Dwell College Bible Teachings Dwell Community Church

Ecclesiastes 12:1-13. As Solomon closes out Ecclesiastes, he recounts the many effects of aging, such as the loss of sight, hearing strength. The greatest effect is the weight of regrets. He exhorts his listeners to not make the same mistake he made. Don't put your faith and efforts into the things of the world. Instead, fear God and keep His commands. All the things you can pursue in this world are meaningless apart from God. Solomon knows this from experience!

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Some Christians believe that they don't need community to grow with God. King Solomon refutes this unbiblical idea. How can a person alone keep warm, or defend himself when overpowered? A chord of three strands is not quickly broken. After His acts of creation, God said, "It is good." But He saw Adam was alone and said that was not good so he made Eve to be his companion. God designed us to be in relationship with Him and other believers.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-21. In the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon confronts the fact in the end God will judge every deed. All of man's efforts to wrestle meaning out of life is for nothing if there is no God who holds eternity in His hands. Because God has set eternity in the human heart, Solomon can confidently conclude: Fear God and obey His commands. In God, there is ultimate meaning and significance. Your actions matter into eternity and death cannot rob you of your joy.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11. There was no pleasure that King Solomon denied himself. He indulged himself in alcohol, entertainment, women, anything money could buy. Not that any of those things are wrong in themselves, but pursuing them for happiness or meaning is fruitless. He found all those things were meaningless. He discovered he could not enjoy the gifts apart from the Giver of the gifts, God.

Ecclesiastes 2:4-6,17-23. King Solomon having already determined that pursuing wonton pleasure does not lead to a meaningful life, now turns his attention to attaining achievement and material success. But once again he comes up empty. He understands all his toil and anxious striving only leads to grief and pain, and restlessness. The Bible does not teach that work is sinful, but seeking ones significance from work is. There is a type of work that is meaningful, due to its enduring quality. When we pursue the work of the Lord, we will find significance and meaning.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-18. King Solomon with all his wealth and power did an exhaustive study to explore all that is done under the sun in order to find the meaning of life. He did not deny himself any pleasure or folly in his study. But all he found was emptiness, meaningless chasing after the wind. The more he delved into the human predicament, the worse he felt. A life lived under the sun without God is utterly meaningless.