
The author of Ecclesiastes is unknown, but it is widely believed that it is King Solomon, or a person writing as King Solomon. However, the author is not the main speaker in the book. The author introduces a character called ‘the teacher’ who reflects on life throughout the majority of the book. The author then comes back at the end of Ecclesiastes to summarize and reflect on what ‘the teacher’ has said. The teacher describes everything as ‘Hevel,’ which is Hebrew for breath, smoke, or vapor. It is translated into English as meaning futile, futility, or meaningless. It is the idea of your breath disappearing on a cold day. This theme of life being ‘Hevel’ is applied to many different scenarios including pleasure, achievement, time, material possessions, money, power, politics, and even knowledge. The reason life is meaningless is because death will take all you have anyway, and nothing temporary will satisfy the eternity that is written on man’s hearts in the brief life that they have. That is the big picture.
Each week, as you take in the Bible, find some friends to talk it out. You can follow this simple guide to help. First, R.E.A.D. and P.R.A.Y. on your own. Then, meet with friends to share what you've learned.
R - Repeated words
E - Examine and mark
A - Ask what you learn about God
D - Do if there is anything to do
P - Praise
R - Repent
A - Ask
Bible Reading Plan - Week 6
Daily Prayer Plan – Week 6
START IT.
We're reading the Bible together in 2025 to see how Love Shows Up from the Old Testament and into the New Testament. How do we understand so many stories and lessons through the entire Bible while trying to stick to the "sacred timeline"? The answer is the big picture. If we get the big picture, we get the story the Bible is trying to tell. From Sunday's message or The Big Picture Bible Reading Plan this week in the book of Ecclesiastes, what is impacting you the most? How has praying daily through the Psalms impacted you? Was there a word, phrase, Bible verse, or theme that impacted you?
STUDY IT.
Read Ecclesiastes 1:1-3. Who is introduced, and what do they say?
Read Ecclesiastes 9:4-6. Explain how an alive dog is better than a dead lion. What does this say about death? Read Ecclesiastes 3:22. What question does ‘the teacher’ have concerning death?
Read Ecclesiastes 9:7-10. What does the teacher say abundant life looks like?
Read Ecclesiastes 9:18. Read Joshua 7:1. Romans 5:12. What is the common spiritual theme in all these verses? What spread to all people according to Romans 5:12?
Read John 10:10 and Romans 5:18-21. How is Christ the answer to life’s futility as the better Adam?
SHARE IT.
Read James 4:14-15. How should your mindset be around your life and future? Does this verse suggest that future goals are bad?
Read Hebrews 3:13. How are you to be “one anothering” while you work towards a future goal?
Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and Galatians 6:2. How did you “one another” this week? Is there anyone alone that you could help bear their burdens this upcoming week?
What was the last great meal with friends you had? What was the best birthday you remember? What is the best gift you have ever received?
How can you fully enjoy life in a godly way?
FINAL THOUGHT
Death is the great equalizer, and it is undefeated. Nobody can escape it no matter how hard they try. The world handles this truth in different ways. Some people bury themselves in pleasure-seeking, some become stoic, and others despair. Christians have a resource for contentment and joy in life that the world cannot offer. Our security is built in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection from the dead. Death has been defeated by one man, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. He has come back from the dead to prove that His warnings about Hell and promises of eternal life are true. Through faith in Jesus, we have access to that victory over death so that nobody has to fear death again. We do not have to grasp to hold onto special moments in desperation. These moments, like great meals with great friends, point to a better meal, namely the wedding supper of the Lamb. Our joy, family, marriage, and love will not be lost at death but only increase exponentially in the collective worship of God by His children. Jesus will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Christians are able to have abundant life now and encourage one another in this broken world while we await the abundant life to come in the next life.
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