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Ecclesiastes: When All Has Been Heard…

Life is absolutely pointless, miserable, and nothing matters. It’s the same ole, same ole. Do I just live in the now with little hope or future? Do I sacrifice for an earthly legacy that will be squandered and forgotten? The wealthiest and wisest King of Israel wrestled with these very thoughts in Ecclesiastes. Will we arrive at his conclusion, WHEN ALL HAS BEEN HEARD…? #ecclesiastes #2023

Starter

Pray

Lord we pray that You would help us in our study of Ecclesiastes to be in awe of You and obey Your ways. We recognize that all things under the sun are temporal, futile, and meaningless, but not the things of eternity. We recognize that no amount of intellect, wisdom, pleasure, relationships, or power will ever satisfy our eternal longings. When All Has Been Heard…Lord help us arrive at Solomon’s conclusion of the matter: enjoy life in You, fear You, and keep Your commands, because this is for all humanity. May we with Your strength understand the WISE versus the FOOL and act WISE and not a FOOL. Amen.

Study Questions

"Wise or Fool”

Solomon would have had the pressure of being King David’s son and seemingly illegitimate heir. However, Solomon believed in the God of Israel and was given the kingship and supernatural WISDOM from God (2 Chronicles 1:10, 1 Kings 3:12). He became the most powerful, wealthy, and desirable king of the world. Even though Solomon misused that WISDOM, abused his position of authority, and clung to relational idolatry (1 Kings 11:1-2), God never took away His WISDOM (Ecclesiastes 2:3), and that allowed Solomon to see the meaninglessness of life and give us the conclusion of the matter (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

God had Solomon write 3 books as a picture of life. His first book, likely written when he was young, was Song of Solomon about youthful passion and relationship. His second book, likely written in midlife, was Proverbs about the importance of living with WISDOM not just passionate feeling. His final book written near the end of his life was Ecclesiastes about the futility of it all and reality of life.

READ Ecclesiastes 9:16-10:1, 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

  1. Why do you think we tend to celebrate and respect the wealthy, loud, strong, and powerful FOOLS verses the poor, simple, obedient, and calm WISE?
  2. It required extensive cultivation, time, and work to make perfume in Solomon’s day. Perfumes or aromas were used often to cover up or mask the real smell of things in the ancient world because they didn’t bathe regularly. It was very very expensive and a simple dead bug could ruin it.
    1. How have you seen something very small and simple (dead fly) ruin something beautiful (perfume)?
    2. What do you think of Paul’s words about how and why we smell? How might we tell if we smell right?
  3. Discuss how marketing God’s message for profit becomes the dead fly in the perfume of the WISE gospel.
    1. What are ways that we may need to question the WISDOM of marketing the message of Jesus in our own lives and in the church today?

READ Ecclesiastes 10:2, Mark 14:61-62, Colossians 3:1, Psalm 110:1, Matthew 22:41-46

  1. What can we deduct from these scriptures that make the metaphor of the right hand the place of the WISE and the left hand the place of fool?

READ Ecclesiastes 10:3, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Our WISE God provides a safer guide through life other than all the impulsive actions of fools who are taking the popular roads. Even when a fool does occasionally take the right course, he eventually makes it clear that he does not understand why or the wisdom behind it.

  1. How have you seen those who you thought had sense expose that they were just acting a fool? What was your response to that realization?

READ Ecclesiastes 10:4-11

  1. True WISDOM leads us to be willing to not leave our posts, remain lowly, and be willing to walk even as a prince. How did Jesus demonstrate this?