Statistics

• Ecclesiastes contains a total of 222 verses. In the Bible, the number two is the number of division. Therefore, 222 indicates great division just as 666 is the number of man in Revelation 13:18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
  See All.... The book of Ecclesiastes prominently displays the separation between heaven and earth. Compare this to the second day of creation. On that day (day number two) the firmament was created to divide between the heaven and earth. And, just as on this day God never declared His creation to be good, so the book of Ecclesiastes is clearly the most pessimistic book of the Bible.
• Ecclesiastes clearly divides into two sections of six chapters each. This division into two equal parts is a picture of separation between God and man that marks the book. The first six chapters prove conclusively the vanity of all things under the sun. The second six chapters point to the importance of heavenly wisdom in the midst of earthly vanity.

Theme

• Ecclesiastes declares the absolute vanity of all things under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:1-3 [1] The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. [2] Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. [3] What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
  See All...; 2:22
  See All...; 6:11-12
  See All...; 12:8
  See All...). Biblical vanity does not refer to an excessive care on good looks. Biblical vanity is emptiness or worthlessness. Ecclesiastes mentions vanity 33 times. It refers to the emptiness of life; in fact, of meaning of any sort, if God is left out and there is no eternity or heaven (see also Psalm 39:5-6 [5] Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. [6] Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
  See All...; Psalm 62:9Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
  See All...).
• Two keys will help in understanding this total vanity as taught in Ecclesiastes:
• First, this vanity refers only to hose things that are under the sun. The phrase under the sun occurs 29 times in the book while under heaven occurs three times. The book does not declare eternal or heavenly things to be vain - only those things connected to this earth and limited by time.
• Second, this vanity deals with permanent, not temporary, value. Something is vain if it brings no ultimate value. The book emphasizes profit (Ecclesiastes 1:3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
  See All...; Ecclesiastes 3:9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
  See All...; Ecclesiastes 5:16And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
  See All...). Many things on earth have a temporary value and are not evil in themselves. However, when these things are examined in the light of eternity, they are worthless or vain. Consider these verses:
• “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?” Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 [2] Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. [3] What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
  See All...
• “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
  See All... 

Structure of the Book

• The twofold division of the book is clearly marked by the use of key words. Notice how the following words and phrases are distributed between the two sections:

• The first half of the book emphasizes the separation between heaven and earth. As such, the word vanity and the phrases under the sun and under heaven are much more common in this section. However, the second half of the book emphasizes the wisdom we need as is seen in the distribution of wise and wisdom.

Author

• King Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. Modernistic scholars deny this but they are wrong. The internal evidence of the book clearly identifies the author as Solomon. He is said to the “son of David” (1:1). And, he is called the “king over Israel in Jerusalem” (1:12). Only Solomon could be described by both of these statements. However, a study of the book will also show that only Solomon could have described the experiences told in the book.
• God appointed Solomon as the author of three books of scripture: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. Many Bible students have looked on these three books as fruits of three times in the life of Solomon.
• Song of Solomon – the love song of Solomon’s youth.
• Proverbs – the wisdom of Solomon’s middle years.
• Ecclesiastes – the frustrations of Solomon’s old age.
• In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon takes the position of a proclaimer of truth. He refers to himself as the preacher (a title not used in any other Old Testament book) a total of 7 times. He uses this title three times at the beginning of the book (1:1, 2, 12), once in the middle of the book (7:27) and three times at the end of the book (12:8, 9, 10). Solomon wants us to know that he has been through it all and has tried everything. What he speaks, he speaks with the voice of authority. We know that God inspired the words of the book. Solomon wants us to know that he has lived it.

Life of Solomon

• Solomon was born to David and Bathsheba after the death of the son who was a product of their adulterous union (2Samuel 12:24
  See All...). In David’s old age, he appointed Solomon to reign as his successor (1 Kings 1:17And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
  See All...). After Solomon became king, the Lord appeared to him in and offered to give him whatever he desired. Solomon wisely asked for wisdom and God blessed him in many ways (1 Kings 3:5-13 [5] In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. [6] And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. [7] And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. [8] And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. [9] Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? [10] And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing. [11] And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; [12] Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. [13] And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
  See All...). Solomon’s wisdom and wealth were known throughout the world (1 Kings 4:29-34 [29] And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. [30] And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. [31] For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. [32] And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. [33] And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. [34] And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
  See All...; 1 Kings 10:21-23 [21] And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. [22] For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. [23] So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
  See All...).
• But in the height of Solomon’s glory, he planted the seeds that led to much sorrow. He loved many women and took to himself a total of one thousand wives and concubines. In his old age, these wives led Solomon into idolatry so that his heart was not perfect with God (1 Kings 11:1-8 [1] But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites: [2] Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. [3] And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. [4] For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. [5] For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. [6] And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. [7] Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. [8] And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
  See All...). In return, the Lord sent adversaries to trouble Solomon in the later years of his reign (1 Kings 11:14And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
  See All..., 23). But, for David’s sake, he would not remove him (1 Kings 11:13Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.
  See All...).

Ecclesiastes

• The historical accounts do not record Solomon’s reaction to God’s judgment. However, the book of Ecclesiastes reveals that he did to some degree repent of his sins. Ecclesiastes was written after Solomon had lived and experienced almost all that this life has to offer (see 2:9-10 [9] Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! [10] Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.
  See All..., 25-26). The thousand women of Ecclesiastes 7:28Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
  See All... probably refer to Solomon’s thousand wives and concubines (1 Kings 11:3And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
  See All...). The book was certainly written toward the end of Solomon’s life.
• In Ecclesiastes we learn that God will judge those who sin against Him (Ecclesiastes 3:17I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
  See All...; Ecclesiastes 5:8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
  See All...; Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 [11] Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. [12] Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: [13] But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
  See All...; Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
  See All...; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 [13] Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. [14] For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
  See All...). Solomon knew what he was preaching about. He had experienced that judgment.
• In conclusion: Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes as a warning to those who think they can be satisfied with what the world has to offer. Solomon had tried it all. He had taken of all the pleasures the world had to offer. He could speak with experience. All is vanity and vexation of spirit. Nothing under the sun offers any permanent profit. In the end, the wise man is he who fears God and keeps His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
  See All...).