The Books of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon by Mike Willis and Dan King
Guardian of Truth Founda tion 2009. All rights re served. No part of this book may be repro duced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. ISBN 10: 1-58427-329-1 ISBN 13: 978-158427-329-5 Guardian of Truth Foundation CEI Bookstore 220 S. Marion St. Athens, AL 35611 www.truthbooks.net 855-49-BOOKS or 855-492-6657
Lesson Table of Contents Ecclesiastes Lesson 1: Introduction.................................................. 5 Lesson 2: Solomon s Quest for Happiness...8 Lesson 3: There Is A Season...11 Lesson 4: Things By Which Vanity Is Demonstrated...14 Lesson 5: Exhortations Regarding Worship, Oppression and Riches...16 Lesson 6: Further Instructions Regarding Riches...19 Lesson 7: Counsel for the Days of Suffering................................22 Lesson 8: Submission to God s Providence.................................26 Lesson 9: Wise Living in View of the Certainty of Death...28 Lesson 10: The Course of Wisdom...31 Lesson 11: Advice for Life...33 Lesson 12: Remember Thy Creator........................................35 Song of Solomon Lesson 13 Introducing the Song of Solomon...41 Lesson 14 Interpreting the Song of Solomon................................44 Lesson 15 Unraveling the Mysteries of the Song (1)...48 Lesson 16 Unraveling the Mysteries of the Song (2)...52 Lesson 17 Practical Lessons from the Song of Solomon (1)...56 Lesson 18 Practical Lessons from the Song of Solomon (2)...60 Page
Introduction and Prologue 5 The book of Ecclesiastes takes its name from the Septuagint translation (a translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew to Greek begun in approximately 270 B.C.). In v. 1, the text says the words of the Preacher. The word preacher (Hebrew: koheleth) was translated ekklesiastes in the Septuagint translation and means one who speaks in the assembly. Preacher is a good translation of ekklesiastes. Author The book of Ecclesiastes clearly indicates that the author is Solomon, although he is nowhere specifically named. The unnamed author must meet these qualifications: Be the son of David (1:1). Be king in Jerusalem (1:1). Be one of great wisdom (1:16). Be wealthy (1:16; 2:7-9). Be one who has built great works (2:4-11). Solomon meets all of these qualifications and is obviously the man described in these passages. He reigned over Israel from approximately 970 to 930 B.C. Assuming that he was the author, the book was written sometime before his death. Despite these obvious allusions to Solomon, most commentaries take the position that Ecclesiastes was written by some unknown author who portrayed himself as Solomon. This reduces the book to the level of the pseudepigrapha (books attributed to great men of faith in the Bible but obviously written by someone else at a much later date). The purpose of using a false name for the author of a book was to give that book an authority the author could not claim for himself. Although Edward J. Young rejects the Solomonic authorship of Ecclesiastes, when commenting on the practice of attributing one s written work to some great man of faith with reference to the book of Daniel, he wrote, It is one thing to issue a harmless romance under a pseudonym; it is an entirely different thing to issue under a pseudonym a book claiming to be a revelation of God and having to do with the conduct of men and to regard such a book as canonical (Introduction to the Old Testament 363). To reject the Solomonic authorship of the book reduces the book to a pious forgery. Purpose What is the purpose of this book? Its main theme is stated in 1:13 and 2:3 till I might see what was that good for the sons of men which they should do under the heaven all the days of their lives. The grand conclusion of this investigation is this: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil (12:13-14). In arriving at that purpose, Solomon must first demonstrate that man s pursuit of lesser good is vanity and striving after the wind. If a man incorrectly assesses the value of earthly pursuits, he will expect too much from them and, consequently, when they fail him, he will be disappointed. Without Lesson 1 Introduction and Prologue denying the value of these pursuits, Solomon calls man s attention to their inadequacies in satisfying his deepest needs, as he tries to keep man from having an unwarranted trust in earthly things. He does not become an agnostic or pessimist. Rather, Solomon teaches us to enjoy the fruits of our labor (2:24), while recognizing their limitations in satisfying our spiritual needs in life. Life, however, in all its many aspects is without meaning apart from God. That is the grand theme of the book. Life apart from God can have no meaning, for God alone gives life meaning. To state the matter in a slightly different way we may say: God is the ultimate standard and point of reference by which every aspect of life must be interpreted. If man or the world be regarded as the ultimate standard or point of reference, all is vanity. All then becomes without meaning, and can lead only to despair. The only possible interpretation of the world then is to regard it as the creation of God and to use and enjoy it for His glory (Young, 351). The Prologue (1:3-11) 1. Man s transitory nature is contrasted with the abiding nature of the earth (v. 4). Man lives on this earth but for a short moment of time. The earth continues its cycle generation after generation. The endless cycle of nature contrasts with man s temporary sojourn on earth and shows that there is nothing new un-
6 Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon der the sun. The fact that man is alive but for a short portion of time causes Solomon to see the vanity of life. 2. There is much motion without progress (vv. 4-7). One generation comes and another goes, but life continues as it is. The sun makes its daily course; the winds and river make endless cycles. Yet, there is a sameness in all that occurs. 3. Nothing in life satisfies man (v. 8). In the endless cycle of nature, nothing truly quenches man s desires. Man s appetites are insatiable. Labor as he might to satisfy his inner longings, nothing satisfies them permanently. 4. There is nothing new under the sun (vv. 9-10). Though there are things which occur that men call it new (v. 10), they call it new only because they have forgotten that they occurred long before. Solomon is not saying that no new occurrence happens on earth, for surely there are new scientific discoveries which make new experiences. Yet despite these occurrences, the thing which impresses us about life is its sameness, not its novelty. Men are born, they grow up, they grow old, they die; in contrast, the abiding earth continues its seemingly endless cycle. 5. Man will pass from this earth and be forgotten (v. 11). Man may leave his mark on earth for a short period of time; nevertheless, he will pass from the earth and soon be forgotten. Questions 1. How did the book get its name and what does its name mean? 2. What facts does the author of the book reveal about himself? 3. List the known facts about Solomon which, from a strictly earthly point of view, would cause men to listen to what he has to say. 4. Compare and contrast Solomon and Job as they were qualified to comment on life based on their different experiences. 5. Explain the meaning of the phrase vanity of vanities (v. 2). 6. In what sense are all things vanity? 7. Define under the sun (v. 3). 8. What things does Solomon list to show man s insatiable appetite? 9. What is the profit of man s labor (v. 3)? a. List labor s benefits.
Introduction and Prologue 7 b. In what sense is it a vanity (2:18ff)? 10. What things mark the endless, monotonous cycle of nature? 11. What similarities do you see between the motion without progress in nature and in human existence? 12. What are the limitations of seeing and hearing in v. 8? Give some examples of this from your own life. 13. What will become of man s memory (v. 11)? What Is Wrong With These Views of Life? 1. Life under the sun is worthless. Therefore, I choose suicide. 2. Life under the sun is all there is. Therefore, eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you die. Short Answers 1. Why would the fact that there is nothing new under the sun cause us to listen to Solomon s experiences? 2. What danger lies in living under the sun? 3. What problem exists if Solomon was not the author of the book of Ecclesiastes? 4. Explain the statement: God is the ultimate standard and point of reference by which every aspect of life must be interpreted. True or False 1. The author of Ecclesiastes was justifably pessimistic. 2. God intends for man to enjoy life. 3. The pseudepigrapha are writings whose authors wrote under the names of others. 4. The author s purpose in writing Ecclesiastes was to investigate what was good for men to do with their lives. 5. The five books of Old Testament poetry are called the Septuagint. 6. Ekklesiastes means the one who speaks in the assembly. 7. An agnostic is one who denies the existence of God. 8. The endless cycles of nature tend to emphasize the shortness of man s life. 9. By God s invitation, King Solomon asked for and received tremendous wealth.
8 Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Lesson 2 Solomon s Quest For Happiness (1:12-2:26) As Solomon set out to see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life (2:3), he searched for meaning and happiness in life in a number of pursuits. In each of them, he found that man s deepest needs were not satisfied. His Quest For Wisdom (1:12-18) Solomon devoted himself to learn all that he could regarding life under the heaven. He found his quest to be sore travail (1:18). The quest for knowledge is difficult. He soon learned that there are many things under heaven which can never be changed by men (1:15). (Consider how these crooked things cannot be changed: innocent children suffering disease and death, tornados, earthquakes, famines, wars, etc.) His increase in wisdom increased his grief (1:18). The deeper insight one has of life (men and life s problems), the greater grief he experiences over the injustices common in human affairs. Hence, Solomon s quest for wisdom left him dissatisfied and convinced that this was striving after wind. His Quest For Pleasure (2:1-11) Next Solomon turned to pleasure in his pursuit of happiness. He considered laughter (probably in the sense of comedy) and rejected it as madness (2:2). He turned to wine (2:3), the delights which possessions bring (2:4-8), music (2:8), sensuality (2:8; where the KJV has delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, the NASB has the pleasures of men many concubines ), and any other thing which might give him pleasure. He said, Whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy (2:10). His physical The deeper insight one has of life (men and life s problems), the greater grief he experiences over the injustices common in human affairs. senses were satisfied; nevertheless, Solomon pronounced all of these things vanity. Although he enjoyed these pleasures for a while (2:10), he was left empty by them. The Superiority of Wisdom (2:12-17) Although Solomon did not find the pursuit of wisdom to be man s objective in life, he did recognize the superiority of wisdom over foolishness (2:13). Wisdom has many advantages over foolishness (2:14). Nevertheless, both the wise man and the fool will die (2:15) and soon even their memory will be forgotten (2:16). Hence, the quest for wisdom did not leave Solomon satisfied; instead he hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me (2:17). Solomon s Dissatisfaction With Labor (2:18-23) Some bury themselves in their work in pursuit of happiness and later are dissatisfied with what they have accomplished. Solomon considered what he had accomplished through his labors and discovered that he hated all (his) labor. He was distressed that all of his possessions would be left to another (2:18, 21). He could not determine whether the one who would enjoy the fruits of his labor would be wise or foolish (2:19). All that he gathered might be scattered by a foolish son. This left him thinking that all his (man s) days are sorrows, and his travail grief (2:23). Solomon Concluded That Man Should Enjoy What Pleasures Life Has to Offer (2:24-26) Considering the vanity of these pursuits, Solomon reached the conclusion that man should enjoy what pleasures he could obtain through his labors. There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God (2:24). This theme is repeated throughout the book (3:22; 5:18-20; 8:15; 9:7-10). One of the chief lessons of this essay is this: Enjoy today with its attendant pleasures while it is yours to enjoy and recognize that this is a gift from God. There is no wisdom in saving for a tomorrow that may never come, while missing out on life s pleasures that are within one s reach today.
Solomon s Quest For Happiness 9 Questions A. Study Ecclesiastes 1:12-18; 2:12-17 to answer these questions. 1. How was Solomon uniquely qualified to speak on the vanity of wisdom? 2. What limits are placed on what man can accomplish through his own wisdom? 3. What are some advantages of wisdom over foolishness? 4. What disadvantages attend wisdom? 5. Why did Solomon conclude that the quest for wisdom was vanity? 6. If one were making a quest for wisdom today, what might he be doing? B. Study Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 to answer these questions. 7. How was Solomon qualified to speak on the vanity of pleasure? 8. Name the things which Solomon did to satisfy his desire for pleasure. 9. Which of these things are men pursuing today in their quest for happiness? 10. What satisfaction did Solomon find in these things? 11. Why did he conclude that the quest for pleasure ends in vanity? 12. Do those who seek pleasure today find contentment? C. Study Ecclesiastes 2:18-23 to answer these questions. 13. What will become of the things which man accumulates through his labors? 14. Why did this fact disturb Solomon? 15. What will become of your accumulations at your death? D. Study Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 to answer these questions. 16. What did Solomon teach that men should do in view of these facts? 17. What does the phrase it was from the hand of God (2:24) mean?
10 Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Short Answer 1. What difference, if any, is there between the conclusion of Solomon in 2:24 and the intention of the rich man in Luke 12:19? 2. With what comparison does Solomon illustrate the excellence of wisdom over folly? True or False 1. It is sinful to plan and prepare for the future. 2. Solomon described laughter as madness. 3. Solomon found the pride caused by accomplishments to be unsatisfying. 4. Solomon did indeed leave the fruits of his labor to a foolish son. 5. Solomon described the man who works, but cannot enjoy the fruits of his labor, as an example of the vanity of life. 6. Solomon had three hundred wives and seven hundred concubines. 7. Despite great wisdom that one might have, there are certain calamities and injustices which he cannot prevent. 8. The accumulation of great wealth is always a great evil. 9. It is wrong to take pride in one s work. 10. Because of the grief which comes with increased wisdom, it is better for one not to seek knowledge and wisdom. Multiple Choice 1. Which of the following statements about the wise man and the fool did Solomon not make: (a) Neither had any advantage over the other, (b) Both eventually die, (c) Both are eventually forgotten. 2. God gives the sinner the task of gathering and collecting so that: (a) He will turn to God, (b) He can give to the good man, (c) He can eat, drink, and be merry. 3. The record of Solomon s experiences are so valuable to us because: (a) He was a king, (b) He was inspired, (c) There is nothing new under the sun. 4. Preoccupation with possessions can be described as: (a) Materialism, (b) Humanism, (c) Hedonism. 5. In which passage of Proverbs does Solomon identify wine as a mocker? (a) 16:18, (b) 14:12, (c) 20:1, (d) None of the above.