Kara's Ecclesiastes Notes

Section 1

Yes, you hit the nail on the head.

People who worry about life are concerned about lasting damage—this does not exist for a Christian.

A good passage to reference is Matthew 6:25-34 where Jesus says not to worry.

Section 2

Yes, you are correct: if you know too much, you cannot have superficial happiness and joy (which Ecclesiastes generally promotes).

Section 3

Overall, I agree.

I would say that there is definitely a balance that's mentioned in chapter 1, but explicitly in Ecclesiastes 7:16-18.

16 Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? 17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.

Perfect

You captured the essence of Ecclesiastes 3 perfectly!

If you want to read more about the sovereignty of God, I highly recommend looking at these 3 chapters:

• John 6
• Romans 9
• Ephesians 1

Section 1

This is very good!

I used to be obsessed with making sure I did not waste my time, but this passage teaches that rest and enjoyment are a gift from God.

I also love 4:9; it definitely shows how marriage and partnership (like in work) can be a beautiful thing & a blessing from God.

Section 2

You're correct.

This is yet another reason to try and enjoy your life.

I do want to clarify 1 thing: I believe that you can get eternal treasure from God by doing certain things in life (after being saved by faith alone):

1. Doing anything (including vanity) unto the Lord. Colossians 3:23-24
2. Doing anything that you are called to do in life. John 15:1-8
3. What you do with what God has given you. Matthew 25:14-30

A few examples of this would be:

• Something as simple as enjoying chocolate unto the Lord.
• God tells you to give the gospel to a friend or stranger.
• Using your talents and abilities to serve God and others.

Section 3

I think you are correct, but I would also say this passage continues the teaching on the importance of avoiding excessive wisdom.

I used to pray for as much wisdom as possible, but after studying this book, I realized that each person is called to a specific measure of wisdom. Romans 12:3

I now pray for the right amount of wisdom.

Section 1

Yes, I agree.

Besides this passage continuing the teaching of the rest of the book, it also hints at a sovereignty passage in Acts: Acts 17:26-28.

This passage emphasizes God's sovereign control over all things, including the times and places of human existence.

Section 2

Yes, this passage clearly teaches the importance of wisdom. While we shouldn't be excessively wise, we also shouldn't be excessively foolish.

I think this passage pairs well with James 1:5-8.

Section 3

Good job on this section.

It is important to properly understand the end of this book where it all comes together.

The way I think of it, at the heart of Ecclesiastes there are 2 points:

1. The only thing of meaning is fearing God and doing his commandments.
2. Everything that we are not commanded to do/not-do means nothing, so we are at liberty to choose the vain activity that we enjoy.