Objective

In this study, we’ll see that the Bible has much to say about finding meaning and purpose in life, and what it means to truly enjoy the life God has given us.

Key Verse

Ecclesiastes 12:13: 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.

Introduction

These are two of the books in the Bible that have puzzled believers the most. Why would God include a book like Ecclesiastes that seems to contain so much worldly philosophy? And the Song of Solomon is quite specific in its descriptions of physical love, which is not what we might expect to find in Scripture. There is profound wisdom, however, in wrestling with these difficulties.

We learn from these books that God is sovereign over every aspect of our lives—over our minds and our bodies. God wants us to enjoy life to the fullest, but in the right way. God is not afraid when we ask difficult questions, as we see in books like Ecclesiastes and Job. The key thing to keep in mind is that these books present the wisdom of this world and the pleasures of love from a godly perspective. This is exactly how we’ll be approaching them in this study.

In this lesson, we will explore:

• How Ecclesiastes reveals the emptiness of life without God
• What the Song of Solomon teaches us about God’s design for love and marriage
• How both books point us to find our ultimate satisfaction in God alone

Ecclesiastes: The Search for Meaning

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by someone who calls himself “the Teacher” or “the Preacher.” Tradition has long identified this author as King Solomon, and we will follow this traditional understanding while recognizing that the text itself does not explicitly name Solomon as the author. Regardless of the specific identity, we know that God inspired this writer to give us profound truths about life and meaning.

The evidence within the book strongly suggests that Solomon was indeed the author. The writer describes himself as a son of King David who ruled in Jerusalem. He speaks of his great wisdom, his vast wealth, the many buildings he constructed, and the numerous proverbs he taught—all characteristics that perfectly match what we know about Solomon from other parts of Scripture.

Ecclesiastes 1:1: The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.

1 Kings 4:29-32: God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five.

The central theme of Ecclesiastes is that life is empty and meaningless when lived without God. The phrase “under the sun” appears twenty-nine times throughout the book, emphasizing the earthly, human perspective that the writer is exploring. This repetition drives home the point that when we look at life from a purely worldly viewpoint—”under the sun”—we find only frustration and emptiness.

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?

Solomon tells us that he conducted a thorough search for satisfaction in everything the world has to offer. He was uniquely qualified for this search because he had access to everything a person could desire. He pursued wisdom, pleasure, achievements, and hard work, yet found that none of these things could fill the emptiness in his heart.

➤ The Search for Worldly Wisdom

Solomon first sought meaning through human wisdom and knowledge. He applied his mind to study and explore everything done under heaven. But even his great wisdom left him unsatisfied.

Ecclesiastes 1:17-18: Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

(Notebook Moment: Why do you think that having more knowledge and wisdom can sometimes lead to more sorrow? Think about your own experiences with learning difficult truths about life.)

➤ The Search for Pleasure

When wisdom failed to satisfy, Solomon turned to pleasure and laughter. He denied himself nothing his eyes desired and refused his heart no pleasure.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-3: I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

➤ The Search for Great Achievements

Solomon then pursued meaning through great works and accomplishments. He built houses, planted vineyards, made gardens and parks, and created reservoirs to water his groves of flourishing trees.

Ecclesiastes 2:4-6: I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.

➤ The Search for Hard Work and Wealth

Finally, Solomon sought satisfaction in accumulating wealth and possessions. He acquired servants, herds, flocks, silver, and gold. He gathered treasures from kings and provinces.

Ecclesiastes 2:7-8: I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.

Yet after all this searching, Solomon reached a sobering conclusion. Everything he had pursued was meaningless and like chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:11: 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.

➤ The True Source of Meaning

We were made to live for God and not for ourselves. The restlessness and dissatisfaction that Solomon experienced is built into human nature by God’s design. It drives us to seek Him as our ultimate source of meaning and purpose.

Ecclesiastes 3:11: He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

This verse reveals something profound about human nature. God has placed eternity in our hearts—a longing for something beyond this temporary world. This is why the things “under the sun” can never fully satisfy us. We were created for relationship with the eternal God.

In the end, Solomon concludes that we can only find true satisfaction and meaning by living for God. After exploring every avenue that the world offers, he returns to this fundamental truth.

Ecclesiastes 12:1: Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14: 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. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

People today continue to search for joy and peace in the things of this world—in career success, relationships, entertainment, possessions, and experiences. The Bible declares that we can only find the true meaning of life in Jesus Christ. He is the answer to the restless longing that Ecclesiastes describes so vividly.

John 14:6: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Song of Solomon: The Beauty of Love

The Song of Solomon is a beautiful love song that celebrates the relationship between a husband and wife. Like Ecclesiastes, this book has traditionally been attributed to Solomon, though the text itself could be interpreted as a song written about Solomon or for Solomon. Regardless of the specific authorship details, we know that God inspired this book to teach us important truths about love, marriage, and His relationship with His people.

The Song shows us that the relationship between a husband and wife is a good thing that God created and blessed. In a world that often distorts or degrades human sexuality, this book affirms that physical love within marriage is pure, beautiful, and ordained by God.

Genesis 2:24-25: That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

➤ The Purpose of the Song of Solomon

This beautiful poem serves two important purposes that work together to deepen our understanding of God’s design for love and relationship.

First, it shows us what pure human love and marriage should be like. The Song celebrates the joy, passion, and devotion that characterize a healthy marriage relationship. It affirms that physical attraction and desire between husband and wife are gifts from God to be enjoyed and celebrated.

Second, and even more importantly, it presents a picture of God’s love for His people. Throughout Scripture, the relationship between God and His people is often described using the imagery of marriage. This metaphor helps us understand the depth, intimacy, and faithfulness of God’s love for us.

➤ The Story of the Song

The poem describes the courtship and marriage between a king (traditionally understood to be Solomon) and a beautiful young woman. Their love story unfolds through passionate dialogue as they express their devotion to one another. The woman is sometimes called the Shulammite, possibly indicating her place of origin.

Song of Solomon 2:10-13: My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blooming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”

But the poem is much more than a simple love story. It presents a picture of God’s love for us that can be understood in two complementary ways.

➤ A Picture of God’s Love for Israel

First, we see a picture of how God loved Israel as His chosen people. Throughout the Old Testament, God is presented as the faithful Bridegroom and Israel as His bride. This metaphor captures both the intimacy of the relationship and the tragedy of Israel’s unfaithfulness.

Isaiah 54:5-6: For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God.

Jeremiah 2:2: “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: This is what the Lord says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.'”

Hosea 2:19-20: I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.

(Notebook Moment: What does it mean to you that God loves His people with the devotion and passion described in marriage? How does this change your understanding of God’s character?)

➤ A Picture of Christ’s Love for the Church

Second, we see a picture of how much Christ loves His bride, the church. The New Testament makes this connection explicit, using marriage as the primary metaphor for understanding Christ’s relationship with those who follow Him.

Ephesians 5:25-27: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

2 Corinthians 11:2: I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.

Revelation 19:7-9: Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

The Song of Solomon helps us understand that Christ’s love for the church is not distant or merely dutiful, but passionate, personal, and devoted. Just as the lovers in the Song delight in one another’s presence and long to be together, Christ delights in His people and eagerly anticipates the day when we will be united with Him forever.

➤ The Model for Human Marriage

The Song also provides a beautiful model for how husbands and wives should relate to one another. The godly husband should love and cherish his wife just as Christ loves the church—with sacrificial devotion, tender care, and faithful commitment.

Ephesians 5:28-29: In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church.

(Notebook Moment: If you are married or hope to be married someday, how can the example of Christ’s love for the church shape the way you think about marriage? What specific qualities from this relationship would you want to see in a marriage?)

Conclusion

Man was created to have a will, a mind, and emotions. God has designed each part of our being to find its fulfillment in relationship with Him. The wisdom and poetry books of the Old Testament show us God’s purpose for each aspect of our humanity.

Proverbs teaches that our will is to be dedicated to God. We are to choose His ways over the world’s ways, following the path of wisdom rather than foolishness.

Ecclesiastes teaches that our mind is to be dedicated to God. No amount of human knowledge or philosophical searching can satisfy our deepest longings. Only God can provide the meaning and purpose our minds seek.

Song of Solomon teaches that our emotions are to be dedicated to God. Our capacity for love, passion, and devotion finds its ultimate expression in our relationship with God. Even the beautiful gift of human love points us to the greater love that God has for us.

We are called to love and follow God with our whole person—will, mind, and emotions together. This is what Jesus meant when He quoted the greatest commandment:

Matthew 22:37-38: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Both Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon point us beyond the temporary pleasures and pursuits of this world to find our ultimate satisfaction in God alone. Whether we are seeking meaning for our minds or fulfillment for our hearts, the answer is the same: we were created for relationship with our Creator. In Him, all our longings find their true home.

The wisdom of these books is not that we should avoid the good gifts God has given us—wisdom, work, love, and pleasure all have their proper place. Rather, the wisdom is that we should enjoy these gifts in their proper context, recognizing that they are pointers to the greater reality of God’s love for us. When we understand this truth, we can appreciate God’s gifts without being enslaved by them, and we can find the satisfaction that our hearts truly seek.

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