“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Solomon is not prescribing what we should do, but describing what happens in life. Every event and activity occurs according to a predetermined plan and at its appointed time. Many of these seasons are beyond our control, reminding us that we are not the masters of our own fate, but live under God’s sovereign ordering of time.

Solomon observes that wisdom excels folly, yet the same event happens to both the wise and the fool. Death comes to all, and even the successful and pre-eminent are soon forgotten. He then turns to hard work and labour and concludes that all his toil must be left to another who did not labour for it. “For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief… This also is vanity.” Success, pre-eminence, and labour bring no lasting satisfaction.

Solomon withheld not his heart from any joy and possessed everything that his eyes desired—houses, gardens, riches, pleasures, and delights of every kind. Yet even while guided by wisdom, he concluded, “behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.” Wealth, riches, and pleasure brought no true or lasting satisfaction.

Solomon, the wisest king in Israel’s history, set his heart to seek and search out all that is done under heaven by wisdom and knowledge. Yet after surpassing all before him in understanding, he concluded that all was vanity and a grasping for the wind. Even great learning brought only vexation, frustration, and grief. Satisfaction cannot be found in wisdom and knowledge, for the more one increases knowledge, the more sorrow is multiplied.

Solomon observes that “there is no new thing under the sun,” for history repeats itself and “there is no remembrance of former things.” Life under the sun offers no lasting progress, no lasting satisfaction, and no lasting remembrance. But the Christian sees history moving toward God’s intended end, and knows that while men may forget, God never forgets the work done for Him. True meaning is found not under the sun, but under the Son, Jesus Christ.

Solomon observes that “labour is futile,” asking, “What profit hath a man of all his labours under the sun?” He shows that life is an endless cycle—the sun rising and setting, the wind returning to its circuits, the rivers running yet never filling the sea. All things are wearisome; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. Under the sun, life becomes monotonous, tiring, and without lasting satisfaction.

“What is the meaning of life and is life worth living?” Ecclesiastes begins by asking what profit a man has from all his labour under the sun. Many measure life by its quality, possessions, work, pleasure, or relationships, but the preacher shows that apart from God such pursuits become labouring and gaining nothing.