The book of Ecclesiastes reveals the introspective journey of one who desired to enjoy the best of life in the temporal sense and to also leave a lasting legacy of his life for others. In these pursuits, he tried everything imaginable to achieve his goals, yet by the end of his life, he sadly discovered that not only was he not able to achieve this by his wisdom and efforts, but the very pursuit of these goals was empty and reflected a life lived in vain.

The author’s desire is to guide others away from these mistakes and to seek instead the things of true lasting value. We are to mature from the temporal perspective of life to an eternal perspective and completely trust in the unknowable sovereign God of the universe and His ordained perfect plan.