The book of Ecclesiastes, likely written by King Solomon, the wisest man ever (I Kings 10:23) is a curious book. It’s essentially his ponderings into the age-old question, “What is the meaning and purpose of life?”
In this regard, Ecclesiastes records the meanderings of Solomon’s stream of consciousness. It bizarrely bounces between doubt and faith, along the way being fatalistic, pessimistic, skeptical, and rational, but yet still respectful of God.
As such, it takes on a decidedly dreary tone, but those who stick with its reading are rewarded with a fitting and profound conclusion, which ends the final chapter (Ecclesiastes 12:9-14).
A reoccurring theme throughout is that “all is vanity,” which Solomon despondently laments. Yet he works his way through this, ending up focusing on God as his final answer.
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
