v1
Solomon the preacher, see v12. The Hebrew title of the book was Koheleth,
the preacher.
v2
The preacher’s ‘text’ and summary, the subject of the whole book.
Today we may speak of nihilism and anarchy.
v3-11
The cycle of life without God; life only has meaning because God exists.
Unless God is present, life truly is “meaningless” or ‘vanity of
vanities.’
Creation itself continues in cycles, the sun, wind, water, and human life
follows a similar pattern. Material gain is worthless if a man loses his soul
(Mark 8.32; 1 Tim 6.7).
The lessons of the past are not learned, and we therefore inevitably
repeat the mistakes of the past.
v12-18
Solomon set his heart to know wisdom, and even to understand madness and
folly, but such knowledge for its own sake brings only grief and sorrow;
contrast Prov 1.5; 9.9.
Whilst Proverbs insists on a real personal commitment to God,
Ecclesiastes is the sad experience of the backslider, the one who departs from
God.
Solomon had attained and gained and understood, yet the
result was a grasping for the wind, with grief and sorrow; it is often the open
hand, rather than the grasped fist, which holds more.