Ecclesiastes 1 - Praying God's Word

Please read Ecclesiastes 1.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/ecc/1/1/s_660001

Meditate on verses 1-2.

Note: Vanity comes from the Hebrew word hebel. Solomon used this word 38 times in Ecclesiastes. Hebel means emptiness and unsatisfactory. It is translated as futility, fleeting, emptiness, and vanity in the New American Standard translation of Ecclesiastes.¹

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,

“Vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes was written by David’s son, Solomon—a king renowned for his wealth and wisdom. Yet, Ecclesiastes reveals him to be a human struggling with life, work, thoughts, attitudes, and relationships. Solomon’s feelings, which are often negative, are honestly expressed in this book.

You may find it intriguing that God would include such a cynical book in His Holy Scripture, or perhaps you find it comforting that the Holy Spirit through Solomon put into words what your spirit may be groaning (Romans 8:23, 26). As you read Ecclesiastes, ask God to give you His eternal perspective and verses to pray over your life situations.

Pray Ecclesiastes 1:4-7, taking comfort in God’s created consistencies.

“LORD, I thank You for these

 truths from Your Word.

‘A generation goes and a generation comes,

but the earth remains forever.

 Also, the sun rises and the sun sets;

and hastening to its place it rises again. 

Blowing toward the south,

then turning toward the north,

 the wind continues swirling along;

 and on its circular courses the wind returns. 

All the rivers flow into the sea,

 yet the sea is not full. 

To the place where the rivers flow,

 there they flow again.’

In the midst of confusion,

help me remember these things.

In Your name, Jesus~”

1. Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H1892&t=NASB

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell