Ecclesiastes 2:1-26
I Can’t Get No…Satisfaction!
There are four questions we ask about life: Who am I? Where did I come from?
Why am I here? Where am I going? These questions are asked by everyone at some point in their life. We all want to know what our purpose for existence is.
Introduction
The Theme Song of Solomon- “Satisfaction” “I can't get no satisfaction 'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try…”
SATISFACTION (I CAN'T GET NO)
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no
When I'm drivin' in my car
And a man comes on the radio
He's telling me more and more
About some useless information
Supposed to fire my imagination
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no
When I'm watchin' my TV
And a man comes on to tell me
How white my shirts can be
But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
The same cigarrettes as me
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no girlie action
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no
When I'm ridin' round the world
And I'm doin' this and I'm signing that
And I'm tryin' to make some girl
Who tells me baby better come back later next week
'Cause you see I'm on losing streak
I can't get no, a no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say
I can't get no, I can't get no
I can't get no satisfaction
No satisfaction, no satisfaction, no satisfaction
(Personal note: I was selective in what I quoted from the song!)
It seems that America lives and loves the song Satisfaction! Solomon would fit in well here! He personified this spirit in chapter two.
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity. I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives. 1-3
I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 4-6
I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. 7-8
So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. 9-11
"Under the sun," used 29 times in Ecclesiastes and nowhere else in the Old Testament, simply means "on the earth," that is, in terms of human existence.
The Preacher and his Fame 2:1-11
As you read these verses, you get the idea that Solomon was out to satisfy Solomon. It appears that God did not have a part of the scene until we get to chapter twelve. Solomon loved all that he had but he was a miserable man. Surprisingly, fame, fortune and folly does not make one enjoy life more!
His Wit 1-2
Here we find Solomon living for Laughter, Fun and Perversity! He found the meaning of a-muse-ment! It was NOT to think or muse! He laughed his life away!
His Wine 3
Lubricants and Satisfaction…Solomon enjoyed the pleasures of wine! But even then, it was short lived! You must start over again the next day…drats!
His Works 4-6
Built for myself…A Legacy. Here Solomon was a MegaStar! He built mansions, vineyards, gardens, orchards, lakes and on and on it goes! Notice that he was building it for himself.
His Wealth 7-8
Owning things; property, people and payola! He had servants, flocks and herds, possessions (lottery), orchestras and the like. Nothing was held from his dreams and desires! He enjoyed the fine things in life!
His Worth 9-11
Honestly, Pleasures did not satisfy. Possessions did not satisfy. Profit did not satisfy. Life was empty without meaning and purpose! The word הבל hebel – means breath, vapor or breeze. It is the idea of “poof” it’s gone! It’s like a bubble blown into the wind only to pop and become nothingness! Vanity means emptiness; the futility of life, no purpose. Life is empty without a purpose. I can’t get no…satisfaction! No, no, no!!!
From the preacher and his fame, we move to…
Then I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness and folly (moral perversity); For what can the man do who succeeds the king?— Only what he has already done. 12
Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived that the same event happens to them all. 13-15a
So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, it also happens to me, and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.” For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool! Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind. 15b-17
The Preacher and his Fate 2:12-17
Life is empty and without meaning “under the sun.” Notice what Solomon discovers next!
Repetition in life! 12
There’s nothing new! Wisdom and foolishness replayed! Everyday is the same…only different! We fight the same battles, same struggles and same headaches! It’s déjà vu all over again! Tomorrow will be the same as today!
Recognition of our limits! 13-15a
We get to end of life and we die! We do have limits. Whether you are well educated or poorly educated, well connected or homeless the end is the same death! What a bummer!
Resignation to lunacy! 15b-17
Solomon realized at that point that everything he did was useless! You leave it all behind! There was no U-Haul behind the coach which carried him to the grave. And no one will remember me.
Illustration
I heard a story years ago about a man named Odd. He hated that name! He told his wife that he did not want his name on his tombstone because he didn’t want anyone to remark about his “Odd” name.
His wife honored his request. She had only the year he was born and the year he died etched on his marker.
For years now, everyone who passes by his tombstone, pauses and comments, “That’s Odd!”
I can’t get no…no, no, no…satisfaction!
We move from the preacher and his fate to…
Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 18-19
Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun. 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. For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun?
For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity. 20-23
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. For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I? 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. 24-26
The Preacher and his Flesh 2:18-26
Solomon despaired of his works! He realized that he would leave it behind to someone who wouldn’t appreciate all his hard work!
The Degradation of his labors! 18-19
We will leave it all behind to someone who won’t appreciate the hard work! They didn’t invest in it and they won’t take care of it.
I don’t know how many times I have heard of those who inherit their fathers business only to drive it into the ground and out of business! Or that no matter how much money a child inherits from their parents; on average they spend it all up in six months! Yes, six months! Oh what “poof” is life!
The Desperation of his love! 20-23
We leave it all behind! Solomon despaired and called it a great evil! It wasn’t fair! It’s not right! I worked so hard for what? For a relative to waste it all!
The Deliberation toward his Lord 24-26
In a ray of hope, Solomon seems to entertain a brief moment of respite. He finds that life is to enjoy the things given to us from God! God allows us to enjoy the fruit in our labors as we grow to know Him. Sadly it seems that Solomon discovered it too late in life!
When we get to the end of life, we want our life to count for Jesus! So how are you doing? Does you life count for anything? Have you discovered true life in Christ?
