For ages, philosophers and self proclaimed wise men and women have pondered the question, what is the meaning of life. Maybe you have your own set of answers like: 42; life is about family; or perhaps life is a hungry discovery.

The book of Ecclesiastes seeks to answer that exact question in a rather disturbing way.

The books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are almost opposite in their approach to wisdom and life.

Proverbs is almost built like an equation. If you do good, you will experience a good life. And vice versa. But that isn't always true is it?

That's where Ecclesiastes comes in. Where Proverbs is true its also lofty, Ecclesiastes is grounded in reality.

When Solomon writes the book of Ecclesiastes, he is not the young king who wrote Proverbs, this version of Solomon has experienced life, the good and the bad. He has had it all, women, wealth, power and now has some observations that you should know about.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon approaches 3 observations about life.

The March of Time

Time continues to march on and on. All of us are like a drop of water on a car window, we will eventually be dried away.

Not very encouraging. But it is reality.

Ecclesiastes 1:4,11

"A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever."

"There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after."

Do the actions of our great great great great grandmothers have an impact on us. Of course they do, but what did they do? Who knows? I couldn't tell you what mine did. Time erases memory and actions because our time is different than their time and without history we wouldn't remember a single thing.

How much value do our actions really carry if they are going to be erased by time?

We Are All Going to Die

The next not so encouraging observation of Ecclesiastes is that everything including you and I is going to die. The trees will one day perish, the flowers will wilt, our pets will die and so will we.

Ecclesiastes 3:19

"For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity."

It's true, but boy does it bring our spirits down.

Life is Random

The last major observation Ecclesiastes makes is that life is random.

Ecclesiastes 7:15

"In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing."

Just because you do what is right and correct, doesn't mean everything will work out for you. You could just as much be handed bankruptcy just as much as great wealth. Or maybe you will experience loss or much gain.

Look at the story of Job, he is perfect in almost every way. He loves God and shuns evil, but within the first few chapters Job loses everything.

Hevel

As you read the book of Ecclesiastes you will upon the words vain and meaningless. The original word the author used here was Hevel which means smoke. And life is kinda like smoke.

Smoke makes your view cloudy and uncertain. Life can be that way. No one knows what is going to happen tomorrow.

So we could focus on the death and the impending march of time. Or that we have little influence on the mass decisions of history.

Or we could enjoy our life. Enjoy the sunrise and the warmth of a hug. Enjoy the life that we have been given no matter what kind of a life it is.

When the book ends, the author reveals his conclusions on life. What is life all about?

Ecclesiastes 12:13

"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

So friends, enjoy life to the fullest. Do your absolute best and obey God because you can't do your best without Him.