II. The Futility of Life apart from God (Ecclesiastes 2:1-26)

II. The Futility of Life apart from God (2:1-26)

2:1-3 It seems Solomon looked at his empire and experiences and said, “There’s got to be more than this.” And what we’ll see in the chapters to come is that if you look for the meaning of life in life, you’ll never find it. Nevertheless, Solomon began a tour of discovery, testing himself with pleasure. He decided to maximize life and enjoy what is good (2:1). Let the good times roll. It’s party time!

But although he explored how to satisfy himself with fun and enjoyment (2:3), it turned out to be futile (2:1). It wasn’t anymore fulfilling than an amusement park ride, which is exciting for two minutes, and then it’s over. He was like a kid who gets every toy he wants for his birthday—only to be bored after a week. Solomon eventually said of pleasure, What does this accomplish? (2:2). It was fun while it lasted. But it didn’t provide permanent meaning.

2:4-10 So he went on to increase his achievements and to accumulate things for himself. Solomon had all the necessary resources at his disposal. He built houses and planted vineyards . . . made gardens and . . . constructed reservoirs . . . acquired male and female servants . . . amassed silver and gold and gathered . . . many concubines (2:4-8). He surpassed all who were before him (2:9). He wasn’t just one of the guys. He beat them all. And he didn’t refuse himself any pleasure (2:10).

Have you ever gotten depressed and gone shopping? Have you ever envied the guy with the nice car, fancy clothes, and female companions and set out to close the gap between you? Solomon knew the feeling. If he wanted it, he went after it.

2:11 How did all of this material indulgence work out for him? He found everything to be futile and decided there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Yes, accumulating was pleasurable for a while. But it didn’t answer the deepest questions; it didn’t provide meaning. Solomon had it all, but that left him empty.

2:12-13 In considering wisdom, madness, and folly (2:12), Solomon realized that there is an advantage to wisdom (2:13). After all, if you want a good job and decent income, it’s better to be a college graduate than a kindergarten dropout. We’ve all made wise and foolish decisions, and most of us—like this king—conclude that it’s better to be wise than foolish.

2:14-17 In spite of wisdom’s benefits, however, Solomon is troubled that one fate comes to . . . both the wise person and the fool (2:14). As far as life “under the sun” is concerned, the fool and I will end up in the same place: the grave (2:15). My degree won’t make me better off there. And whether you’re buried in a crude wooden box or a stylish bronze casket transported by a limousine, dead is dead. Moreover, a dead dummy and a dead genius are equally deceased. Therefore, Solomon hated life (2:17).

2:18-23 But wait. It gets worse: I hated all my work that I labored at under the sun because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? (2:18-19). Solomon built an extraordinary kingdom, but he knew that one day someone would assume control of his empire and might ruin everything. That knowledge led to depression (2:20). Eventually the fruit of your labor, too, will be left to someone who hasn’t worked for it and who might wreck it all. And there’s nothing you can do about it (2:21-23).

2:24 Suddenly, at this point, we see a ray of light. Solomon comes to a refrain that he’ll repeat throughout the book: There is nothing better for a person than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work. . . . This is from God’s hand (2:24). He has spoken about the depressing realities of life “under the sun,” but here he begins interjecting God strategically along the way.

God doesn’t mind your enjoyment of legitimate pleasures. He isn’t upset that you like your job, food, possessions, or relationships; in fact, these are gifts from him. The problem comes when you look for meaning in these things—because at that point you’re trying to find in them something that they weren’t designed to provide.

2:25-26 The question, then, is this: Is God included in your pleasure? After all, who can enjoy life apart from him? (2:25). Make sure you are looking to God to give you meaning. It’s a sobering truth that to the sinner, God gives the task of gathering and accumulating for others. But to the person who is pleasing to God, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy (2:26).