What Do People Gain From All Their Toil? (Eccl 1:1-11)

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Key Verse: Eccl 1:3

"What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?

What does the Teacher/Preacher (Eccl 1:1) say about God? Nothing! Why? He is reflecting on the world on the horizontal level. He is looking at human life apart from God. He describes life "under the sun" (Eccl 1:3, 9). He describes life from a secular perspective.

Questions:

1. Who is the author of Ecclesiastes (Eccl 1:1)?
2. The underlying theme of Ecclesiastes is stated in Eccl 1:2; 12:8? What does this mean? [The word translated "vanity," "meaningless," "futility," "senseless," "absurd," "vapor," "breadth" is repeated 38 times in Ecclesiastes.]
   
3. How would you answer the question in Eccl 1:3 (cf. Mt 16:26; Mk 8:36; Lk 9:25; Lk 12:16-20)? If you were on your deathbed what might you say? [The word "gain" is repeated 9 times, and "toil" 23 times.]
   
4. What futility is observed in the cycles of life (Eccl 1:4-7)?
5. What is never satisfied (Eccl 1:8)? Why is this?
6. Why is there nothing new under the sun (Eccl 1:9)? ["Under the sun" is repeated 29 times.] Why do we think something is new (Eccl 1:10-11)?
7. What should we do (Mt 6:19-21; Jn 6:27; 1 Cor 15:58)?

Futility Observed in the Cycles of Life:

1. Nothing seems to change (Eccl 1:4-7).
2. Nothing seems to satisfy (Eccl 1:8).
3. Nothing is new under the sun (Eccl 1:9-11).