Glass Half Empty? Half Full? Ecclesiastes may answer.

^{©Lightwritingmatters 2015}

Perhaps, the glass simply needs to be filled to the brim or emptied completely as an answer to the proverbial question typically asked to determine whether you are a pessimist or optimist.

About the book of Ecclesiastes

Scholars, which this author is not, have opined, engaged in supposition, researched, explained, and pretty much have exhausted ways to dissect and interpret the book of Ecclesiastes. But, between you and I, the Holy Spirit is the final arbiter of what Holy Spirit inspired to be written. Thus, it will FINALLY be explained only under prayerful, Holy Spirit accompanied, understanding and even still, that is today’s enlightenment. The next time you read the same book you may be in a different place in your life thus open or touched in a completely different way. In fact, what is being written here for your consideration is what has been lighted for me to understand and may or may not be the same for you, the reader. But for today…

Just a quick review:

These are some phrases often repeated throughout the book. All things are vanity; Nothing is new under the sun; a striving after the wind.

Defining Vanity

As we understand ‘vanity’ today, it could be difficult to fully grasp what is meant throughout the book of Ecclesiastes. As used in this book most of the time it has more to do with a momentary fixation somewhat like a mist that appears and quickly dissipates. In a way our life is like a mist/vapor that disappears quickly. When a baby is born everyone waits to hear the baby cry. That means it has begun to breathe. From that breath to the last breath it could be 60-70-80 years yet those years out of an eternity truly are like a mist. Within the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon clearly surmises that much of what we would consider and perhaps spend precious time upon in our life is really only as important as we make it because [in Solomon’s opinion] at the end you leave this world the same way you enter, with nothing but your body --- the breath or cry for life now dissipated.

Clearly, he demonstrates logically that whatever we do, do it, enjoy it, make the most of it because that moment vanishes as quickly as it arrived. While he often repeats ‘this too is vanity’ he is spelling out the obvious: life is fragile, life in our body ends, these moments become memories but he even addresses to whom and for how long. In verse 11 of the first chapter he states “There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.” Or in other words the temporary nature of things: ‘Here today; gone tomorrow’.

Perceptions

After reading the first couple of chapters one could be led to a strong sense of futility about life. The discerning heart and critical thinker will begin to ponder ‘what is the point?’ What is Solomon who had title, wealth, health, an elite life with everything and anything immediately available trying to say? Was it that he was so vane he was bemoaning the reality that he was aging and closer to death? Did he decide to divest himself of it all and sit around ruminating? Or, did he compose this book to point to the ONLY thing that is not vanity?

If you have the time and inclination to read this book not once, not twice, but sufficient times to see the way he lays it out. The third chapter is a key. He basically moves through life from beginning to end. You are born, you die. In between you will build your life, you will plan your future and reap it. You may go to war. You will weep and wail and dance and laugh. You may create and recreate, find love and lose it. You may assess and reassess your life make changes and sometimes you may have to piece things back together you thought you no longer needed. You will have passionate emotions running the gamut between love and hate. You will have lived and in the end the ‘time for peace’. [Of course, reading chapter 3 one realizes it has manifold applications and interpretations. The one above is just one point of view.]

Solomon’s iterations aside, verses 9-13 of chapter 3 clearly attributes the beauty of our lives, the beauty of our surroundings, the good things we experience all ‘beautiful’ purposely by GOD. Thing is we love them so much we want to live forever because it is so beautiful --- yet that too is part of the gift of life, the breath of life, because GOD put eternity in our hearts. Enjoying the beauty of life is encouraged. Eat, drink, work hard because it is ‘the gift of GOD’.

The rest of the book of Ecclesiastes breaks down circumstances in life and the way people interact with life, with others and with their creator.

The bottom line:  

As you trek though the 12 chapters of Ecclesiastes you are taken to many places you have been in your life. King Solomon holds up a magnifying glass to zoom your attention down into your motives while other times a mirror to help focus your attention on what is right here, right now. Life as it is --- not what you fantasize it to be. He reminds us a few times there is nothing new under the sun but does that mean we are not inventing, innovating, imagining new? Or does it mean, whatever we do here on earth this is it. GOD has not created anything new under the sun. Remember, our Sun is for planet earth. 

With twelve chapters digging down and through life on earth from birth to death and everything in the middle the last two verses of Ecclesiastes gives us the overarching game plan:

“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.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
    including every hidden thing,
    whether it is good or evil.”

Ecc 12:13-14

Why? Because this life is not all there is. Vs 14 talks about the future.

Glass Half Full/Empty? Is it even relevant? What would Solomon say? “There is a time for everything…”

^©Lightwritingmatters 2015