It's hard sometimes to relate things from history to modern day. But allow me some creative freedom as I try to put into perspective just who Solomon was. He was the king, popular among the people for his wisdom, wealthy beyond our imagination, and had over 1,000 wives and concubines. During his time, he basically had Donald Trump power and position, Beyoncé popularity, Bill Gates money, and Hugh Hefner women. Solomon had the authority, ability, and means to do any and everything he wanted to do. And he did.
In Ecclesiastes 2:1, he writes, 'Come now, I will test you (my heart) with pleasure; enjoy yourself.' But behold, this also was vanity.
Solomon began to indulge in the pleasures of the world, even dabbling in pursuits he recognized as folly (v3) just to see if there was any lasting value and fulfillment in them. He undertook great projects building homes for himself, improving the environment with parks and gardens, and creating an expansive irrigation system (vs4-8).
After his amassing of wealth and power he reflected on his life in verse 11 saying, "Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended doing it, and behold, all was vanity and striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun." Solomon was living the dream, but realized that without God's presence in his life it was all meaningless.
I don't know what all you have in your life or feel you're missing in your life right now. But I do know that if you don't have God, if you don't have a personal relationship with Him, that your possessions, your power, your prestige will all be meaningless one day. It's okay to strive for great things, but don't think that the things "under the sun" are going to bring you the contentment you can only get from Him.
In Ecclesiastes 2:1, he writes, 'Come now, I will test you (my heart) with pleasure; enjoy yourself.' But behold, this also was vanity.
Solomon began to indulge in the pleasures of the world, even dabbling in pursuits he recognized as folly (v3) just to see if there was any lasting value and fulfillment in them. He undertook great projects building homes for himself, improving the environment with parks and gardens, and creating an expansive irrigation system (vs4-8).
After his amassing of wealth and power he reflected on his life in verse 11 saying, "Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended doing it, and behold, all was vanity and striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun." Solomon was living the dream, but realized that without God's presence in his life it was all meaningless.
I don't know what all you have in your life or feel you're missing in your life right now. But I do know that if you don't have God, if you don't have a personal relationship with Him, that your possessions, your power, your prestige will all be meaningless one day. It's okay to strive for great things, but don't think that the things "under the sun" are going to bring you the contentment you can only get from Him.
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