Pr Ko Lingkang

The End of a Vain Life (Ecclesiastes 2:12-23)

Introduction

As Solomon looked back at his successful and luxurious life, he could only cry out in regret, that “all was vanity and vexation of spirit” (Ecc 2:11). He realized the futility of it all, as he was met with the reality of death. While he may have been wildly successful in the eyes of men and envied by most around him, yet he did not have true joy. Because much of his endeavours were done apart from God, he realised that it was all vain efforts to gratify the flesh.

As he reflects on his past, he very openly shares with us his descent into despair, as thoughts of his impending death led him to spiral into sorrow and grief. He writes to warn us, that we should never be tempted to go down the same dangerous paths as he did.

His Life had not Meaning! (v. 12-17)

(12) And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. (13) Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. (14) The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. (15) Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. (16) For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool forever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.(17) Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

And so at the end of Solomon’s search for the meaning of life, he realizes one very important fact – that this life on earth is only temporal, and one day it must all come to an end. No matter what one does on earth, it will one day come to naught, and nothing will be remembered forever.

He discusses first with reference to his search through human wisdom and understanding (1:12-18). He remembers how he tried to understand wisdom, madness and folly of man, through observations and then also through personal experience. He declares that he has really done all that he can in this study, and questions if any man after him can actually do more. What he has found, is that wisdom is indeed vastly better, and directly opposed to folly. For a wise man goes through life with his eyes open, considering every step of his actions, whereas a foolish man can only grope in the dark, lost and not knowing where to go. But yet despite all the merits of wisdom, there is one thing that is certain and common to both – that is the certainty of death.

And so he found that that even a life lived in apparent wisdom – that is wisdom of the world, is vanity. For no matter how well a man lives his life while he is here on earth, so much so that he understands everything there is to know about life, and that he is learned in all the ways of man, it is still vanity, for he will one day have to die, and there will be not even a remembrance of him. He will be laid to rest in his grave, no different from a fool.

His sad conclusion to this was that he hated life! He looked back at all the work that he had done, and it was grievous to him! Why? Again the same idea comes up – it is all vanity and vexation of the spirit. He may have been great and successful in the eyes of the world, but in light of impending death, everything lost meaning to him, and only gave him grief.

The reason why Solomon felt this way was because he had the wrong perspectives about life and death. It seemed that the life he lived then was just for pride and reputation. He craved for the recognition from the world, and despaired that he would be forgotten after his death.

However, as believers, our life and work has meaning, because we are living for Christ. All that is done for Christ and to the glory of God will be remembered for eternity. We do not find meaning in the fame and fortune of this world, nor of any legacy that we hope to leave behind. We seek only to serve the Lord, and win favour in His eyes to promote Christ only. Thus in this life we labour hard, not to please man, but to please God!

He hated his Labour! (v. 18-19)

(18) Yea, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. (19) And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

However at this juncture, Solomon had not yet come to such a realization. As he dwelt on the reality of death, he became worried not only of whether people would remember him, but also of the fate of the inheritance he would leave behind. The more he thought about it, the more it led him to despair, to the point where he said that he hated all his labour which he had taken under the sun!

The reason why he hated his labour is this: for all the hard work that he had put in, the whole kingdom that he had built up, the houses, vineyards, orchards, irrigation systems, and all the wealth and riches that he had collected, it will all end with his death. And after his death, he will have to leave the results of his labour to one that will come after him. All those riches, accomplishments and luxuries will be left to someone else to control and enjoy. Solomon would then have no more control over all these things. As he came to this realization, he was in utter despair, for suddenly he realized the futility of all his labour, and the emptiness of it all.

This is especially so in reference to the prophecy that was given to him concerning the succession of his kingdom. In 1 Kings 11, after he had gone after other gods, God told Solomon that after his death, his kingdom will be rent in two, and only one tribe will be given to his son, and the rest to Jeroboam his servant. That was the word of the Lord himself, and Solomon knew that to be a certainty. Thus he was grieved, for he knew that his kingdom, with all its wealth, authority, accomplishments and advancements will be left to people who had not laboured for it. Because Solomon’s focus was on the material things, this vexed him greatly!

This is in direct contrast to his father David who saved up and prepared just so that he could give all that he had to Solomon for the construction of the temple. David’s focus was on the glory of God, and the desire to serve Him. That was why he could happily leave behind the huge treasures that he had amassed for his son to build God’s house. For Solomon, he could only look at the vain works of his hands, and felt angry, for the focus of his labour was on self, and what benefit he himself could gain from it.

We may enjoy and take pride in our work right now, thinking that in working hard and earning a lot of money, we can have happiness and fulfilment in life. We save as much as we can, thinking that we can provide for our future, and maybe even for our children as well. However, if like Solomon, our focus is only in the material and temporal, and we do not have any spiritual purpose in working hard, then all would be for naught! At the end of the day, it will all be vain efforts, for we are labouring only for ourselves and not for God. We will regret in great sorrow like King Solomon!

All His Days are Sorrows! (v. 20-23)

(20) Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun. (21) For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. (22) For what hath man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath labored under the sun? (23) For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

This hatred of his labour, led him to despair of all the labour which he had taken. He was sorrowing without hope! Note the repeat of the phrase ‘under the sun’, emphasizing that these were works which he had done apart from God. He despaired because of what he perceived to be unfairness in life. He was greatly troubled when he thought of how a man (himself) who would labour hard in all wisdom and knowledge and equity, yet another who had done nothing to deserve anything at all would receive all these works as inheritance. This Solomon saw as vanity and great evil!

In fact, Solomon was so disturbed, that he said that not only were his days sorrow and grief, but even at night, his heart could not have rest. The reason for this grief was because the focus of his labour was all wrong. It was a very self-centred labour, where the focus was on the fruits and the results of it, and how that can glorify himself. He was very much fixated on how the fruits of his labour will be used, and whether the person enjoying it is deserving or not. And therefore, he concludes that such excessive labour, where one build and accumulates for the purpose of pride and recognition, is indeed vanity.

For us we have to realize, that all that we have is from God. Even the labour which we are enabled to do is solely by the grace of God (1 Cor 15:10). We must never be proud of or try to claim credit for our achievements and accomplishments. Rather we ought to thank God and give all glory to God for them. What God gives, he also has every right to take away, and who he deems right to award your labour to, he has every sovereign right to do. There is no need to despair and fret over who enjoys the fruit of our labour, for we are not labouring for ourselves, but we are labouring for God! Like Paul, we ought to have the attitude whereby we strive to ‘labour more abundantly’, and remember that we can only do it by God’s grace. As we labour for the Lord, it is a joyful work, for we seek for heavenly rewards, which we know our all-wise father in heaven will certainly give us one day.

A vain life that chases after the pleasures and treasures of this world will never end well. We may enjoy life (at least in the worldly sense) for a season, but ultimately it will end in sorrow and grief. It is a meaningless pursuit of vain things that will never bring true and lasting fulfilment. It will only give sleepless nights and troubled hearts. Instead, we ought to turn to Christ, and live only for Him. In laboring for the Lord, we can find true joy and happiness, for we know that we are serving our Creator, our Saviour, and our soon coming King!