Ecclesiastes 1:1-4

This earthly life is vain-- Ecclesiastes 1:1-4: The Book of Ecclesiastes is the preacher's sermon. The book is one continued speech or sermon from Solomon. Solomon is called by several different names in the Bible. God called him "Jedidiah." (2 Samuel 12:25-26) "Lemuel" was one name that he was called. (Proverbs 31:1) He was also possibly called "Agur." (Proverbs 30:1) He identified himself as the son of David. He might have mentioned David out of the great honor and respect he had for this good man. The mention of David could have been out of guilt being a descendant of such a good man and yet his life was one of folly.

The expression "vanity of vanities, all is vanity" summed up Solomon's earthly life. What can man take with him from his labor "under the sun?" Paul wrote, "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." (1 Timothy 6:7) Solomon said, "One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever." (Ecclesiastes 1:4) This shows that a man can have no profit of all his labour under the sun. He works hard to gain something only to die and leave it behind. Soon death takes an entire generation. Solomon said the "earth abideth for ever." We know now by God revelation that, "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10)