sun. The third shows what happens after a man is gone who lives under the sun. Ecclesiastes does not tell us what should be done under the sun. This obviously comes from other parts of the Bible. In Ephesians you have the account of man above the sun. By faith we are quickened, raised and seated with Christ in the heavenlies. Ecclesiastes, then, is not God’s idea of how we should live. It is not His teaching of what takes place after death. We say again, it is merely man’s ideas of these things. It is interesting to note that the key expression, “under the sun,” oc curs twenty-nine times in Ecclesias tes. Nothing “above the sun” is listed for us. Everything is limited to the temporary and earthly. Interestingly, the only word for God in Ecclesias tes, appearing forty times, is “Elo- him”, which is the creative name of God. “Jehovah” does not come into view. Ecclesiastes does not know the personal God. It sees no Jesus Christ, Prophet, Priest and coming King. The dominant words for natural man occur forty times in Ecclesiastes. There is nothing here about the saved sons of God, or of a new man whom Christ created in righteous ness and true holiness. The natural man in this book walks under God’s curse, according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air. One other phrase pervades the en tire writings. It is “vanity of vanity.” It marks the conclusion of every var ied research no matter where Solo mon turns his attention. This reminds us of soap bubbles. Life in its finality, without Jesus Christ, is elusive and empty. Man may seek to grasp life with its mystic rainbow, but as the child catching the bubble crushes it, so all earthly vanities perish. May these few words serve to help us gain a better understanding of this book and the futility of life apart from a personal knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Page 39
There certainly never has been a time in all history when unity of all races of men needed more to be emphasized than in this day in which we are living, when nations on every hand are rising up against nations, and men almost every where throughout the world are murder ing their brothers. . . 1917 Keep in mind that even the devil’s words are quoted in the Bible. The writers were inspired to record them but God had nothing to do with the original concepts behind the state ments. But why is Solomon singled out to give us such commentaries? Who could better write of the van ity of things in this world than such a man who, in his day, led the world in knowledge, riches, number of wives, and doubtles in immoral con duct? None of this did God condone. Three main verses give us the un folded mystery of Ecclesiastes. In 1:13 one is seen, the other two are in 6:12. The first shows the things done under the sun and the second what is good for a man under the
Ron Hafer (center), Dir. of Student Activ ities, with youth pastors on College Day.
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