Ecclesiastes 1

Introducing the Spokesman

1 The words of the spokesman, the son of David and the king in Jerusalem.

The Theme

2 “Absolutely pointless!” says the spokesman. “Absolutely pointless! Everything is pointless.”

Life Is an Endless Circle

3 What do people gain from all their hard work under the sun?4 Generations come, and generations go,but the earth lasts forever.5 The sun rises, and the sun sets,and then it rushes back to the place where it will rise again.6 The wind blows toward the south and shifts toward the north.Round and round it blows. It blows in a full circle.7 All streams flow into the sea, but the sea is never full.The water goes back to the place where the streams beganin order to start flowing again.8 All of these sayings are worn-out phrases. They are more than anyone can express, comprehend, or understand.9 Whatever has happened before will happen again. Whatever has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun.10 Can you say that anything is new? It has already been here long before us.

11 Nothing from the past is remembered. Even in the future, nothing will be remembered by those who come after us.

The Spokesman Begins to Study Everything Under Heaven

12 I, the spokesman, have been king of Israel in Jerusalem.

13 With all my heart I used wisdom to study and explore everything done under heaven.
Mortals are weighed down with a terrible burden that God has placed on them.

The Spokesman’s General Conclusion

14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun. Look at it! It’s all pointless. It’s like trying to catch the wind.
15 No one can straighten what is bent.No one can count what is not there.

The Spokesman Begins to Study Life

16 I thought to myself, “I have grown wiser than anyone who has ruled Jerusalem before me. I’ve had a lot of experience with wisdom and knowledge.”

17 I’ve used my mind to understand wisdom and knowledge as well as madness and stupidity. Now I know that this is like trying to catch the wind.
18 With a lot of wisdom comes a lot of heartache.The greater your knowledge, the greater your pain.

Ecclesiastes 1

Title

1 The words of the Teacher,ts the sont of David, kings in Jerusalem:ss

Introduction: Utter Futility

2 “Futile! Futile!” lamentst the Teacher,s
“Absolutely futile!t Everythingt is futile!”ts

Futility Illustrated from Nature

3 What benefitt do peoplet get from all the effort
whicht they expends on earth?ts

4 A generation comest and a generation goes,t
but the earth remainst the samet through the ages.t

5 The sun risest and the sun sets;t
it hurries awayt to a place from which it risest again.t

6 The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north;
round and roundt the wind goes and on its rounds it returns.t

7 All the streams flowt into the sea, but the sea is not full,
and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again.ts

8 All thist monotonyt is tiresome; no one can beart to describe it:ts
The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever contentt with hearing.

9 What exists nowt is what will be,t
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing truly new on earth.t

10 Is there anything about which someone can say, “Look at this! It is new!”?t
It was alreadyt done long ago,s before our time.t

11 No one remembers the former events,t
nor will anyone remembert the events that are yet to happen;ts
they will not be remembered by the future generations.ts

Futility of Secular Accomplishment

12 I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.s

13 I decidedt to carefullyt and thoroughly examinet
all that has been accomplished on earth.ts
I concluded:t God has given peoplet a burdensome taskt
that keeps themt occupied.t

14 I reflected on everything that is accomplished by mant on earth,t
and I concluded: Everythingt he has accomplishedt is futilet – like chasing the wind!t

15 What is bentt cannot be straightened,t
and what is missingt cannot be supplied.t

Futility of Secular Wisdom

16 I thought to myself,t
“I have become much wisert than any of my predecessors who ruledt over Jerusalem;s
It have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.”t

17 So I decidedt to discern the benefit oft wisdom and knowledge overt foolish behavior and ideas;t
however, I concludedt that event this endeavort is liket trying to chase the wind!t

18 For with great wisdom comest great frustration;
whoever increases hist knowledge merelyt increases hist heartache.