Day 48 Ecc. 3:1 – Song of Songs 8:14

The Book of Ecclesiastes is one of the harder books of the Bible to interpret as to its overall purpose. It begins with the words of Ecc. 1:2 – “Meaningless! Meaningless! says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless”. There appears to be a cynical view of life that shows through at different places in the book. For example in Ecc. 4:1-3 we read these words: ” Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed – and they have no comforter. And I declared the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun”.

But there are also some gems of wisdom in this book as well. In these verses, life is seen as meaningful and as a gift from God. For example in Ecc.3:12-14 we read these words: “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him”.

I like G.S. Hendry’s overall interpretation of the purpose of Ecclesiastes. He writes: “Qoheleth (Teacher) writes from concealed premises, and his book is in reality a major work of apologetic………Its apparent worldliness is dictated by its aim: Qoheleth is addressing the general public whose view is bounded by the horizons of this world; he meets them on their on ground, and proceeds to convict them of its inherent vanity……. His book is in fact a critique of secularism and of secularized religion”.

Derek Kidner says that “the abyss of final vanity is the destination of every road but one. Qoheleth can therefore be relentless in facing that final emptiness, first because it is the truth about the passing world, but also because there is a bigger truth to live by”. See Ecc.12:13,14 for that bigger truth.

Song of Songs is a wonderful song celebrating the love between a husband and a wife. It can also be interpreted on a metaphorical or spiritual level on the love between the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and His Bride, the Church. This song is rich in meaning at both levels and shows that God  has given sexual love in marriage as a gift to humanity and also reveals the great love that Christ has for the His people who He has joined to Him in covenant relationship through the cross of Calvary. (see Eph. 5:22-33 for how the husband-wife relationship images Christ’s relationship to the Church).

In Christ’s love and service, Pastor John

Tomorrow’s reading is Isaiah 1:1 – 13:22.