Ecclesiastes is the last will and testament of King Solomon.

Many commentators on the Book of Ecclesiastes think that Solomon learned from his mistakes and when he was old, he got right with God. I am not so sure that he did. One thing for sure, his observations of the mistakes that he made are correct. His ultimate conclusions about life are valid. However, I am not so sure that he was able to change his life even though he was able to see the utter failure of his experimenting with sin! His life is never used as an example, although his writings and wisdom are recommended by God:

II Chronicles 35:4 “And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.”

I will also recommend his wisdom and writings. As you learn the lessons taught in the book of Ecclesiastes, you will be able to answer the question of why you are here and what it is you are supposed to be doing!


Why Am I Here?

 

Sunday School Lessons on Ecclesiastes

Introduction

 

            Have you ever wondered why you are here. Do you want to find out what the purpose of life is all about? A good understanding of the Bible book of Ecclesiastes will help you answer that question!

The Bible book of Ecclesiastes should be looked upon as the “last will and testament” of King Solomon. It should be read, meditated on, and studied by every Bible believer. The Bible would be incomplete without it. Having the thoughts and conclusions of the wisest, wealthiest, and most successful leader that ever lived (outside of the Lord Jesus Christ) is extremely beneficial.

How great is it to know the mistakes of others so that you don’t make the same stupid mistakes?

As a person navigates the trials and temptations of this life, having God’s thoughts on the subject as revealed to King Solomon, is helpful in knowing what to do! With all the success, advantages, and blessings of God that King Solomon enjoyed, he also made many mistakes, especially at the end of his life. Learning about his victories and mistakes will prepare a person to make better decisions.

Along with Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes is considered one of the wisdom books in the Bible. Psalms deals with the heart, Proverbs covers the Head, Song of Solomon delves into romantic love. Jobshows how to handle problems, and Ecclesiastes answers the question of “Why am I here and what am I supposed to do?” The companion New Testament books to Ecclesiastes are Colossians and James.

The key verse in Ecclesiastes is Ecclesiastes 1:3

“What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?”

What a horrible testimony it would be to get to the end of your life and find out that you wasted the whole thing! He is asking and attempting to answer, “Why am I here?” The sooner a person figures this out, the happier and more successful they will be! Notice the two words: profit and labour. Life is full of labour. It is an even greater tragedy to work hard all your life and produce nothing!

The expression “under the sun” appears 27 times in the book of Ecclesiastes. This is instructive as it teaches that Solomon is writing about things that happen in this life (under the sun). Because he doesn’t have access to the New Testament, he can only figure out part of what life is all about. This study will point out these ½ truths and partial revelations. Here it is important to believe that God put Ecclesiastes in the Bible and that it is the Word of God. However, it does not contain the completed revelation of God. For example, to get the complete answer to the question of why I am here, you need Solomon’s conclusion in Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14. As you keep reading the Bible, you can combine that with 1 John 4:8 and Revelation 4:11.

Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

1 John 4:8 “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

The purpose of life is not to just fear God and keep His commandments. The purpose of life is to love God and experience His love. It is to bring Him glory because of His love for us! If you get that, you will be on your way to understanding not only why you are here but what you are supposed to be doing!