Ecclesiastes: Living in Light of the End | Dr. Stephen Conley

“Ecclesiastes: Living in Light of the End” (Book Overview)

 The Author of Ecclesiastes

• The human author is announced in 1:1 as the “Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” This is most likely referring to Solomon, who also wrote the Book of Proverbs and the Song of Solomon.
• When Solomon became king, he asked God for wisdom instead of wealth and honor, which God granted to him in abundance. (1 Kings 3:5-15). However, Solomon went astray from God’s wisdom to following His own heart.
• Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes in his old age as he seeks to make sense of his life.

The Arrangement of Ecclesiastes

• Ecclesiastes is bookended with these phrases: “All is vanity” and “Fear God and keep His commandments.”
• The word vanity is a key word in the book that refers to life being a “breath” or “vapor.”
• Ecclesiastes is arranged for the reader to see what life looks like when it is lived backwards.

The Aim of Ecclesiastes

• The purpose of Ecclesiastes is to help us to live our lives backwards – in light of the end.
• This book helps us to loosen our grip on the temporal and live for the eternal.