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When I read Solomon’s statement, “And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure…” it makes me pause. That is one audacious statement! Solomon described an unrestrained pursuit of pleasure. Whatever he wanted to have, he took. Whatever he wanted to do, he did. Yes, I realize Solomon may be using hyperbole. But still, this statement puts him as a leading candidate for the Hedonism trophy.
Sexual intimacy is a gift from God. He invented sex and ordained it to be enjoyed between a man and a woman committed to each other for life. God beautifully described this act as a man and woman becoming one—in body and soul. Sex was never meant to be a physical hook up. God intended it to be an experience of the whole person coming together in a loving and intimate union.
Money is a neutral object made of paper and metal and confirmed in bank statements or portfolios. Contrary to the adage, money doesn’t talk…or feel or act. Money is neither good nor bad but can be used in good and bad ways. It’s the “love of money” that is the “root of all kinds of evils” (1 Tim. 6:10).
There is this problem with things—we will never have enough. The desire for possessions is like a mosquito bite. The more you scratch it, the more it itches (Eccl. 5:10). We get pleasure from possessions…for a brief time.
Hoping to find something that would make life worth living, Solomon decides to occupy his mind and time with building projects. His “great works” included great houses. He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon, the Hall of Pillars, the Hall of the Throne, the Hall of Judgement, and his own luxurious palace.
Pleasure is a good thing, a great thing. God wired us to enjoy relationships, laugh, and experience life to the fullest. All things are beautiful when experienced the way God intended. But in this fallen world, in this “life under the sun,” we can pervert pleasure into a god, using money, possessions, and experiences to fill our hearts.
Hedonism, mentioned earlier in our study through Ecclesiastes, is a philosophy of life motivated by the desire for pleasure. Hedonism believes that satisfying one’s desires is the highest good and aim of humanity. Hedonism is a life that sprints toward self-gratification. As the old beer commercial said, “You only go around once in life, so grab for all the gusto you can get.”
Hedonism, mentioned earlier in our study through Ecclesiastes, is a philosophy of life motivated by the desire for pleasure. Hedonism believes that satisfying one’s desires is the highest good and aim of humanity. Hedonism is a life that sprints toward self-gratification. As the old beer commercial said, “You only go around once in life, so grab for all the gusto you can get.”
Laziness is addressed in the New Testament as well. The apostle Paul demonstrated hard work among the Ephesians and explained to the church leaders that wages earned by working hard should be generously shared with those in need. Paul reminded the Ephesians of Jesus’ words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:34-35).
But for the believer, things should be different. Every Christian must have a biblical theology of work. Work is a gift from God, so we should honor him in our endeavors. When we honor God with our efforts, we bring glory to him.
In this passage, Solomon proclaims what the rest of Scripture confirms: God is in complete control of all things. He is omnipotent; all-powerful. This means that whatever God desires to do, he will get it done. If he desires something straight, it will be straight and remain straight. If he wants something crooked, it will be crooked and remain crooked. Of course, God’s desires, decisions, and actions will always be perfect.
The world is desperate to see Christians find meaning and satisfaction in their work. We don’t worship our jobs; we worship the One who provided us the gift to find purpose in our daily efforts. It’s hard to argue against Solomon’s point: “there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work.”
Some people do a job. They clock in and clock out. Their work is such that they can leave it all behind when they hop into their car to drive home. Most of these people spend their workdays dreaming of a hobby, an evening with friends, or planning a big tailgate party before the game. There is nothing wrong with doing a job if we do it unto the Lord and work hard to honor him with our work.