Reading: Major Messages and Worldview Implications

#25 Introduction to Ecclesiastes:

Major Messages and Worldview Implications

Worldview Options

• Closed System:
  - No external information or forces
  - Human life is accidental and holds no more meaning than any other object
  - Bible is a purely human product
• Impersonal Intelligent Design:
  - “Life” & “Time” are the creative edge that shape existence in a closed system
  - Human life is meaningful insofar as it plays out its role and obeys “designed” purposes
  - Bible is a record and reflection upon that design
• Creator/Creation Open System:
  - Existence is planned and intended by God
  - Human life is honored, compromised, and redeemable
  - Bible is part of the divine/human redemptive link

Ecclesiastes in Outline

• Prologue: Theme (“Meaninglessness”) & Brief Explanation (1:1-11)
• Meaningless Things: Wisdom, Pleasures, Folly, Toil (1:12-2:26)
• Interlude: The Bondage of Time (3)
• Other Meaningless Things: Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness, Political Advancement, Unfulfilled Vows to God, Amassing Wealth (4:1-6:12)
• In order to stay sane, get practical wisdom (7:1-8:6)
• Reflections on all the Teacher’s Observations: (8:7-12:7)
  - The meaning of life must be found beyond life—in God alone
  - All of life is progressing toward a common end
  - So enjoy life while you have it
  - And be wise
  In summary—Live Boldly! Live Joyfully! Live Godly!
• Epilogue: The Theme and Its Value, Plus Final Reminders (12:8-14)

Worldview Assumptions

• This universe is the Kingdom of God
  - Interpretive Choice over against:
  • • Evolutionary Naturalism
    • Panentheistic Historicism
• Earth is the specially-prepared domain for humanity, made in God’s image to share creative stewardship and relational love
• Humanity is in rebellion against its Creator
• At least in part because of the unique characteristics of humankind (divine imagers), the Creator has chosen not to annihilate this world, but rather to redeem this world
• This redemptive initiative is the divine mission explained and interpreted in the Bible, the authoritative handbook formed in partnership between the Creator and a community uniquely commissioned to serve as the earthly vanguard of the mission
• This redemptive mission has one purpose (reconcile all back to full communion with the Creator), but is expressed in two related strategies:
  - Through ancient Israel, to place a covenantally-shaped community at the center of the world, on stage before all nations, in an effort to draw them back to their Creator
  - Through the Church of Jesus Christ, to place covenantally-shaped communities into every expression of human society as a missional witness, in an effort to draw all back to their Creator

Reflecting on Ecclesiastes

• At face value, this book is rather dark & depressing (especially the opening sections)
• Its Screaming Message (on first reading) seems to be: “All we do and everything that happens to us is ultimately meaningless and has no lasting value!”
• Its Moderate Message (on second reflections) appears to be: “Yet life goes on, so let’s make the best of it and be more wise than foolish about it.”
• Its Subtle Message (underlying the others) is: “Life can only mean something if there is a God who sets the values (e.g., time & morality) and gives us a link to eternity which confirms our right to exist.”