Ecclesiastes Chapter 2:

Ecclesiastes Chapter 2:

4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

The short translation of this passage is simply do not expect happiness, purpose, or fulfillment to come about by any means of worldly gain or attainment. Solomon had as much advantage in this life across-the-board as anyone who has ever lived, plus he had godly wisdom above most people who have ever lived as well. The divine wisdom that God gave to Solomon constantly reminded him that there could be no fulfillment or lasting joy or completeness of heart and spirit by means of having, getting, and possessing anything, anyone, or any circumstance in this life. At the time Solomon lived there was nothing eternal available to the soul of man, and that is why the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes is that 'all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.' The term vanity in the Biblical context means 'passing away without continuance,' which is to say temporal. The phrase vexation of spirit literally translates to mean 'the pursuit of the wind.' Both of these terms reflect the futility of trying to find peace and happiness through the things of this life.

So we have this prime example of someone in the Bible who had the finest of everything that this life could possibly offer, not to mention he was the king over the greatest nation in the earth. Of course he also had great ivine wisdom, and as I said that wisdom kept him aware at all times that peace, contentment, and completeness of spirit simply is not available by means of anything in this life. And the beauty of this revelation in the book of Ecclesiastes is that Jesus came from heaven, and died a horrible death for our sake, and rose again to give us the only eternal thing that has ever been available to mankind. That would be the 'eternal spirit' of God, and when we possess the eternal spirit of God in our souls then we have the one means of contentment, joy, peace, fulfillment, and true completeness of heart and soul that has ever been made available to man. So all of our pursuing and seeking and desiring to have should be first and foremost placed on the heart and soul of God, because it is the eternal spirit that comprises the heart and the soul of both God and his Son.

Even as it is written, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:1,2). And of course this agrees with what Jesus instructed us to do: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Mat. 6:33). So it only makes good sense for us to not pursue and seek after the things which cannot fulfill and bring joy, contentment, and peace to us; and rather to put our strength and our focus and our desires on the things that do fulfill, and that do bring an abundance of joy, and that do keep us complete in heart and soul. And on top of that we have the promise of Jesus that everything else we have need of in this life will be added to us. So it's a very beautiful life if we have the joy and peace of God dwelling fully in us, because we will appreciate and truly enjoy everything and everyone that we do have. Whereas if we try to have everything and everyone, and put ourpursuits on this life, then we will be left empty and full of regret, having not experienced the contentment and peace that is only found in Christ.