In Talk One of this series on Ecclesiastes, we learned that there are limits to how much we may know and how much we may achieve in life “under the sun.” The more the Preacher learns, the more aware he becomes of how much remains unknown.  In Talk Two, we explored the strange tension between…

We have followed the Preacher’s search for meaning through wisdom, knowledge, pleasure, accomplishment, work, and the passage of time; and consistently find that they are just not enough. Society is simply too unjust to explain.  “I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness,…

We’ve noted that the Preacher seems to doubt that wisdom and knowledge are enough to give life meaning. He said: “For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” (Ecclesiastes 1:18) We then turned to the famous poem of Ecclesiastes 3: “To every thing there is a season, and a…

Before we begin, let me briefly remind you where we left off last week. We saw that Ecclesiastes is unlike any other book in the Bible. Rather than beginning with certainty, it begins with a question. The Preacher conducts what we called “the Great Experiment.” He examines every obvious source of meaning—achievement, wealth, pleasure, work,…

In asking me to lead a discussion on Ecclesiastes, Dr. Weaver probably knew he was taking a risk. He probably knew I would not be able to resist approaching it from my perspective as a futurist.  The book’s author and narrator is commonly thought to be King Solomon (though some dispute that), and he tends…

We have been reflecting on the questions God asks throughout Scripture. On the surface, some of these questions seem almost unnecessary. The factual answers are often obvious. When God asks Adam, “Where are you?” or when Jesus asks, referring to the dead Lazarus “Where have you laid him?” it is not because God lacks information.…