God’s gifts do not come with an instruction book, but instructions about them are surely in the Holy Book. He has told us that we should not set our hearts on the riches. Solomon received so very much that he was overwhelmed with it all and slowly began to allow his heart to believe that this was where life is. It took him many years to realize the emptiness of riches and even wisdom, without God. The gift without the Giver is indeed vain. That is what Ecclesiastes is about. Solomon learned by experience, that this world is nothing without its Maker. He then projects his own experiences with emptiness upon all men, making the book look like it is talking about the norm, rather than what it really is discussing: the human norm.

2. Ecclesiastes 2:24. To eat and drink… this is from God, the best?

We’re talking here about human existence. Work hard. Enjoy the fruit of your labor, with thankfulness to God. “Having food and clothes, let us be content” is the New Testament parallel. This does not deny the higher spiritual calling we have, but sets a simple standard of human existence for the duration of our stay here.

3. Ecclesiastes 3:5. What is “throwing stones” all about?

Some stones are in the way. Like the ones in your garden. They need to be cast away somewhere. Other stones, larger ones, perhaps, were in those days used for building. These need to be gathered and used. This is not about using stones as weapons, etc.

4. Ecclesiastes 3:19. Same fate for humans and animals? No advantage for us?

Though negative and sounding very wrong theologically, it is true that when a man dies, and when a dog dies, their bodies both turn back to dust. There is absolutely no advantage as far as the parallel goes.

But Solomon quickly adds that there is a spirit, life, in both of these creations. And that spirit expires (animals) or moves into another realm (human). Well, we know that, anyway. Solomon puts a question mark in it. That is, who really knows? Who can see such a thing? His “under the sun” approach is consistent here. Viewed from this side only, life looks very vain. We live, we die, just like the animals, and that’s it. Unless, maybe, man’s spirit goes up, but who can know that?

No one can, unless he is touched by that other Spirit.

5. Ecclesiastes 4:2-3. Non-existence is best? Death, next? Living, worst?

So now he turns his gaze to the awful things happening in the world. It would be like reading the newspaper or watching the cable news for us. War! Famine! Disease! Humanly speaking, remember, without reference to God, if you have no reference to Him, it would be so much better if you had not been born. (Consider Jesus’ comments to Judas in this regard.)

Since you are here, next best would be that you die immediately. Worst of all, you have to keep living in this mess. Under the sun.

Subtract God from the picture, and it seems that that is what Solomon continues to do, and you have nothing to be living for. You join with Job in cursing the day you were born. And remember, he loved God and all his fellow man, until…

How easy to criticize Job and Solomon in their negative comments. But when trials come, we are tempted to the same communications, and all day long we are asking, Why?

Solomon only hints at the answer to that question, but there are shouts of the answer in other Bible books.

6. Ecclesiastes 5:3. Dream through much effort?

The NASB says that a “dream comes through much effort.” Makes it sound like if you try really hard you can dream at night, which doesn’t compute. Other translations, and even this one if looked at properly, give the sense that when a man has to work too hard, or has too many cares in this life, it can produce dreams, maybe bad ones. One translation went so far as to call them nightmares.

But it is important to connect this thought to the whole context. The passage includes the first seven verses of the chapter.

Verses one and two: Guard your mouth, especially when you come into God’s presence. Only a fool chatters and jabbers whatever is on his mind all the time.

Verse three: Just as strange dreams can come through much worry, so a foolish voice is the product of many words.

Verses six and seven have to do with making a vow, but still in the context of not being a fool when you speak. The summary goes back to our original question. Whether it’s many dreams caused by your constant worry or many words by your constant foolishness, vanity is the end product of it all.