“Ecclesiastes: Living in Light of the End”
(Book Overview)
The Author of
Ecclesiastes
The human author is announced in 1:1 as the
“Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” This is most
likely referring to Solomon, who also wrote the Book of Proverbs
and the Song of Solomon.
When Solomon became king, he asked God for
wisdom instead of wealth and honor, which God granted to him in
abundance. (1 Kings 3:5-15). However, Solomon went astray from
God’s wisdom to following His own heart.
Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes in his old age as he
seeks to make sense of his life.
The Arrangement of Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes is bookended with these phrases:
“All is vanity” and “Fear God and keep His commandments.”
The word vanity is a key word in the book that
refers to life being a “breath” or “vapor.”
Ecclesiastes is arranged for the reader to see
what life looks like when it is lived backwards.
The Aim of Ecclesiastes
The purpose of Ecclesiastes is to help us to
live our lives backwards – in light of the end.
This book helps us to loosen our grip on the
temporal and live for the eternal.
About the Podcast
This is the podcast for Raintree Community Church in Lee's Summit, MO. It features Raintree's most recent sermons.