1. Ecclesiastes: Pilgrims in Exile “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecc 12:13)

2. Pilgrims in Exile Part 3 – Joy in the Journey

3. Ecclesiastes: Words of the Preacher Author: Solomon – “son of David, king over Israel in Jerusalem”. Genre: Sermon to “assembly”. Wisdom poetry and prose. Translation Difficulties: Linguistic and grammar complexities. Divergent Views: Mostly driven by differing theological presuppositions and frameworks.

4. Literary Structure of Ecclesiastes David A. Dorsey (modified) A.Poem about the insignificance of life; the vanity of wisdom. (1:1-18) B. Wisdom v. folly; failure to enjoy life apart from God. (2:1 – 2:26) C.Poem about time; God’s sovereignty. (3:1-15) D. Center: Fear God; enjoy life as God’s gift. (3:16 – 6:12) C’. Poem about time revisited; God’s sovereignty. (7:1-14) B’. Wisdom v. Folly revisited; how to enjoy life. (7:15-10:19) A’. Poem about life’s brevity revisited; the value of wisdom. (10:20-12:12) Conclusion: Whole duty of man -- fear and obey God, for He will judge. (12:13-14)

5. Key Word: הֶבֶל hebel – 38 times A vapor. A breath. Transitory. Meaningless. Impossible to grasp. Insignificant. Worthless. Pointless. Emptiness. A void, nothingness. Vanity. Absurd. An offense to reason. Futility.

6. Hebel – Creation subject to futility

7. Sermon Summary I the Preacher, wise King over Israel in Jerusalem, have tried very hard to figure out the meaning of life, and – I failed. A person’s life and work “under heaven” is fleeting, insignificant, meaningless, futile. Wisdom is helpful, but limited. God made man upright, but they pursue sinful schemes. God reigns over all this “futility”. We must remember Him, fear Him, and obey Him. So -- Enjoy the journey in reverent fear and obedient submission to the sovereign Lord who will one day judge every deed.

8. Ecclesiastes 1 Captivity in the “Not Yet” Everything is “hebel” in this fallen world. We’re captive on this carousel of time. Nothing changes, nothing new, nothing lasts. I, the Preacher, tried to apply my wisdom to discover the big picture, but it was an impossible task, a big disappointment, like “chasing after the wind”.

9. Ecclesiastes 2:1-23 Solomon’s Great Experiment: “Lord Self” Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places Merriment (2:2) Alcohol (2:3) Works of Art (2:4) Nature (2:5-6) Power and Possessions (2:7) Money (2:8) Music (2:8) Sex (2:8; 1 Kings 11:3) Fame (2:9-10) Work (2:11) Wisdom (2:12-16) Conclusion: All these worldly pursuits were dead ends, hebel, so “I hated life” (2:17-23).

10. A Surprising Conclusion to the Preacher’s Confession God’s Gift of Joy in the Journey Moral of the story (2:24-26; 2:10): Ultimate joy is found in the journey, not worldly pleasures or outcomes. Such enjoyment is the sovereign gift of God! Apart from Him, there is only hebel. What He does endures forever (3:12-14). True and lasting joy flows to those who “please/fear God” (2:24; 8:12-13). Those who do not “please/fear” God get only hebel in this life, and then ….

11. Tob v. Chata ( טוֹב -- חָטָא ) Favored v. Not Favored God’s sovereign choice (2:24-25). By grace, God bestows blessings, joy, and hope to His people. By justice, God bestows frustration and dissatisfaction to rebellious offenders, even though they may have much. By justice, those that don’t fear God gain only bitterness from worldly “pleasures”, vexations, disappointments, and tastes of wrath to come (Ro 2:5).

12. Fix our gaze “above the sun”, on the – Son (Col 3:2)

13. So What? NT “Helps” -- Repent of Worldliness, Selfishness Surrender to Christ -- the “un-hebel” Daily repent, trust, obey (1 Jn 1:9; 2:15-17; 5:1-5). Fear God, keep His commands. Daily reflect and thank God for the joys of life. Learn contentment (Php 4:11-13). Daily Surrender: Pick up cross, deny self, love others. When we lose our life to Christ we “find what we’re looking for” (Mt 10:39; Jn 12:25). Daily perform “heavenly” works of love, bear fruit that will last (Ecc 3:12- 14; Mt 6:20). Don’t hide the light of your joy (Mt 5:14). Daily remind yourself: Death and Resurrection of Christ replaces futility with hope (1 Co 15). The world’s a mess, but there’s a new day coming.

14. Words of Augustine “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you” Confessions (CSEL 33, 1-5, c. 397-99)

15. Words of a Missionary Joy asked me, “Why did you leave all this to come to Thailand?” I said to her, “Joy, it is no more than what Jesus did for us all. He left Heaven so we could know and love Him and He asks us to do the same for others, to love wholly and sacrificially.” Lucille Zimmerman, August 2015 (cf. 1 Pe 4:1-2)

16. Pilgrims in Exile “Conduct yourself with fear throughout the time of your exile.” (1 Pe 1:17) “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh…keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable so that…they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” (1 Pe 2:11-12)