Introducing Ecclesiastes (1 of 5)
Does it ever seem like life doesn’t make sense? It gets all the more confusing for us when we believe there is an all-wise, all-powerful, all-good God who governs all that comes to pass, a God we know as our Heavenly Father.
The Preacher in Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth) sees the same things we do in life. He sees the tragedies, the injustices, the frustrations, and the discouragement. Over the course of his life he has collected observations and stories, and has come to a conclusion. In fact, he leads with it: “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2).
The Preacher uses the word ‘vanity’ five times in that one verse. He doesn’t just say vanity; he says “vanity of vanities.” It reminds us of how the Bible describes the inner sanctum of God’s temple as the ‘holy of holies’— the Most Holy Place. Vanity of Vanities—vanity in the extreme, the superlative of vanity.
And he doesn’t just describe some things as vanity. He issues a sweeping proclamation, “vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”
Vanity translates the Hebrew word, הֶבֶל (hebel), which means mist or vapor. The Preacher uses this word to communicate meaningless, useless, fruitless, and empty.
‘Vanity of vanities’ is one of three phrases the Preacher uses to characterize what he observes. The other two phrases are ‘under the sun’ and ‘striving after wind.’ ‘Under the sun’ refers to the fallen creation characterized by disorder, decay, and dysfunction. ‘Striving after wind’ expresses frustration and fruitlessness.
We see all three phrases in 1:14: “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.” Surely, there is something worthwhile, something that stands out, something that gives meaning, something substantive and enduring. But his assessment relates to ‘everything’ and that all is empty and a futile pursuit.
Why is the Preacher so negative? Why is Ecclesiastes even in the Bible? It can seem so negative, so pessimistic, so hopeless. We can come away from it feeling confused and even depressed.
I think God gave us the book of Ecclesiastes because we desperately need wisdom to make sense of life. Wisdom brings us the perspective of God, especially in contrast to what we might conclude on our own.
God includes this wisdom book in the Bible to help us take an honest look at life and to strengthen our faith. His observations echo our own experience under the sun.
Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
NASB95 refers to Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
For further study see Under the Sun: Redemptive Reality in the Book of Ecclesiastes (Stanley D. Gale, Shepherd Press, 2025, 144 pages)
