The book of Ecclesiastes is one of the least taught least preached and least read books in the Bible. However, it has one of the most relevant messages for our day. It is a rich tapestry of opposing threads, horizontal threads of an "under the sun" perspective that is worldly-wise and vertical threads of an "under God's Heaven" perspective that reflects the wisdom of God. Which perspective you embrace will determine whether life is a chore or a blessing. Man's wisdom leads to meaninglessness. God's wisdom leads to significance and true joy.

2. Series Overview
Trivial Pursuits
•Worldly Wisdom
•Pleasure
•Meaning
•Lasting Gain
•Self-Sufficiency
Meaningful Pursuits
•God’s Timetable
•Companionship
•“The” God
•The Fear of God
•Obedience

3. The Pursuit of
Worldly Wisdom
Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

4. Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
• Who is Qoheleth?
• What is the meaning of his name?
• Is Qoheleth Solomon or someone
fashioning themselves after
Solomon?

5. What is the genre of Ecclesiastes?
A genre is a type of literature. Prose,
poetry, narrative, wisdom literature,
history, and apocalyptic are “genres”.

6. What is the genre of Ecclesiastes?
A genre is a type of literature. Prose,
poetry, narrative, wisdom literature,
history, and apocalyptic are “genres”.
Ecclesiastes is an example of
“Wisdom Literature”, like
Job, Psalms, Proverbs and
Song of Songs.

7. What is the genre of Ecclesiastes?
A genre is a type of literature. Prose,
poetry, narrative, wisdom literature,
history, and apocalyptic are “genres”.
Ecclesiastes is an example of
“Wisdom Literature”, like
Job, Psalms, Proverbs and
Song of Songs.
Ecclesiastes is a sub-genre of
Wisdom Lit. It is the only
example of “Pessimism
Literature” in the Bible.

8. Sermon Outline
Vanity Monotony Vexation

9. First Point
Vanity
A proper understanding
of “Vanity” is the key to
understanding
Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes
1:1-2

10. ‫ל‬ ֶ‫ב‬ ֶ
‫ה‬ Hevel
• Often translated as Empty, Vain or
Meaningless.

11. ‫ל‬ ֶ‫ב‬ ֶ
‫ה‬ Hevel
• Often translated as Empty, Vain or
Meaningless.
• Literal Meaning: Vapor; Breath; Mist

12. ‫ל‬ ֶ‫ב‬ ֶ
‫ה‬ Hevel
• Often translated as Empty, Vain or
Meaningless.
• Literal Meaning: Vapor; Breath; Mist.
• Hevel speaks of transitoriness; things
that pass away; that which is
temporary.

13. Second Point
Life is reduced to
monotony if your
perspective is “under
the sun”.
Monotony
Ecclesiastes
1:3-11

14. Life is monotonous
•We work and work…
•Generations “go and come”…
•The sun rises and sets…
•The winds circle and circle…
•Rivers endlessly run into the sea…

15. Life is monotonous
•We work and work…
•Generations “go and come”…
•The sun rises and sets…
•The winds circle and circle…
•Rivers endlessly run into the sea…
All without gain!

16. Life is wearisome
•The eye is never satisfied with seeing!

17. Life is wearisome
•The eye is never satisfied with seeing!
•The ear is never filled with hearing!

18. Life is wearisome
•The eye is never satisfied with seeing!
•The ear is never filled with hearing!
•The mind is never thrilled by novelty!
There is nothing new under the sun!
There is no legacy left behind!

19. What does “The Teacher” mean by
“under the sun”?
•In the Old Testament this phrase only
occurs in Ecclesiastes.
•Under the sun appears 29 times in
Ecclesiastes!

20. What does “The Teacher” mean by
“under the sun”?
•In the Old Testament this phrase only
occurs in Ecclesiastes.
•Under the sun appears 29 times in
Ecclesiastes!
Under the sun = Living without
taking God into account!

21. Third Point
Vanity
Godless Wisdom
produces frustration,
not insight!
Ecclesiastes
1:12-18
Vexation

22. Godless Wisdom is
• An unhappy business!

23. Godless Wisdom is
• An unhappy business!
• Incapable of fixing anything!

24. Godless Wisdom is
• An unhappy business!
• Incapable of fixing anything!
• A striving after the wind!

25. Godless Wisdom is
• An unhappy business!
• Incapable of fixing anything!
• A striving after the wind!
• A source of “vexation.” and sorrow!

26. Ecclesiastes
is a tapestry!
•The Horizontal
Perspective is
“Life under the
Sun”. It is godless,
hopeless and
meaningless.

27. Ecclesiastes
is a tapestry!
•The Vertical
Perspective is
“Life under God’s
Heaven. It is filled
with joy, hope
and purpose!