Is Life Really Meaningless?

Ecclesiastes 1:2: "'Meaningless! Meaningless!' says the Teacher. 'Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.'"





When one begins to read the book of Ecclesiastes, one is taken back by the apparent hopeless resignation of the writer. In fact, if a reader were looking to the Scriptures as a source of hope, and if he opened the Scriptures to the first few verses of the book of Ecclesiastes, he might find himself disillusioned.





If the "koheleth" (or Teacher of 1:1) who is speaking these words is in fact King Solomon, then his words are even more perplexing. After all, Solomon was a man who had great wisdom (1 Kings 4:29-34); great wealth (1 Kings 10:14,21), and many wives (1 Kings 11:3). He seemed to be lacking for nothing.




Yet as he surveyed the span of life, he concluded that it was utterly futile. With hyperbolic sarcasm, the "teacher" realized that there is not much that man gains for all of his toilsome labor under the sun. After all, his accomplishments and accumulated wealth amount to nothing in the end, for after death "there is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow" (1:11). The teacher realized that even the memory of a person and his accomplishments is lost forever with the passage of time. Although each generation seeks its own significance, in the end it repeats the same path of generations before it . . . . the path of obscurity.

To be sure, before drawing these conclusions, this teacher had embarked on a quest to find purpose in life. He first devoted himself to study so that he could "experience much of wisdom and knowledge"; but he found that this pursuit was no more than a chasing after the wind. He changed his course and indulged in the pleasures of life, but again he found that this "embracing of folly" was fruitless. The teacher then got busy with building projects and with amassing wealth; he built great buildings and gardens and he acquired vast amounts of silver and gold. He took temporary delight in his accomplishments, but in time he again concluded that all of his works were pointless and futile. This great and wise man came to hate life (2:17); yet after he had travelled all of these vain paths of perceived significance, he was ready for God to teach him the true purpose of life.


The teacher had his serendipity in 3:14 when he concludes, "everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him." The teacher now understood that a life lived devoid of a relationship with God was utterly meaningless; God's purpose for His creation is to glorify Him as the One True Lord . . . only the things of God will endure! Man's purpose is not found within his vain earthly accomplishments . . . they will quickly be forgotten; and if through his hedonism, man strives to assert his own lordship, he will conclude that life is utterly meaningless. This fatalistic conclusion will not necessarily come during the early stages of one's pursuit of wealth and happiness; in fact, many will jump into the hectic rat race of accumulation and consumption not knowing that these pursuits will not satisfy. But with the passing of time, all men without God will come to the sobering conclusion that life has lacked meaning and purpose.


Although many of us are uncomfortable with attending a funeral service, in reality these services are healthy reminders of the futility of a life lived in vanity. As we hear the eulogy and gaze upon the casket or urn before us, we realize that no matter what we have done on this earth or what we have acquired materially, we eventually find ourselves in the same place. I am reminded of a recent tour of Cades Cove near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in which I encountered a rather telling perspective of the temporal nature of life. I am a big history buff and enjoy touring old grave yards to read interesting facts engraved on the head stones. As I was walking through one ancient church cemetery, I noticed a choice set of words on a stone: "Do not weep for me . . . For where I am soon you will be too!" The brevity of life can be quite sobering to the one rushing through it without purpose.


So what is the answer to this rather depressing reality? The teacher gives us the answer in 2:25-26; 12:13:



For without him (God) who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. . . . Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.


Our ultimate purpose in life is to glorify God. We please God by putting our ultimate faith in Him as Lord (Hebrews 11:6). We realize that our purpose is not to assert our own will and pursue our own delights; rather, we are called to serve our Lord and be obedient to His will for our lives. The product of such a path of obedience is abundant life and happiness (see John 10:10). We find significance and purpose in life, and we realize that this temporal experience here on earth is but the prelude of our eternal abode before the throne of God in a place of indescribable beauty and glory.


Still, we have a role to play here on this earth; we are not merely to retreat within the walls of indifference. The teacher tells us in Ecclesiastes 2:24 that we are to "eat and drink and find satisfaction in (our) work." God determined before all time the setting in which we would live and when we would live it; He did this so that we would "seek (Him) and reach out for Him and find Him" (see Acts 17:26). To "eat and drink" is in essence to provide for one's necessities. God has an expectation that we work to provide for ourselves. Work was created at the beginning of time, even before sin entered the world; so we know that God has a positive valuation of our being diligent to provide for our needs. We are also called to find satisfaction in our work. Although we may not find our situation completely fulfilling, we can find purpose in it. The Apostle Paul tells us in I Corinthians 10:31: "whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it ALL for the glory of God. Irrespective of what we do, we are called to serve God by giving our very best to our endeavors.


Determine in your heart today that your ultimate purpose is to surrender to God as the Lord of your life; trust Him in faith, knowing that He is on the throne and is worthy of your praise. Be counter-cultural by not following the vain, material pursuits of others, rather find fulfillment in seeking the Lord above all things. Be diligent in providing for your necessities and do everything as if you are performing the service to God directly. Then take time to step back and see the hand of Divine blessing upon you, showering you with the abundance of His love and leading you to a life of purpose, fulfillment, and joy!