A Wise Guy God told King Solomon to ask for anything and it would be given to him (2 Chronicles 1:7-12). (I think this is the closest thing we see in the Bible to God granting wishes like a genie.) As a wise guy, he chose carefully. Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge. And God […]
Psalm 180 from Beyond Psalm 150 The book of Ecclesiastes shares Solomon’s personal journey of trying to find meaning and purpose in his life. It’s a dismal saga, discouraging and void of hope. Early on Solomon shares a pessimistic view about the seasons of life. He opens acknowledging there’s a time to be born and […]
In reading the book of Ecclesiastes there is one section that may be very familiar. It was used as song lyrics and set to music, which the Byrds recorded in 1965. Compare Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 with the lyrics to Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There Is a Season). Songwriter Pete Seeger only added six words to […]
In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon does a lot of whining. (Don’t get bogged down by his negativity, for he eventually provides some reliable insight in the book’s concluding verses.) Overall I find it easy to dismiss Solomon’s complaining, but one of his laments does make sense to me. He grumbles about leaving an […]
I am confounded by the book of Ecclesiastes. As mentioned in the post “…and Then You Die,” Ecclesiastes is a depressing read. It is pessimistic and its main point to put God first is easy to miss. Ecclesiastes abounds with negativity and hyperbole, yet it also contains some wise thoughts and astute observations. Separating the […]
Several years ago there was a popular, yet pessimistic saying: “Life’s a bitch; then you die.” Although that may be shocking or even offensive to some, I think King Solomon was the originator of this depressing thought. It permeates his writing in Ecclesiastes and it exudes from the text. In fact, an apt and concise […]