Ecclesiastes 1-6

It's hard just to stop reading after chapter 6. You're looking into the deep and complicated thoughts of the King of Jerusalem and all of a sudden you just slam on the breaks. This is the equivalent of watching an intense first half of a basketball game. There's been like 16 lead changes, incredible highlights, and even some weird plays and  before you know it you're at half time. So let's get a drink, reflect, and catch our breaths to what we just witnessed.

At this point all we can really get answers to are the basics: who is this guy and what is his problem.

This is Solomon. He doesn't name himself, but it's pretty obvious and unanimous that it's the son of David.  So remember from earlier portions of the Bible how he was the wisest man to ever walk the face of the earth. God blessed everything he did. He asked for wisdom. God gave him that and additionally He gave him unbelievable amounts of riches. Solomon also got everything he wanted. Gardens, horses, women. Not really what I would go after, but this was a different time and a different place. Ok, so most likely it sounds like he is writing this at the end of his life right? I mean he's reflecting, he's sarcastic, and he almost comes across as bitter at times. Clearly this was not written when he was at his crux of living it up.

The first 6 chapters so far can pretty much be summed up in ch. 2:9-11. Everything else builds around this point:

    So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended doing it, and behold all was vanity and striving after the wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

What I take from this is that we are not solely material beings. We are also spiritual beings. There is more to our life.  God created a vacuum in our souls, and life will ultimately one day show itself to be meaningless and empty if that vacuum is never filled. In ch. 3:11 Solomon says that God has put eternity in our hearts. This is where Solomon is going. There has to be more to life. Now let's get on with the second half.