Ecclesiastes 2:1-11: a reflection

1I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure;” and behold, this also was vanity. 2I said of laughter, “It is foolishness;” and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” 3I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives. 4I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards. 5I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. 6I made myself pools of water, to water the forest where trees were grown. 7I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem. 8I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men: musical instruments of all sorts. 9So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. 10Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. 11Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

The Preacher describes a grand experiment. He set out to find satisfaction and meaning in pleasure and achievement, and he spared nothing. He tested every pleasure; he built houses, planted vineyards and gardens, made pools, gathered servants, herds, silver, and gold; he denied himself nothing his eyes desired. He became greater than all before him, and had wisdom too. And then he stood back and looked at it all, and gave his verdict: all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Notice the Preacher's conclusion after having it all. He had pleasure, wealth, achievement, everything a person might chase after for satisfaction; he withheld from himself no joy. And yet, when he looked at it all, it left him empty; it was vanity, like chasing the wind, ultimately unsatisfying. The things people spend their lives pursuing, pleasure, possessions, achievement, could not, even in full measure, satisfy his soul.

That is a sobering witness from one who tested it fully. We are prone to think that if we could just have more pleasure, more possessions, more success, we would finally be satisfied; but the Preacher had all of it, and found it empty. These things cannot fill the soul; they leave us, in the end, chasing the wind. Do not stake your life on the pursuit of pleasure, possessions, and achievement, imagining they will finally satisfy you; the Preacher had them in full, and found them vanity. Let his witness turn you from chasing what cannot satisfy to seeking the God who alone gives lasting meaning and rest to the soul. What all the pleasures and possessions of the world could not give the Preacher, God gives to those who find their satisfaction in him.

Lord, the Preacher set out to find satisfaction in pleasure and achievement, sparing nothing, building, gathering wealth, denying himself no joy; and yet, looking at it all, he called it vanity and a chasing after wind, with nothing to be gained under the sun. Sober me with his witness. I am prone to think that if I could just have more pleasure, more possessions, more success, I would finally be satisfied; but the Preacher had all of it, and found it empty. These things cannot fill the soul; they leave us, in the end, chasing the wind. Keep me from staking my life on the pursuit of pleasure, possessions, and achievement, imagining they will finally satisfy me; the Preacher had them in full, and found them vanity. Let his witness turn me from chasing what cannot satisfy to seeking you, who alone give lasting meaning and rest to the soul. What all the pleasures and possessions of the world could not give the Preacher, you give to those who find their satisfaction in you; help me find mine in you.