Solomon, disappointed with the yield of fl eshly pleasure now sought satisfaction and identity in his accomplishments. He became the top-dog, the best-of-the-best, numero-uno. All would envy his accomplishments and abilities; his greatness was without rival:
“Oh, I did great things:
built houses,
planted vineyards,
designed gardens and parks
and planted a variety of fruit trees in them,
made pools of water to irrigate the groves of trees.
I bought slaves, male and female,
who had children, giving me even more slaves;
then I acquired large herds and fl ocks,
larger than any before me in Jerusalem.
I piled up silver and gold, loot from kings and kingdoms.
I gathered a chorus of singers to entertain me with song,
and—most exquisite of all pleasures—
voluptuous maidens for my bed.
Oh, how I prospered! I left all my predecessors in Jerusalem far behind, left them behind
in the dust. What’s more, I kept a clear head through it all. Everything I wanted I took—
I never said no to myself. I gave in to every impulse, held back nothing. I sucked the marrow
of pleasure out of every task—my reward to myself for a hard day’s work!”
(Eccl 2:4-10 MESSAGE)
Solomon’s conclusion:
“Then I took a good look at everything I’d done, looked at all the sweat and hard work. But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke. Smoke and spitting into the wind. There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.” (Eccl 2:11 MESSAGE)
Prosperity with a Purpose
Solomon realised that without an eternal perspective all accomplishment and accumulation on this earth is futile.
“And I hated everything I’d accomplished and accumulated on this earth. I can’t take it with me—no, I have to leave it to whoever comes after me.” (Eccl 2:18 MESSAGE)
As Jesus Himself said, a man can gain the whole world yet lose his own soul:
“What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?” (Matt 16:26 MESSAGE)
Paul also entreated his disciple Timothy:
“But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. But flee from these things, you man of God; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance
and gentleness.” (1Tim 6:6-11 NASB)
Compare this to Solomon’s inquiries recorded in Ecclesiastes chapter 5:10-20 and 4:4-8. He realised:
“He who loves money will not be satisfi ed with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.” (Eccl 5:10 NASB)
Indeed, we can take nothing with us when we exit this planet: “As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.” (Eccl 5:15 NASB)
Solomon had witnessed the rat-race even in his day (whatever would he have concluded in our present cut-throat culture?): “Then I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting
into the wind.” (Eccl 4:4 MESSAGE)
The workaholic, trying to find meaning and satisfaction in all his ‘great’ accomplishments, forgetting what is of real and lasting value in this life under the sun:
“…I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, “Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?” More smoke. A bad business.” (v 7-8)
and its opposite: “The fool sits back and takes it easy, His sloth is slow suicide.” (v5)
The remedy?
“One hand full of rest is better than two fi sts full of labor and striving after wind.” (Eccl 4:6 NASB)
Solomon extols the virtue of balanced living, with proper perspective and time to enjoy the fruits of one’s labour with the people we love:
“Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.” (Eccl 5:19-20 NASB)
Paul picks up this same theme, again to his son in the faith, Timothy:
“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fi x their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,” (1Tim 6:17-18 NASB)
