Read | Ecclesiastes 1:1–18
The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.
“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher.
“Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”
What does a person gain for all his efforts
that he labors at under the sun?
A generation goes and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
The sun rises and the sun sets;
panting, it hurries back to the place
where it rises.
Gusting to the south,
turning to the north,
turning, turning, goes the wind,
and the wind returns in its cycles.
All the streams flow to the sea,
yet the sea is never full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they flow again.
All things are wearisome,
more than anyone can say.
The eye is not satisfied by seeing
or the ear filled with hearing.
What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.
Can one say about anything,
“Look, this is new”?
It has already existed in the ages before us.
There is no remembrance of those who came before;
and of those who will come after
there will also be no remembrance
by those who follow them.I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. I applied my mind to examine and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied. I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.
What is crooked cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.I said to myself, “See, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has thoroughly grasped wisdom and knowledge.” I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind.
For with much wisdom is much sorrow;
as knowledge increases, grief increases.
Click here to listen to the Scripture in ESV.
The teacher notes that much of life is "hevel" (futility/vapor/smoke) and laments the impermanence and apparent futility of life. Why do you think such a melancholic book is in Scripture?
Focus & Pray
Art is a beautiful expression of God’s gift to us and can help us imagine, visualize, and better understand Scripture. View this work of art, titled Ecclesiastes, connected to Sunday’s sermon passage.
Observe what you see in the image, from colors to composition to recognizable elements, without trying to understand what it is supposed to mean. Then read about the work, using these details to help you interpret the work of art. Ask God what he might be saying through the image, and listen for his insight in your thoughts and feelings, then take a moment to respond through prayer to what God showed you in this image.
Commentary:
John August Swanson was an artist best known for his religious art, with work influenced by iconography and the cultural influences of his Mexican and Swedish heritage. The following information comes from Swanson’s website:
Swanson first created Ecclesiastes in the 1960s, inspired by a reading from John F. Kennedy’s funeral, and Pete Seeger’s song, “Turn, Turn, Turn.” He revisited the artwork throughout his life. Today, a giclee print has been created from his serigraphs, paintings, and sketches, completing a project he began in May 2017. Swanson’s vision was inspired by the rose windows and facades of gothic cathedrals. The numerous scenes include Bible stories, parables, animals, carnival performers, and moments of human kindness. Swanson viewed his artwork as “a universal portrayal of humanity that easily crosses cultures, races, and languages to speak to all people of the inestimable value of time and of all human life.”
In August 2021, Swanson was admitted into hospice care due to heart failure. The artist passed away on September 23, 2021. Using his directions, notes, sketches, and years of experience working with him in the creation of giclee editions, his studio finished the work he could not.
Art Source: Ecclesiastes, Copyright 2022 by John August Swanson. Giclee, 32” x 25. 25.” Used by permission. johnaugustswanson.com
Going Deeper
If you are also following the BibleProject’s One Story That Leads to Jesus reading plan, complete today’s reading.