When Solomon truly began to slow down, stop and ponder life, he became depressed. What was the point of life? Everything that has been done is what will be done again. You really won’t be remembered after a few generations. What’s the purpose if after you die then it is all erased? So he began to put life to the test to find meaning.
1) Pleasure
Maybe life was about fulfilling pleasure. So Solomon gave himself over to indulgence to see if this would be the fulfillment. He enjoyed all that was good in the eyes of the world–wine, women and song. He fostered laughter and fleshly celebration.
The result? Futility.
“I said about laughter, “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” (v. 2).
So check that off. Perhaps righteous accomplishments?
2) Achievements
Perhaps life was about meaningful projects. So Solomon built and built and built. Perhaps more than any other king in history. He constructed houses, vineyards, gardens, parks, reservoirs, and more. He acquired many servants, and herds and cattle. Then he stock-piled his wealth of silver, gold and more. Next he added singers for delight and concubines galore for unlimited sexual exploits.
“All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them” (v. 10).
The result? Futility.
“When I considered all that i had accomplished and what i had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind” (v. 11).
3) Wisdom
Next on the list was wisdom. Being a king, he could pursue great mysteries. And there was something of value here.
“I realized that there was an advantage to wisdom over folly, like the advantage of light over darkness” (v. 13).
And yet he recognized that the fate of the fool and the wise person was the same–death.
“How is it that the man dies just like the fool?” (v. 16).
The result? Solomon hated life.
“Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind” (v. 17).
4) Work
Next on the list was work. By this time the experiment was failing. Solomon realized the futility of everything.
When it came to work, he asked what was the point if all you labored for was passed to another when you died. And who had knowledge of whether they would be a fool or a wise person. All that you accomplished could come crashing done.
The result? Futility.
“When there is a man whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and great wrong” (v. 21).
A Tentative First Conclusion
“There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink and enjoy his work” (v. 24).
