Seeking Fulfillment (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11)
I want you to think back to when something really good happened in your life. Maybe you graduated from high school or college, bought your first car, married the person of your dreams, purchased the house of your dreams, or got the job of your dreams. How did you think that would feel, and how did it feel? We all desire fulfillment, and, for a brief moment, we believe we can find it just over the next hill. It reminds me of the nursery rhyme, “The bear went over the mountain.” Do you know it? A bear decided to go over the mountain, so he went. The bear went over the mountain, the bear went over the mountain, and the bear went over the mountain to see what he could see. I love this song because it builds anticipation.
We are left wondering, “What will he see on the other side of this mountain?” There must be something good if a song is written about it. Plus, the songwriter said the bear went over the mountain three times! What’s he going to find? Then, it continues in anticipation. It says, “All that he could see. All that he could see,” two times. We await an answer to our question, and he drags it out! But it implies that what he saw was not as great as expected. Then, in the most historic letdown of all time, he reveals what he could see: The other side of the mountain.
This song perfectly represents what we go through in life and what Solomon wants us to understand in Ecclesiastes.
Pursuit of Meaning
In our lives, we want to be happy, whatever that means. We want to avoid pain and suffering but also to find something that will give us lasting joy. I know that’s what I want. It just makes sense for me to want that.
When we are young, so many things promise us this. We just have to get enough money to enjoy these things. So we spend all our time getting degrees in college or devoting ourselves to a job to build wealth. If we can’t get there with one job, we try two or three.
The more money we get, the more opportunities we have to try new things and find out what will give us this lasting pleasure. In America, we are so wealthy that we have opportunities the rest of the world dreams of. There are still things that are outside of our reach.
Solomon has access to more wealth relative to the people around him than we could ever dream of. He’s richer than Elon Musk. But not only that, Solomon is king. He is the ruler of the largest kingdom in the world at that time. He can do things money cannot buy.
Ecclesiastes 1:16--18 (ESV) --- 16 I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. 18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
He has decided that he’s going to use that wealth and power to test things out and evaluate things. At the end of Chapter 1, we find the thesis for the book. Solomon will spend the remaining 11 Chapters telling us what he learned, but at the start, he warns us that we are striving after the wind. We are trying to grab hold of something that won’t be grabbed hold of.
So in the first eleven verses of Ecclesiastes 2, we see him test out a few things. These are big-ticket items that everyone tries to pursue: Pleasure, Success, and Riches. Here’s what he has to say.
Pleasure Is Not What It Seems
Ecclesiastes 2:1--3 (ESV) --- 1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3 I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine---my heart still guiding me with wisdom---and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
Notice that he “said in my heart, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself’” Solomon wants to see if his thirst for pleasure can be satisfied. Many of us go through a stage of this in some way. Do you know how many of our youth are addicted to pornography? That’s what that is. It’s seeking lasting satisfaction through pleasure. Solomon says, “What use is it?” Experiencing that temporary high doesn’t help your life to get any better. It doesn’t last and is not real or meaningful to you. The sad part is that people throw their lives away, chasing temporary pleasure and satisfaction. Real, meaningful joy will never be found there. Solomon says it’s vanity.
Maybe you are not seeking sexual fulfillment. Maybe the pleasure is drinking alcohol or overindulging in something else. Whatever you think might give you pleasure, it will never last. Therefore, it’s vanity. Don’t waste your life chasing the wind. Let it go and search for something with some lasting value.
In verse 3, Solomon points out that he is trying the things he knows are foolish just to see what will happen, but his heart still guides him with wisdom. Many in our society try these things with foolish hearts. But some of these things lead Solomon to fall away at the end of his life. We don’t need to pursue these things because Solomon has for us. There are things that are meaningful. He will get to what that is later, and I will share that with you at the end of the lesson.
What About Success?
Next, Solomon discusses success.
Ecclesiastes 2:4--6 (ESV) --- 4 I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.
The next thing Solomon does is set himself out to accomplish incredible feats. He builds gardens that put other gardens to shame. He built palaces and vineyards for himself where he could live a luxurious life of ease. Solomon has already organized a slave force to build the temple. Now, he uses that force to build anything he wants to design and build.
We have many things we hope to accomplish in our lives. We seek to build and establish the works we create. We want to be the greatest, often thinking, “If we can just become the guy in charge and build what I want to build, then I would be finished.” We believe that accomplishing great success would bring satisfaction.
What About Riches?
Ecclesiastes 2:7--8 (ESV) --- 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.
Then, Solomon moves on to his possessions and lists off all of his wealth. In those days, owning herds and flocks was like owning stocks and a hefty 401k. He had more built up than anyone had ever had. He was completely set for life. He also had his stash of silver and gold. He had a variety of investments. When we read the account of Solomon’s life, we learn that he sent ships off to bring 420 talents of gold from Ophir. He accumulated so much silver that it was as common as stones. This guy was loaded with wealth and possessions.
He also had plenty of entertainment so that he could enjoy himself with singers and women. We could only imagine his lifestyle. There is not another man on earth who could compare with him.
All Vanity
Ecclesiastes 2:9--11 (ESV) --- 9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
In our lives, we desire the latest and greatest things. With the internet being what it is, everyone sees what they are missing, and we all want more. We wonder what it would be like to have something else, to be something else, or to experience something that we have never done before, not realizing that it will be much of the same. Life doesn’t become completely satisfying after we make more money and buy more stuff. That money becomes the new normal, and the stuff becomes old stuff.
So Solomon says all of this pleasure, success, and riches are just vanity. They are our attempt to catch the wind. Isn’t that awful? We spend all this time and effort trying to enjoy some pleasure or reach some level of success, and when we get there, we are just like that bear. All that’s there is the other side of the mountain. Nothing special. What’s amazing is that we see another mountain and think, “I wonder what’s over that mountain.” We never catch on. It is always nothing but the other side of the mountain.
Pleasure, success, and riches do not give lasting satisfaction. But he does point to valuable things throughout the book. One of the more surprising items of value we start to read about in this section. He says that he found pleasure in all of his toil. That was the reward. He enjoyed his work. In the end, it was a waste, but in the moment, it was pretty satisfying.
Remember how I said earlier that he would get to meaningful things? This is the start. Throughout the book, he tells us that the best things he found under the sun were to enjoy the work we do and the fruits of our labor.
Ecclesiastes 2:24 (ESV) --- 24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,
Ecclesiastes 3:12--13 (ESV) --- 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil---this is God’s gift to man.
Ecclesiastes 5:18--20 (ESV) --- 18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. 19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil---this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
Ecclesiastes 8:15 (ESV) --- 15 And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.
We can see throughout this book the notion that we should enjoy what we do in life. He recommends doing that, but he doesn’t want us to think that the outcome will be lasting joy and satisfaction because it won’t be. There is joy in the moment we work doing the task, and in the moment, we enjoy the accomplishment, but that’s all we get. That’s the full extent of the joy.
So, pleasure is useless, but working is useful. If we find success in work and riches, that’s great! But we must remember our creator and pursue wisdom.
What Does Christ Reveal?
When we come into the New Testament, Christ gives us something more hopeful than this. He tells us that we can live for something eternal.
Matthew 6:1 (ESV) --- 1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 6:3--4 (ESV) --- 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:6 (ESV) --- 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:17--18 (ESV) --- 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:19--21 (ESV) --- 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly mentions that God sees what we are doing and will reward us for our spiritual devotion. The very thing that Solomon did not understand, Jesus clarifies. Jesus looks beyond life on this earth and finds meaning and purpose. A life worth living is devoted to eternal things, not earthly things.
Also, Jesus gives us a parable that warns us not to take Solomon’s advice too far.
Luke 12:13--21 (ESV) --- 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Jesus speaks against laying up treasure for yourself and not being rich toward God. Solomon’s advice was to enjoy the fruits of your labor, but this man has done so while failing to remember God. Solomon says plenty of times that we must remember God in whatever we do, but Jesus tells us that we should be careful not to lose sight of how temporary life is. Our pursuit of joy and pleasure in the things of this world can result in condemnation.
Conclusion
We must all recognize that the next mountain will have more of the same on the other side. We are free to climb over that mountain, but we must be sure to serve God all along the way.