Ecclesiastical Notes

“Meaningless! Meaningless!

Says the Teacher.

Utterly Meaningless!

Everything is meaningless.”

What is the point of work and toil? The wind blows without ceasing, and rivers flow into never-filling oceans. The same is with man. All things grow wearisome. The eye never has its fill of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.

“What has been will be again,

what has been done will be

done again.

There is nothing new under the sun.”

Nothing is new, it has been done before in times past and forgotten. Nothing done today will be remembered for long.

Wisdom is Meaningless

I have searched for meaning in knowledge. I attempt to learn all that is in heaven and earth, but this is meaningless: “A chasing after the wind”

“For with much wisdom

comes much sorrow;

The more knowledge, the

more grief.”

Pleasure is Meaningless

“Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But it was meaningless. “'Laughter,' I said, 'is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?'” Nothing. I tried to find pleasure in a life of folly, doing what brings happiness. I had great dream, and undertook great projects. I was greater than my peers in wisdom and in accomplishment. I denied myself nothing that my eyes desired, my heart grew happy in my work, and this was the reward for my toil. But I looked over all of my accomplishment, and it was ultimately useless: “Nothing was gained under the sun.”

Wisdom and Folly are Meaningless

Why do I struggle to be wise? Life is basically meaningless: Both the fool and the wise man will eventually die. Neither will be long remembered. What has meaning that can be gained by wisdom?

Toil is Meaningless

I hate life because work is grievous to me. I hate all of the things I toiled for, because I must leave them when I die. Who knows if the one who gains the fruit of my labors will be a fool or not? So I have become depressed, because all of my toil will ultimately be in vain. What can I gain from anxious striving? My days are full of anxious grief. Even at night my mind does not rest. All I can do is eat, drink, and find satisfaction with his work. This must be from God, for how – If life is meaningless – can I find true enjoyment without him? “To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness,” but to sinners like me, he gives the task of storing up pleasures for the righteous.

A Time for Everything

“There is a time for

everything,

and a season for every

activity under heaven:”

There is a time to live, to die; to plant, to uproot; to kill, to heal; to break, to build; to weep, to laugh; to mourn, to dance; to scatter, to gather; to embrace, to refrain; to search, to give up; to keep, to lose; to tear, to mend; to speak, to keep silent; to love, to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. God makes everything beautiful in its time. All pleasure and beauty is a gift from God. “I know that everything God does will endure forever; Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it, so [I] will revere Him.” God will judge all according to His standards in His time, so we must accept that.

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

I have seen the evil in the world. I have seen the tears and suffering. It is true that the dead are much happier and better off then the living. Better yet is the man who was never born, because the world has so much evil. Everything under the sun is meaningless and evil, and there is no end to the toil of man. That is what friends are for. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up, but pity on the man who falls and has no one to pick him up... … Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Stand in Awe of Your God

God is in heaven, and I am on earth. God gives life meaning, when all else is meaningless. Therefore I should love God and keep my vows, so that I might not anger him.

Remember the Creator While Young

Light is sweet. Let man enjoy all the days of his life. I must be happy, while I am young, and do what is pleasing to God. I must banish anxiety from my heart, and cast off the troubles of my body, for youth and vigor are meaningless. Everything will grow dark, and I will regret the days when I chose to live in darkness. I have lost all will to live, and I mourn my wasted life.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!

Says the Teacher.

Everything is meaningless!”

“Now all has been heard;

here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments,

for this is the duty of all mankind.

For God will bring every deed into judgment,

including every hidden thing,

whether it is good or evil.”

God gives meaning to an otherwise meaningless life, and I thank him and love him.

Amen