{"id":38842,"date":"2017-07-21T07:00:42","date_gmt":"2017-07-21T14:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.olivetree.com\/?p=38842"},"modified":"2021-10-27T10:23:41","modified_gmt":"2021-10-27T17:23:41","slug":"insight-ecclesiastes-life-seems-meaningless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/insight-ecclesiastes-life-seems-meaningless\/","title":{"rendered":"Ecclesiastes: When Life Seems Meaningless"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Sometimes, life seems meaningless. And sometimes, God seems distant. If you\u2019re feeling this way, you aren\u2019t alone! The author of Ecclesiastes struggled with the same issue, but he continued to call God good and just all the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><em>This blog post is adapted from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=25713\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First-Century Study Bible Notes.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-short-background-on-ecclesiastes\"><strong>A Short Background on Ecclesiastes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe book of Ecclesiastes, or <em>Kohelet<\/em> as it\u2019s called in Hebrew, is not meant to comfort the reader. The author was frustrated by the contradictions, tensions and incomprehensibility of life. He asked again and again if life is meaningless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The book\u2019s portrait of God is unlike that found in the rest of the Hebrew Bible. Nowhere does the author address God as YHWH, the more personal and intimate name for God in Hebrew and the sacred name not to be misused in the Ten Commandments. YHWH walked closely with Adam and Eve in the garden and spoke to Moses from within the burning bush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The author instead opted for addressing God as Elohim, actually a title and a more generic and less personal Hebrew name for God. The opening lines of Genesis begin with the actions of Elohim bringing forth the heavens and the earth. Kohelet prefers this choice of addressing God, Elohim, a slightly more distant or transcendent God. \u201cGod is in heaven and you are on earth\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eccl+5%3A2&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ecc 5:2<\/a>). The book argues for caution and reverence for the divine (see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eccl+5&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ecc 5<\/a>). It also insists that God is both just and sovereign (see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eccl+3%3A17&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ecc 3:17<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eccl+9%3A1&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">9:1<\/a>); however, the justice of God is slow and at times seems absent: \u201cThere is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eccl+8%3A14&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ecc 8:14<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-richness-of-jewish-philosophical-thought\"><strong>The Richness of Jewish Philosophical Thought<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact that Ecclesiastes is in the canon of Hebrew Scripture speaks to the depth, richness and nuance of Jewish theological and philosophical thought in the ancient world. The Christian canon also includes this theologically complex book. Human wisdom is often frustrated when contemplating life and the divine. But frustration, wondering and questioning all have a place in the religious life, which Ecclesiastes makes clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ecclesiastes urges the reader to enjoy life, though much of life is cruel and meaningless. One should fear God, tread lightly and be grateful for simple pleasures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-questioning-and-believing-at-the-same-time\"><strong>Questioning and Believing at the Same Time<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The end of Kohelet also raises some interesting questions about the author\u2019s view of God: \u201cHere is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eccl+12%3A13-14&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ecc 12:13\u201314<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This passage is an epilogue, a common literary device in wisdom literature. But it also seems a bit out of place. Some scholars have suggested it was added by a later editor who was uncomfortable with the book as it was originally written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether added later or written by the author, it is meant to balance out the tone of book. It is clear from the book that the author believed in God\u2019s justice, though he did not always see it. The final line acts as a kind of last word. Whether one sees it or not, God\u2019s justice will prevail.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-application\"><strong>Application<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Does this encourage you? How does it give you a different perspective when you\u2019re going through difficult times? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This blog post was adapted from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=25713\">First-Century Study Bible Notes.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.olivetree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/FirstCenturyStudyBibleNotesInApp-1024x580.jpg\" alt=\"NIV First Century Study Bible Ecclesiastes\" class=\"wp-image-50463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/FirstCenturyStudyBibleNotesInApp-1024x580.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/FirstCenturyStudyBibleNotesInApp-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/FirstCenturyStudyBibleNotesInApp-768x435.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/FirstCenturyStudyBibleNotesInApp.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Bible is essentially a letter that was written <em>for<\/em> everyone but originally <em>to<\/em> a specific group. With study tools like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=25713\">First-Century Study Bible<\/a>, we can better understand the unspoken cultural elements, literary features, and other implications made by the authors. When we get what the Bible meant at the time it was written, its meaning for us today also expands. Add this helpful tool to your library today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=25713\" style=\"background-color:#77aa3c\">GO TO PRODUCT PAGE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes, life seems meaningless. And sometimes, God seems distant. If you\u2019re feeling this way, you aren\u2019t alone! The author of Ecclesiastes struggled with the same issue, but he continued to call God good and just all the same. This blog post is adapted from First-Century Study Bible Notes. A Short Background on Ecclesiastes \u201cThe book<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":50461,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5339],"tags":[6087],"class_list":{"0":"post-38842","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-old-testament-articles","8":"tag-first-century-study-bible"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ecclesiastes: When Life Seems Meaningless - Olive Tree Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Lost your rose-colored glasses? Life is challenging! Dig into Ecclesiastes and the questions that arise. 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