The Meaning Of Life

In Ecclesiastes 2, King Solomon begins by testing all the pleasures of life.

He drank wine, built houses for himself, planted vineyards, and amassed great wealth… gold, silver, herds, and flocks. He brought in singers and even a harem, calling all of this the “delights of a man’s heart.” (verse 8) But then he writes,

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

- King Solomon, Ecclesiastes 2:11

Solomon then turned his thoughts to wisdom, thinking wisdom had to be better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. But even that did not satisfy him. He wrote,

The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise? I said to myself, “This too is meaningless.” For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die!

- King Solomon, Ecclesiastes 2:15-16

Almost 3000 years ago, King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, came to the understanding that everything this world has to offer is ultimately meaningless.

It does not fulfill one’s soul and it does not last.

Yet, here we are, 3000 years later, still pursuing the same earthly pleasures (bigger houses, newer cars, fatter bank accounts, greater status, and worldly fame), believing that somehow they are the answer we seek, only to confirm what Solomon learned so long ago, that this world does not, and cannot, fulfill the longings of our soul.

So, what is the real meaning of life?

Solomon learned that nothing in this world could possibly provide that which he longed for more than anything else: value, purpose, peace, and hope.

It was not until the final chapter of Ecclesiastes, after Solomon listed all the things he had sought that did not provide what he was looking for, that he finally came to understand. He wrote,

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the duty of all mankind.

- King Solomon, Ecclesiastes 12:13

When it had all been said and done, Solomon came to the only conclusion that made sense of this world…Fear God and keep His commandments.

What is the meaning of life? It is putting God first in our life, having a right relationship with Him, worshiping and serving Him and Him alone.

When we do that, we will discover everything that matters in this life. We will know that we are valued, we will have purpose, we will have peace in the midst of turmoil and trials, and we will have hope for the future, for we will know the One who holds the future in His powerful hands.

And that, my friends, is the real meaning of life.

Pastor Ken

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