Lessons from Ecclesiastes

Young people have a lot of decisions ahead, big and small, all of which can significantly affect us. When Mr. Elliot was our age, he was also trying to figure out what to do with his life, what kind of education to get, and what job to pursue. In his recent forum, Mr. Elliot went through one book, Ecclesiastes, which gives advice on finding happiness and the secret to life. 

The twenty-first book of the Bible, Ecclesiastes, was written by King Solomon as “He was trying to find things that made him happy, and he thought that this would give him happiness and give him meaning in his life.” As Solomon did, we wrestle with questions such as “What am I spending my time on? What have I achieved in my life? What’s the value in life?” This thought comes naturally once we realize life is fleeting. Life is more than material wealth, which never fulfills us, as Ecclesiastes 2:1 and 5:13 both point out. Life can be fulfilling and enjoyable if we look to God and have the proper perspective. 

King Solomon realized that life is short. We must make the most of it now because every day is a gift from God. We need to live our lives enjoying it in the present and obeying God because our eternal salvation, our future, depends on it. The day of our death will be better than the day of our birth because our next waking moment will be in the kingdom of God if we have been faithful (Ecc 7:1). We want to be remembered as a person who walked according to His ways and stayed strong even amid trials that He might allow us to go through.

God intended for our short time on earth to be enjoyable, and He provided the Bible to help us avoid the pitfalls that hinder this. We need to learn the Bible and live by what it says.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”