A Florida construction crew working on a $42 million drain project unearthed a valuable treasure. Deep in the soil, they found a well-preserved fishing boat from the 1800s. The vessel contained interesting artifacts, including part of a kerosene lamp, drinking cups made from coconut shells, and coins. The ship is being studied with the hope that it will provide details of what life was like in that region more than one hundred years ago. “[It’s] more than just the vessel itself. [It’s] this reminder of everyday people,” said one maritime archaeologist. By digging deep, knowledge and wisdom were gained.
Ecclesiastes contains great treasures of wisdom as we study it—ancient wisdom reflecting on the everyday events of that time and ours as well. Solomon reveals how a “wise heart will know the . . . proper time and procedure for every matter” (Ecclesiastes 8:5-6). He wrote that wisdom is found in remembering “all that God has done” (v. 17) and who He is (12:1). God alone provides meaning to life that—apart from Him—is “meaningless” (8:14). His wisdom allows us to experience a contented, joy-filled life in His presence (v. 15).
Ecclesiastes reveals that people will “come and . . . go” (1:4), as evidenced by the ship found in Florida. But God’s wisdom leads to real and lasting life and purpose (John 10:10). Let’s dig deep into the Scriptures to find the ancient wisdom He provides.
How do the Scriptures provide wisdom for you? How can you dig deeply into them?
All-wise God, thank You for providing real wisdom.
Ecclesiastes exposes the futility of pursuing things that life has to offer (good or not-so-good) rather than the God who gives life. The word vanity (hebel), often repeated in the book, means “emptiness,” “futility,” “uselessness.” It’s also used to describe situations that defy common sense, as in 8:14, where hebel is translated “meaningless”: “There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.” While we vainly pursue many things in life, our search for wisdom isn’t normally one of them. Those who sincerely seek and dig deep for wisdom—which is “more precious than rubies” (Proverbs 8:11)—will find it. Scripture encourages us to do so: “I [wisdom] love those who love me, and those who seek me find me” (v. 17).
