The emptiness of this life by Pastor Gbenga Aluko

                                                                                 

Text: Ecclesiastes 1

Topic: The emptiness of this life

The message will be discussed with the following headings:

Background

What emptiness does not regard

What causes emptiness

Solution to emptiness

Background

Scholars agree on the date of writing of the referenced book to be around 935BC but there is no consensus on the writer even with clear and pointing scriptures like Eccss. 1:1 and 12 which says that these are the words of the teacher king David’s son who ruled from Jerusalem

If one gives a cursory and spiritual look at the book of Ecclesiastes one may want to agree with those who doubt King Solomon’s human authorship of the book of Ecclesiastes for the following reasons among others which may not be mentioned:

Ø  The contrast in relation to wisdom its use among others Compared to what God used him to say, do and imply in Proverbs. For an illustration, Ecss.1:18 says grief increases with wisdom, while on the other hand the scripture in 1 Cor.1:24 states that whether to the Jews and Greeks Christ is the wisdom and power of God if his assertion is totally true it means the more of Christ you have the more grieved one also becomes this makes his stance not totally true but a show of his experience at that time.

Ø  He spoke about looking under the sun when issues became knotty or when he raised a seemingly difficult situation, this was mentioned around nine times showing a confusion whereas the scriptures states in Psalm 121:1 ff. clearly tells that our help comes from and is in the name of the Lord only. Even the scriptures talks against trusting in man psalm 146:3.By our actions are we not looking for solutions even in the wrong places today?

Ø  In the book of Ecclesiastes hope was totally thrown out, in fact this was taken to the extreme in Eccss. 4:3 which says that the only persons with hope are babies who weren’t born into this world of woes whereas the scriptures says in 1 Cor. 15:19 says that if our hope is in this world alone we are to be pitied, which means we have hope in this world and in the world to come as believers in Christ in fact scriptures like Prov.4:18 which says our path shines brighter and brighter till the perfect day. Child of God do not lose hope, irrespective of the turnout of event the scriptures even says there is hope for a tree if it be cut down Job 14:7ff

To the class that agreed to king Solomon’s authorship, there seems to be a kind of Spiritual Emptiness inside King Solomon at the time of this writing that was finding expression in His thinking and writing which also culminates into a verse like Eccss. 1:14, hence God led us to study the emptiness of this life, may God help us to be free from all forms of emptiness that could be ravaging us in Jesus mighty name amen.

What emptiness does not regard

The following are just few things among many things that emptiness does not regard:

Ø   Wealth. Eccss. 2:10 says anything his eyes/heart wanted he gave it ,it takes a wealthy man to be able to say and do that still he was empty/saw emptiness

Ø  Qualifications: Queen of Sheba in her speech said that she didn’t hear half of her wisdom and prosperity, this amongst others are in the class of present day qualifications that a lot of people go to any extent, or adopt crooked means to get today or get and still totally display folly. This must be said clearly and correctly as good as academic qualifications are physical/material things can’t prevent or solve spiritual issues.

Ø  Status Vs. 1 & 12, the exalted position of the king didn’t prevent emptiness, Just like royalty didn’t stop Pharaoh and Herod from perishing.Ex.14-15, Acts 12:23ff.

Ø  Study Vs. 13

Ø  Wisdom Vs 16 & 18

What causes emptiness

Sin Gen3:7 ff. It was not the eating of the forbidden fruit that made them naked but it removed Gods glory, exposed/underscored their nakedness, removed grace covering their life, their frailty, inadequacy, deficiency became properly blown when the God factor left their lives as a result of disobedience, this and many more is what sin does to anyone, sin creates emptiness and exposes same may we receive grace to live above sin in Jesus mighty name amen.

Solution to emptiness 

1 Peter 1:18-19 gives us clear solution to inherited emptiness and all other forms of emptiness as the spotless, sinless blood of Jesus, one of the several things that the precious blood of Jesus came to do is to free and cleanse us from all forms of emptiness, have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? He awaits you today.

Shalom.