Do people misinterpret Ecclesiastes?

By David L. Allen

Many people misinterpret the book of Ecclesiastes. They think it is a book of pessimism. Like fingers dragged down a blackboard, Ecclesiastes leaves us with our skin crawling. “Under the sun” occurs 30 times in the book. Thirty-eight relentless salvos of pessimism pour from its pages as the author repeats “vanity” over an over again.

But the key to the book is the very last paragraph: 12:13-14. Here Solomon comes to his senses and sums up his counsel to us in two imperatives followed by two motives: 1) Fear God, 2) Keep his Commandments. The two motives are: 1) “for this concerns every person” In other words, this is the most important thing in everyone’s life. 2) God will bring every deed into judgment—visible or hidden; good or evil.

This should sober up every sinner. Notice the human action: Fear God and keep his commandments. Notice the divine action: God will bring everything into judgment. Solomon emphasizes the certainty of it and the comprehensiveness of it.

The first word of the Hebrew text in v. 13 is “END,” written in large letters to draw attention to importance of it. This is a mic drop moment. There is no verb in the sentence; it is deliberately abrupt for emphasis.

Fearing God includes inward devotion and external worship and obedience. The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else.  When you don’t fear God, you fear everything else. Fearing God transforms all other fears into courage.

Fear God—that is the point of departure. Keep his commandments—that is the path of travel.

“What does the Lord your God require of you? That you fear God by walking in all his ways, keeping his commandments.” (Deut. 28:9)

The fear of God and obedience to his commands dispels the mist of vanity. “For this is the whole of man.” The word “duty” is not in the Hebrew text. Life “under the sun” is fragmented, but looked at from God’s point of view, everything comes together into one whole. Life is incomplete, empty, frustrating, till this is true. This is the only way to become more than a disjointed succession of moments.

The book’s dim obscurity can only be illuminated by the light of these last two verses. Solomon took the ashes of his life, made ink from them, and wrote his autobiography. Verse 14 speaks of “judgment.” Not nations only, individuals. Not open actions only, but secret actions. Not actions only, but thoughts. Not good works only, but evil. Judgment day for all people will not be a no-show opportunity.

CONCLUSION- He who follows Solomon in his quest for the reality of life will find it in the service of him who said: John 10:10.  “I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly” The worker (v. 13) and the work (v. 14) both matter to God!