The most underrated book of the Bible would have to be Ecclesiastes. While it contains deep wisdom on life, the book is easily passed over because of the unsavory negativity. Its unpopularity is understandable.
The opening is a drag.
“Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”
This wet blanket won’t win many fans. Declaring that all efforts are as empty as “a chasing after the wind” will not be on any motivational posters.
Already in chapter 2, the teacher responds with, “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me” (2:17). Then, “So my heart began to despair” (2:20).
If you are looking for a happy ending, you will need to look elsewhere. The teacher’s words end the same way they began (12:8):
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.
“Everything is meaningless!”
Ecclesiastes also has statements that clash with other parts of Scripture. For instance, “A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything” (10:19). Such a high view of money does not fit well with 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Nor does it work well with Jesus’ words: “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matt. 6:24).
So why Ecclesiastes? Some might say that it deserves its underrated reputation. However, I would argue that no other book of the Bible puts this life in its proper perspective as does Ecclesiastes.
In Ecclesiastes, the teacher’s biggest stumbling block about life is death. Chapter 2 outlines the teacher’s personal experience of pursuing all avenues that people usually pursue: pleasure, laughter, wealth, sex, possessions, etc. “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired” (2:10). The result was dissatisfaction. All of it was “meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (2:11). Even wisdom itself is “meaningless” (2:12-15). Death puts an end to all our hopes and accomplishments. Eventually, we will only be a name on a headstone (if that), or a mysterious name in a genealogy chart as someone long forgotten. This adds a whole new dimension to the consequence of eating from the tree in the Garden of Eden. Death means not only the cessation of life but the fleeting significance of all activities in life. Death means the footprint we leave with our life will eventually be lost to the winds of time. Death renders life meaningless. Our work, efforts, gains and achievements will eventually disappear. All that we worry about and work toward will someday vanish into the oblivion of history. The teacher puts it this way (9:5-6):
For the living know that they will die,
but the dead know nothing;
they have no further reward,
and even their name is forgotten.
Their love, their hate
and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
in anything that happens under the sun.
Reading Ecclesiastes instills a sobering view of life. The worries we have today are not worth the worry. Winning the rat race of life is not worth the time and energy. Most of what we think is so important will be inconsequential in the fullness of time. I find that Ecclesiastes has a calming effect on me when I am anxious and stressed over the ongoing demands of life. The teacher repeatedly recommends the enjoyment of life (2:24; 3:22; 5:18; 8:15; 9:7-9). Being the best or meeting everyone’s expectations is meaningless. Focusing on the value of family and friends, savoring tasty food or taking a deep breath is about enjoying the gifts of God (2:24-25). We can see stressors as fun challenges. According to Ecclesiastes, the deadlines and demands of life are more comparable to a friendly game of cards, not walking a tightrope. The point is to spend time with loved ones. Work is for putting food on the table, not a person’s personal value. Possessions are to use and enjoy, not life’s scorecard. When it comes to living life, enjoyment is better than anything we could brag about.
Sometimes we need to be told to settle down and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. However, in light of the whole of Scripture, life is more than something to enjoy.
Ecclesiastes illuminates a whole new aspect of our salvation. Under sin, life is meaningless and all efforts are for vanity. Death means we will vanish into history, forever forgotten. Sin and death make life meaningless, but Jesus Christ brings meaning to a meaningless world. Jesus joined this meaningless life. Surprisingly, we know nothing about the majority of his life. Between his infancy and his years of ministry, we know of only one episode when he was 12 years old in the temple. About 30 years of Jesus’ life were lost to the void of history. All of his work and words of that time fell into the “meaningless” category of Ecclesiastes. He became like us in every way so that he would save us in every way. He entered our meaningless existence to give it eternal significance. When the Son of God himself opts to walk the meaningless road, the pathway blooms with purpose. Of all the ways he could have entered this world or lived his life, he chose the common life, bringing heavenly value to what was meaningless. By his resurrection from the dead, life now lasts forever. The defeat of death is also the defeat of meaninglessness. While the things of this world continue to pass away into oblivion (1 Jn. 2:15-17), there is an eternal life of which we already participate that will never pass away (1 Pet. 1:3-5).
In Christ, the ordinary tasks of life are now valued service to the King of kings (Col. 3:24). In Christ, taking our last breath no longer renders life meaningless but is the beginning of a tremendous gain of heavenly glory (Phil. 1:21,23).
Don’t let the dismal sound of Ecclesiastes keep you from this underappreciated part of Scripture that sets our sights on things above instead of what is merely under the sun.