Finding God 101, Part One

 Sometimes it’s good to go back to basics. And what could be more basic than the identity of God? Many people use the name of God, but not everyone is speaking the same language. The Mormon, Muslim, and Christian Science member all mean something different when they employ the name of God. Not everyone who says that they believe in God, actually believes in a personal being that sent His Son to incarnate on the earth as a Man to pay for the sins of mankind. Clarification is necessary when approaching seemingly familiar terms when conversing with someone. Terms like God, faith, church, etc., mean different things to different people. It boils down to who they sat at the feet of, and what was taught to them.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Two, To Whom God Gives

 Ecclesiastes 2:26 For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

As Henry Morris points out, the preacher never refers to God as Yahweh, Israel’s covenant God and redeemer. No, He is known as Elohim, the Creator of the universe and mankind’s maker. Saved or unsaved, sinner or saint, God reigns over His creation, and every soul no matter their eternal state, is answerable to Him. This is Elohim, the Creator God of Genesis, before He reveals His covenant name through Moses to Israel prior to the Exodus.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Two, Enjoying The Moment

 Ecclesiastes 2:24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. [25] For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?

The preacher resorts to the commendation of enjoying what one is engrossed in to derive gratification. Labor is satisfactory when it yields pleasing results, or results the laborer intended or foresaw and then brought to pass. A meal is best enjoyed to gratify genuine hunger, especially after laboring successfully in whatever endeavor man applies himself to.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Two, What Is Gained?

Ecclesiastes 2:22 For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? [23] For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

This accusation is a broad stroke involving not just human vocation, but every work man does under Heaven. The idea then involves our work, pastimes, hobbies, thoughts, family time, et al. The effort we expend in our many pursuits great or small are encompassed by this indictment.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Two, Anger Turns To Despair

Ecclesiastes 2:20 Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun. [21] For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

The preacher is focusing on inheritance, succession, and generational dissonance. By generational dissonance, I simply mean the disconnect one generation feels when viewing the younger generation destined to succeed them. This has been the preacher’s line of thought since Ecclesiastes 2:12.