The book of Ecclesiastes is the Old Testament’s version of a gospel message. It could be referred to as “The Gospel According to Solomon.” Solomon opened his message with the declaration, “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1). The term preacher is used by the Apostle Paul in Romans 10:14 where he asks, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (KJV). The Greek word that is translated preacher, euaggelizo (yoo-ang-ghel-idˊ-zo) means “to announce good news (‘evangelize’) especially the gospel” (G2097). One of the differences between the Old Testament’s version of the gospel and the New Testament gospel that was preached by Jesus and his disciples was that Solomon’s message didn’t appear to be good news. On the contrary, Solomon began his message with the statement, “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). “The theme of the book of Ecclesiastes is that ‘under the sun’ (i.e., apart from God), everything is ‘vanity,’ a key word that occurs thirty-five times in the book. The term is used to describe outward and tangible things (Ecclesisastes 1:14; 2:11, 17) as well as inward thoughts (Ecclesiastes 2:15, 19). ‘Vanity’ is a translation of the Hebrew hebel (H1892), which emphasizes that which is empty and passing. The phrase ‘vanity of vanities’ denotes the Hebrew way of expressing a superlative and could be translated ‘most futile’” (note on Ecclesiastes 1:2, 3).

“The Hebrew term hebel, translated vanity or vain, refers concretely to a ‘mist,’ ‘vapor,’ or ‘mere breath,’ and metaphorically to something that is fleeting or elusive (with different nuances depending on the context)” (Ecclesiastes 1:2 footnote). The reason why Solomon began by emphasizing the elusiveness or most futile nature of life on earth may have been because he wanted his audience to know that there was something missing, that there had to be more to life than what we typically experience on a day to day basis. Jesus told his disciples, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). The Greek term perissos (per-is-sosˊ), translated abundantly, is derived from the word peri (per-eeˊ), which is properly translated as “through (all over), i.e. around” (G4012), “(in the sense of beyond); superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality); (by implication) excessive” (G4053). The difference between the abundant (perissos) life that Jesus promised and Solomon’s experience was that Solomon pursued an excessive kind of lifestyle that he thought would bring him satisfaction, whereas Jesus indicated that the way to experience abundant life was by forsaking everything and following him (Matthew 19:21, 29).

Solomon’s conclusion that all is vanity isn’t surprising given that he pursued everything under the sun; that is apart from God, but some of his discoveries pointed to the underlying logic behind God’s plan of salvation. Solomon said, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, KJV). “God causes all things to happen in their ‘seasons,’ according to his purpose and his timetable. God delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt on the ‘very day’ (Exodus 12:41) he had in mind when he promised deliverance to Abraham 430 years earlier (see note on Genesis 15:12-16). Christ was born ‘when the fullness of time had come’ (Galatians 4:4), accomplishing the Father’s will…God knows all the events that have transpired in the past as well as all things that will occur in the future. Man is incapable of finding out ‘what God has done from the beginning to the end,’ but God has established the outcome of history and determined how each piece fits into his plan. It is therefore wise for man to trust completely in God” (notes on Ecclesiastes 3:1and 3:11).

Solomon’s insight into how to deal with the evil that is under the sun is consistent with Paul’s approach to successfully preaching the gospel. Solomon said:

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Throughout Paul’s ministry, he always had a companion to encourage and support him. By contrast, Solomon, unlike his father David who spoke of his deep affection for his friend Jonathan, never mentions being close to anyone in any of his writings in the Bible. This seems to be a differentiating characteristic between the two preachers and may be an indicator of whether or not someone has received the abundant life that Jesus promised. Do you have someone by your side that lifts you up when you fall down or does it seem like getting up again is a most futile effort?