The Vapour and the Vine
Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
“hevel” (הֶבֶל) = Vapour, wisp of breath that disappears
Earthly things that are like chasing after the wind:
- Intellectual pursuits (1:16-17)
- Pleasures (2:1)
- Religion (5:1)
- Money (5:10-11)
Solomon also explores the inevitability of life and the unfairness that comes (chapters 3-4). We all face challenges good and bad, and sometimes we also face bad or evil because of the actions of others.
So where does this leave us? Solomon said it’s all meaningless right? So what’s the point, I guess we can all just leave and just try and enjoy life the best we can before we die, because we may as well have fun while we are here until we die or “return to dust” as Solomon says.
3:9-13 || “What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 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. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.”
Paul David Tripp says “we can only really make sense of life when we view it from the vantage point of eternity” and he warns about being eternity amnesiacs, people who forget that we are destined for eternity and we try and create meaning from the world we are living in now, that this world cannot give us.
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.
1. Chase God.
What are you chasing after?
Solomon challenges us by observing and highlighting all the different things humans chase, we can chase fame or prestige, wealth, earthly possessions or earthly pleasures. It’s easy for us to get caught up in chasing after things that are not God, we can say we are Christian, attend Church on Sundays and still in our hearts be chasing after earthly pleasures and things under the sun.
If you aren’t chasing after God, you are chasing after the wind, a vapour, a wisp of breath that disappears.
2. Cherish God.
Do you place God first in your life? Do you stand in awe and reverence of Him?
Solomon calls us to fear God, to remember God.
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””
Solomon encourages young people to cherish God, to remember Him before they face hardship so that they can find pleasure in Him, otherwise they will get to the end of their life saying I will find no pleasure in them.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, there is ALWAYS time to remember your creator, to cherish God. To choose to fear him over man, and find joy and pleasure in who God is.
Solomon calls us to fear God, to remember God.
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””
Solomon encourages young people to cherish God, to remember Him before they face hardship so that they can find pleasure in Him, otherwise they will get to the end of their life saying I will find no pleasure in them.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, there is ALWAYS time to remember your creator, to cherish God. To choose to fear him over man, and find joy and pleasure in who God is.
3. Cast your eyes on eternity.
Where is your focus? What are your eyes set on?
Are you focused on a big promotion, on buying a house, on getting married and having a family, on retiring, on traveling, on having a certain amount of money or income, on enjoying life? There are so many things that can take our attention off eternity, and while these things can be good things and a part of the plan for our lives on earth they should never be our focus.
Our focus should be on eternity because when we have a heavenly perspective, our priorities change, all of a sudden relationships become more important than work. Generosity becomes more important than anything you could buy, sharing the gospel with people becomes more important than anyone’s view of you.
Are you focused on a big promotion, on buying a house, on getting married and having a family, on retiring, on traveling, on having a certain amount of money or income, on enjoying life? There are so many things that can take our attention off eternity, and while these things can be good things and a part of the plan for our lives on earth they should never be our focus.
Our focus should be on eternity because when we have a heavenly perspective, our priorities change, all of a sudden relationships become more important than work. Generosity becomes more important than anything you could buy, sharing the gospel with people becomes more important than anyone’s view of you.
John 15:4-5 || Remain in ME
Unless we remain in God we can do NOTHING of meaning. Solomon has shown us and painted a very clear picture of what life looks like without remaining in Christ. It’s a life full of possibilities, we could have great wealth and earthly possessions, however, at the end of the day it is meaningless, because we have no hope, we are chasing things that pass away, rather than cast our eyes on eternity, chasing and cherishing God.
While life with Christ is not easy, as Solomon says, bad things happen to everyone, no matter where they fall in their belief. But live with Jesus, in relationship with Him, remaining in the vine brings PURPOSE, it brings HOPE and it allows us to keep moving forward and produce fruit for Christ.
Questions:
- What are you chasing after? Is there anything you need to stop chasing in order for you to solely chase after God?
- Does God come first in your life? Do you stand in awe and reverence of Him? Do you truly cherish him over everything else?
- Do you fear God over fearing man?
- Where is your focus? What are your eyes set on?
- Where do your priorities lie? What comes first in your life?
- When you are making decisions about 2026, what do you consider first?
- What do you need to change this year to reorient yourself towards God in order to chase him, cherish him and cast your eyes on eternity?
