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- [00:00]
A
Foreign. Hey, this is a year in the Bible with daily grace. And it's an exciting day because we're beginning a new book, the Book of Ecclesiastes. We have wrapped up Proverbs, and we're continuing through the wisdom literature, which is great. We hope that if you're following along, you'll let us know what you're learning, let us know what you take away from Scripture. You can do that. You can leave a review, you can leave a comment. We love to see those. Okay, Paul, as we begin this new book of Ecclesiastes, we like to start with just saying some general things to keep in mind. It's going to take us about four days to get through Ecclesiastes. So what do we need to know about this book as we jump into it for the next four days?
- [00:41]
B
Yeah, well, I'm really excited to be doing Ecclesiastes because it's one of my favorite books in the Bible. So, like you mentioned, it's a book of wisdom literature, a lot like Proverbs, but we get a little bit of a different take on wisdom from Ecclesiastes, which is kind of cool. I think it gives a really unique contribution to the canon of Scripture. And I like to think of wisdom in the Bible, sort of like a tapestry where you have these three threads of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job. And of course, there's wisdom elsewhere in the Bible, even in Psalms, but I think each book contributes something unique. And so Job and Proverbs kind of give thoughts on what the wise life looks like and where wisdom comes from. So Proverbs, you have kind of general maxims, not promises, not saying, if you do this, you'll get this, but rather that generally when you live this way, these outcomes will occur. And then Job kind of asks this question of where does true wisdom come from? And the answer is from God, even in the midst of suffering and really difficult seasons. But Ecclesiastes adds a really unique take here that I think is cool, and it kind of looks at life with a healthy tinge of cynicism in order to boil life down to its most essential parts. And I really like what the year in the Bible study that accompanies this podcast says about it. It says the book's author invites the reader into his musings on the paradox of life, death, work, and wealth. He considers the culmination of all these things a vapor there one moment and gone the next. His reflections seem to cast a shadow on any hope for the future. We might be holding onto. But rather than leaving us with that kind of dismal assessment of life, he actually offers a very different vision for life that is focused on just what really matters. Like I said, boil it down to its most essential elements, and that's God and the good gifts he's given us. So, yeah, I'm really excited to get into this book.
- [02:37]
A
Yeah, I'm excited to get into Ecclesiastes as well. Okay, so today we're focusing on chapters one through three. So let's walk through these chapters and what's happening in them.
- [02:46]
B
Yeah, so these are really foundational for the book. They kind of give some essential things that will carry all the way through. So chapter one kind of gives a thesis statement for the book, almost basically reflecting on the fleeting nature of life and everything that we do. Chapter two kind of expands on those musings about vanity and asserts that, you know, work is vain because one day we're going to die and someone else is going to take up our work. Wealth is vain because even the richest people aren't satisfied. And this is the really interesting thing. He even says that this, the pursuit of wisdom itself is vain, which is kind of weird in a book about wisdom. But I think that's the unique contribution that Ecclesiastes brings, is that it helps to balance the view of Proverbs to say that, hey, even wisdom isn't everything. And I think it points us to the fact that really God is the source of true wisdom. So it's not just wisdom for wisdom's sake, but wisdom because it comes from God. And then lastly, chapter three kind of gives us this really unique description of how there's a season for everything. There's a season for birth and death, crying and laughing, even for war and peace. And I think similarly, there's a time when we should really watch our steps in this life, kind of like Proverbs. And then there's other times when we need to contemplate the fleeting nature of life that, hey, you know, the decisions I make aren't everything at the end of the day.
- [04:13]
A
Yeah, okay, that's very helpful. So let's talk about what we take away. Because like you said, there's kind of like a cynicism that we see throughout Ecclesiastes. And it can be hard to know how do I apply this? Should I feel like everything in my life is me meaningless? And you've given us some a helpful lens to already view those words through. But what are you taking away? And what should we take away from today's chapters.
- [04:38]
B
Yeah, there's a specific verse I want to point to, and it's 2,24. And after this discussion of vanity, he essentially boils it down and says, there is nothing better for a person than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work. I have seen that even this is from God's hand, because who can eat and who can enjoy life apart from Him? And so notice this isn't just hedonism, which is a worldview that basically says that pleasure is the most important thing and that we should seek to feel good all the time. That's not what this is. Instead, it's the pleasures of life that God intends for us to have. It's the things that God has given us for the purpose of joy. And the most important thing is that the eating and drinking and working he's doing comes from God's hand. And so essentially, the takeaway here, I think, is that nothing in life is ultimately fulfilling without God, and that intimacy with him is everything. And so Ecclesiastes, the whole book and these chapters really encourages me when I feel futile, when I feel like my work is pointless. Why am I even doing any of this? Kind of a feeling of depression. It reminds me that God is the one that puts it in perspective and gives it value.
- [05:47]
A
Yeah, absolutely. And that's got to be my takeaway, too. You know, there are definitely times in life where it feels monotonous. And you're like, okay, I wake up, I get. I get my kids out the door, I work, I come home, I clean, I do the dishes, I do the laundry. And you're just searching for meaning beyond the monotony of it. And Ecclesiastes reminds me that, yeah, there is a sense in which some of those things are unfulfilling, you know, yet true fulfillment, true purpose and meaning in life is found in Christ. And so I'm definitely taking that away from these chapters. I'm looking forward to going through the rest of Ecclesiastes, and I'm thankful for the framework you've given us to go through it. Paul. Okay, we'll be back in Ecclesiastes with more tomorrow.
- [06:32]
B
See ya.
- [06:33]
C
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A
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- [07:37]
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- [07:38]
D
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