"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities,

all is vanityall is vanity."."(Eccl. 1:2 - NKJ)

VanityVanity – hebel (Hebrew)

• vapor, breath• fleeting, empty, worthless, deceitful• absurd

Vanity Vanity – hebel (Hebrew)

Old Testament usage:• Idols• Brevity of human life• Pointlessness of living a pure life• Multiple applications• Worthlessness

A concept with many

nuances

Vanity ManifestedVanity Manifested•1:3-11 – The vanity of working but getting nowhere

Eccl. 1:8 All things are full of labor; man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Vanity ManifestedVanity Manifested•1:12-2:11 – The vanity of advancing but not obtaining Wisdom

Fun and frolic Projects and possessions Entertainment

Vanity ManifestedVanity Manifested•1:12-2:11 – The vanity of advancing but not obtainingEccl. 2:

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.

Vanity ManifestedVanity Manifested• 2:18-23 – The vanity of losing by

gainingEccl. 2:18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool?…

Vanity ManifestedVanity ManifestedVanity was everywhere he looked:• Power for the oppressors, no comfort for the oppressed• Evil for the just, reward for the wicked• Time and chance happens to all

The lot of the rich, poor, wise, fool, righteous, wicked

Eccl. 5:16 And this also is a severe evil-- just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind?17 All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.

Vanity Vanity manifested by Ziggy

The key to understanding the message that “all is vanity”“all is vanity” is to view it in light of the setting in which the observations are made… “life under the sun”.“life under the sun”.

Interpreting the Interpreting the MessageMessage

• 1:3, 9, 14• 2:11, 17, 20• 3:16

“Vanity” is what Koheleth saw,

“under the sun” is where he

saw it

• His observations about vanity are limited to life on earth.

• A totally secular viewpoint.

• Most of his observations are about life without heaven’s insights or foresight.

Interpreting the Interpreting the MessageMessage

Life on earth, under the sun…

An absurd, meaningless venture, An absurd, meaningless venture, which, in spite of hard work, in which, in spite of hard work, in spite of prudence, in spite of spite of prudence, in spite of

discipline, in spite of talent and discipline, in spite of talent and skill, leaves us with nothing.skill, leaves us with nothing.

The Point of the The Point of the MessageMessage

Eccl. 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

The book is a latent apologetic

Islands of Faith and Islands of Faith and HopeHope

• 3:11, 14-17• 5:1-2• 8:12-13• 12:13-14

Islands of Faith and Islands of Faith and HopeHope• He painfully sees what is happening “under the sun”, but He knows God is above it all.• The book is layered, not contradictory.

Ground (dirt) level > VanityBedrock > GOD!

• Darkness with brief flashes of light

The point of life is to trust in Godtrust in God

with hope that our life will have meaning

though everything about our earthly, physical

experience tells us that it’s all in vain.

Koheleth and the Koheleth and the MessiahMessiahIsaiah 49:3 "And He said to me, 'You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.'4 Then I said, 'I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, and my work with my God.'"

Koheleth and the Koheleth and the MessiahMessiahLuke 24:2121 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

Koheleth and the Koheleth and the MessiahMessiah

Christ showed that though an earthly existence may seem to be futile, it doesn’t have to be.

He paved the way to victory over vanity.

Koheleth and the Koheleth and the ApostleApostle• Romans 8:18-23• II Corinthians 4:16-18• I Corinthians 15:50-58

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.• Philippians 2:15-16

Eccl. 2:10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, …

• People have never been more empty on the inside.• Ecclesiastes has never been

more relevant.