The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. 6 The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. 7 All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.

Notice that Solomon continually points out the cycles of life. First, he points to the generations that come and go. Then, he talks about the sunrises and sets. After that, the winds and the waters. Every aspect of God's material creation is described as an endless cycle. There is no stopping these cycles from happening. It doesn't matter what we do. We will have no impact on them. One way or another, creation will continue to exist as God made it.

‌This cyclical nature of the earth is a good thing. We need the sun to keep rising and setting. We need the seasons to move in and out. We need the streams to keep running with the sea not filling up. So why does he say it's all vanity?

Man's Efforts Are Vain

These thoughts about the repetition of society lead us to the next section.

‌Ecclesiastes 1:8--11 (ESV) --- 8 All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 9 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.

Life is wearisome. Knowing that everything will repeat itself doesn't give us hope because the struggles we face right now will not become easier with time. Life cycles aren't changed to accommodate us and make our lives easier. Solomon says that life is so wearying that we cannot fully describe how weary it makes us. Like the sun, we wake and work until dawn. Like the wind, we move around all day and return to our homes. Like the sea, we eat and drink but aren't finished eating and drinking. Life is wearisome.

‌This book contemplates mortality and the purpose of life. Why do we work so hard knowing that we are going to die? Solomon concludes that vanity stems from the fact that we cannot gain additional years of life in this environment. Generations come and go. There is no stopping the marching of time. Nothing can be done to change the way things are. Our generations will pass on from this life as his generation did. That's where he is moving in this text.

‌To further this thought, he says, "There is nothing new under the sun." Solomon was responsible for incredible advances in technology for his day. His gardens were known throughout the world. But he recognizes that it's still the same old thing. It won't prolong his life or make him eternal.

Try To Fix It

As we study throughout the rest of the book, Solomon will explain this in greater detail. Right now, he tells us the facts upfront. Everything we seek will have the same ending. We will never find lasting satisfaction and fulfillment under the sun. Let's take a second to see some of the things Solomon tries to back up this statement.

Wisdom

We might think that having wisdom will help us live a lot longer. Sadly, no. It will extend and improve our lives, but we will still die and gain little by being wise.

Ecclesiastes 2:14--15 (ESV) --- 14 The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. 15 Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

Hard Work

‌We might think that hard work will help us. Nope. It could cause us to miss out on the good of life. There is value to work, but too much will ruin your life.

Ecclesiastes 2:22--23 (ESV) --- 22 What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? 23 For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.

Schemes and Women

The overall conclusion of the book is that no scheme will be able to fix it. It's a waste to work your life away. We will look more into this later.

Ecclesiastes 7:25--26 (ESV) --- 25 I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness. 26 And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

Schemes are a mirage. They look good and valuable at the beginning, but they end up failing to give us all that we want. As soon as we make any success, we lose sight of what is good and right as temptations draw us away from righteousness. The scheme is a way to get distracted from what is essential.

Why Is Life This Way?

Ecclesiastes 1:12--15 (ESV) --- 12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

Solomon says that all of his searchings led him to believe that there is no hope that we will be able to change the way things are. If life appears broken and crooked, God has made it this way. Life is vain and like striving after the wind. It won't get easier or more meaningful just because we want it to. Life is and will always be wearisome under the sun.

The Good News

After Solomon wrote this, we see that God decided to bring something new. He promises to change everything and fix all that is broken.

Isaiah 43:18--21 (ESV) --- 18 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

Notice the picture of water and springs coming forth from the desert. Life coming out of the dead place is an image of fullness coming out of emptiness. That's what Solomon is after, and that's what Jesus brings. Through Jesus, God shows us how he will straighten what is crooked and mend what is broken.

Matthew 11:27--30 (ESV) --- 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

You will find it in Christ if you seek to gain this year. Taking on Christ's yoke will give you eternal blessings no one can ever take away.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 introduces us to the author's search for meaning and purpose in life, which he finds vain and meaningless. Through his observations of the earth's cyclical nature and man's wearisome toil, he concludes that everything we seek under the sun will fail to satisfy us. However, the good news is that through Jesus, we can find true fulfillment and eternal blessings that nothing in this world can provide. Let us focus on Him and find the meaning and purpose we seek.