What is the principle idea of Ecclesiastes? ?
Ecclesiastes focuses a lot of what the purpose of mankind is. Throughout the book, Solomon describes his own selfish pursuits of things ranging from material things to unnecessary education. For example: "And I, even I, turned toward all the works of mine that my hands had done and toward the hard work that I had worked hard to accomplish, and, look! everything was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing of advantage under the sun." -Ecclesiastes 2:11 "A mere lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver, neither any lover of wealth with income. This too is vanity." -Ecclesiastes 5:2 "To the making of many books there is no end, and much devotion to them is wearisome to the flesh." -Ecclesiastes 12:12 At the end of the book, Solomon comes to this conclusion, something that is not vanity: "The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man. " -Ecclesiastes 12:13
Why is Ecclesiastes included in the Christian Bible when it contradicts so much of Jesus' message?
It states: 1) Life is futile - everything is meaningless 2) There is no afterlife - ashes to ashes 3) Men are nothing special compared to animals 4) Nothing is new under the sun - before God became flesh 5) All is vanity
How do you explain Ecclesiastes 1:15?
Natural Israel, even to this day, still rejects the Christ of YHWH/ JEHOVAH. The New Covenant was convened with spiritual 'Israel', and thus natural Israel was REJECTED as a covenant nation. In a similar vein, the congregation established by the Christ after the outpouring of holy spirit in 33 C.E. eventually was overran by pagan teachings sometime after the DEATH of the LAST apostle, by the time of Constantine what existed was largely FALLACIES from man, rather than TRUTH from God through Jesus the Christ. This FALSE congregation is today the INTERFAITH of professed Christianity. As a WHOLE it CANNOT be made straight, no wonder honest hearted ones are urged to "..GET OUT of her.." . Revelation 18:4.
What does Ecclesiastes 9:6 mean in the Bible?
The unconverted / unbelieving person thinks that the best a person can do is to enjoy himself while he can. Life is unpredictable. You just do not know what is going to happen to whom. He frequently observes that ‘righteous’ people receive what the ‘wicked’ deserve, and vice-versa. So, while you can, you should have a good time. Eat drink and be merry. Such pleasures of life are tangible things which you can lay hold of, whereas, try as you might, you can never find out the meaning of life. What is the point of it all — especially of all our hard work ? Not even the wisest of men knows the answer, despite his claim to do so (See Ecclesiastes 8:15–17).Because death is the end (Ecclesiastes 9:1–10)All sorts of people are running life’s race. But there is no telling which of them are pleasing God and which are not. Nobody knows whether his deeds are earning God’s love or calling down his hatred (v1). In any case, whichever way we live, we all come to the same end. We share a common destiny — the grave (v2–3). It is better to be alive than dead (v4). You are conscious. You are somebody. You get something out of living. But the dead know nothing, gain nothing and are forgotten (v5). Whether they were good or bad no longer matters. They are gone. Never again will they share in all that takes place under the sun (v6).So this is how the unconverted / unbeliever thinks. Live life while you can. Enjoy what you can enjoy — food, drink, luxuries, marriage — but enjoy it NOW! This meaningless life which God gives you will soon be over. Put away anything mournful or serious and life life to the full. Soon you will not be able to. You are going to the grave, where there is no activity, no planning and no wisdom (v7–10).Postscript: Does life have any meaning ? Our time on earth is comparatively short. The earthly stage remains, but different actors are constantly passing across it. Generations come and go, but nothing is ultimately different. This is how many people see life — and Solomon identifies with them. But is life really pointless ? If not, what is its true meaning ?The message of the book of Ecclesiastes is that life is not worth living unless we live it for God who, I might add is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, the one who taught us that living for God, means loving him.
Can you give me a short brief summary of Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes is a book of perspective. The narrative of “the Preacher” (KJV), or “the Teacher” (NIV) reveals the depression that inevitably results from seeking happiness in worldly things. This book gives Christians a chance to see the world through the eyes of a person who, though very wise, is trying to find meaning in temporary, human things. Most every form of worldly pleasure is explored by the Preacher, and none of it gives him a sense of meaning. In the end, the Preacher comes to accept that faith in God is the only way to find personal meaning. He decides to accept the fact that life is brief and ultimately worthless without God. The Preacher advises the reader to focus on an eternal God instead of temporary pleasure.
Does the Bible support the "divine right" of kings or "absolute monarchs"?
By means of the myths of “sacred kingship,” “divine right of kings,” “popular sovereignty,” and “national sovereignty,” rulers have attempted to legitimize their authority over fellow humans. After considering the record of human rulers, however, a Christian cannot but share the thought expressed by Solomon: “Man has dominated man to his injury.”—Ecclesiastes 8:9. Rather than worship the political State, Christians worship God and recognize in him the legitimate source of all authority. They agree with the psalmist David who said: “Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the splendour, length of days and glory, everything in heaven and on earth is yours. Yours is the sovereignty, Yahweh; you are exalted, supreme over all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11, The New Jerusalem Bible) Yet, out of deference to God, they show proper respect for authority in both the secular and the spiritual fields. We see the Christian attitude when the rulers of the Jews told them to stop preaching about Jesus. 27 So they brought them and stood them in the San′he·drin hall. And the high priest questioned them 28 and said: “We positively ordered YOU not to keep teaching upon the basis of this name, and yet, look! YOU have filled Jerusalem with YOUR teaching, and YOU are determined to bring the blood of this man upon us.” 29 In answer Peter and the [other] apostles said: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men. 30 The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom YOU slew, hanging him upon a stake. 31 God exalted this one as Chief Agent and Savior to his right hand, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses of these matters, and so is the holy spirit, which God has given to those obeying him as ruler.” This shows that the kings do not have divine rights, but rather there are areas that they have NO authority, especailly when related to the things of God. And he said to them: “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 They said: “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them: “Pay back, therefore, Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.” 22 Well, when they heard [that], they marveled, and leaving him they went off. The only kingship God gave authority to was David's family line, and when they failed to live by his standards, he ended their rulership.