Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
Read: Ecclesiastes 1:16-2:17
Ecclesiastes is an extraordinary book for our culture and context. Various people throughout time have found understanding, comfort, and hope from books of the Bible that seem to particularly address their context and situation. People suffering from oppression have found solace in promises of justice from the books of Exodus, Isaiah, and Psalms. Those who live in dark times or suffer from a darkness that seems to chase them, find companionship with Job, Jeremiah, and David in their laments. Just as there seems to be a season for everything, the Bible seems to have something to say to everyone, in every place, and in every circumstance.
The reason I feel Ecclesiastes pairs well with our time and place is that many of us have had “Solomon-like” lives. Solomon sought to acquire great wisdom and know everything done under the sun. With a couple of movements from our fingers we can instantly find information on nearly anything. Solomon sought happiness in material things. If we have a need, it can be remedied and delivered to our doorstep the next day. Solomon never journeyed further than the Middle East. You and I can hop on an airplane and fly to the other side of the planet for a week, fly back, and only miss 10 days of work!
We may not feel “wealthy” by American standards, but the average salary of an American worker in 2022 was $60,575. Compare this to the average salary of a Rwandan worker of $2,640 a year. (Yes, I did look all of that up with a couple of clicks). A Rwandan sees very little difference between us and Solomon, and this is why Solomon’s reflections on life from Ecclesiastes are so good for us to hear today.
This past Sunday, Carson mentioned that you hear many Ecclesiastic themes in our modern music today. Western songwriters have been vexed by the same problems Solomon faced, and the way that an artist expresses vexation is by creating. In that spirit, a number of friends and colleagues have helped me put together a playlist of songs that carry the spirit and anthems of Ecclesiates. It is an eclectic assortment of genres and styles spanning several decades. I wanted to share it with you and invite you to not just check out the songs, but really listen to what they are saying. You may find that old favorites have messages you missed in years past. If you have a song that you’d recommend be added to the playlist, send it to me at danielc@northwake.com.
I hope these help you contemplate the brutal reality of our existence between Eden and Heaven with an eye towards living your life now in view of the one to come.
