The Meaning of Life

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” 
Ecclesiastes 12:13

What is the meaning of life? This question has been posed and debated for centuries. To the follower of God the answer is, on the surface, simple: obey God and honor Him for the remainder of your earthly days. But this earnest commitment is often challenged and tested. Hardships and travails strive to snuff out the spiritual fire lit inside the heart of believers. In the process, apathy and doubt often creep in, along with an unwillingness to maintain the pursuit of integrity or righteousness. But to the unbeliever, the meaning of life is truly an enigma. Life appears to some to be a perplexing quandary of disappointments and unfulfilling endeavors. Without a fundamental understanding of God’s order, authority, and structure cynicism can become a fixed sentiment in the mind of those outside the knowledge of God’s love, mercy, and wisdom.

But there is more to life than bearing burdens and lugging around mentally-shattered dreams. There is more to life than dreading the start of each day, or feeling as though it will overwhelm and dissatisfy. There is more to life because there is more to learn and appreciate about God. And one of the best biblical confirmations of this truth is found in Ecclesiastes, a collection of life principles collected and recorded by King Solomon. Interestingly enough, the meaning of the word Ecclesiastes can be rendered “preacher.” In this context, Ecclesiastes reads like a sermon meant to stir and awaken the sleeping souls who are willing to be jarred from a state of spiritual complacency.

Scripture confirms that as Solomon grew older he became less and less devoted to God. Foreign wives and idols consumed him, and turned him away from a singular worship of the Lord (1 Kings 11:1-4). Consequently, near the end of Solomon’s life he recognized how horribly he had squandered the fruitful years of his reign as king. Therefore, the narrative of Ecclesiastes resonates with tones of regret and jadedness. Sadly, when life becomes fixated with self-pleasing affairs then the purpose of life seems unrewarding and pointless. In other words, captivity to worldly trappings brings about raw emptiness. Wicked indulgences yield fleeting gratification. Temporary delights vanish and leave a hollow despair and frustration. Callousness then sets in, and frames the world in a very dark, dismal outlook. 

The underlying lesson is this: the absolute blessing of the earthly life is not to exhaust all means of self-pleasing pursuits, but rather to discover the salvation of God, as made available and accessible through Jesus Christ. When redemption conquers the sin-stained core of a convert then life becomes about adoration (of God), celebration (for God’s grace), and preparation for the life that is to come – a life of eternal meaning, satisfaction, and joy. A life in which God’s followers receive the privilege of praising God in His glorious, everlasting presence.

The wisdom sayings included in Ecclesiastes enforce the fact that there is a joyful cohesion that can, and should, take shape in a believer’s life. An upright heart. An honorable mouth. An unbreakable spirit. Industrious hands. But when mankind veers away from God’s truth then the cohesion we were meant to enjoy through God’s fellowship, forgiveness, and favor fractures. Slowly, but surely, we can begin to disgrace the Lord’s holy character with mischievous thoughts, words, and deeds. And so Ecclesiastes outlines the eventual conclusion of such ill-advised behavior. It provides drastic examples of wicked conduct in order to help us avoid the inherent pitfalls of selfish living. 

Ecclesiastes provides some stark warnings. Do not praise God with your lips only to turn around and smear others, or use profane speech. Do not lift your hands in worship to God only to later let your hands be idle in labor, or use them to steal from those around you. Do not pledge yourself to the service of God only to become enamored solely by secularism. But despite the largely sorrow-filled text of Ecclesiastes there is an overarching ray of hope: the thought of eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11). To consider heaven is to consider God. To consider God is to forego the egocentric mindset that stifles spiritual growth. The Lord desires that we look to Him rather than to ourselves. When humanity dwells on the toil, the work, the calamities of this world, how can we respond but with gloominess? But if we will dwell on God, heaven, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Lord’s overall legacy and character then we can be moved with encouragement-filled stirrings. 

Ecclesiastes reminds us that a conceited life is an unhappy life for it is always searching for another fleshly source of intrinsic pleasure and meaning. However, a deeply satisfying life is found by delving into God’s Word and aligning our doctrine to it. In conclusion, the meaning of life on earth is basic in nature, but difficult in practice: find God and honor Him all the days of our pilgrimage. For believers, death on earth is the beginning of life in heaven, the superior and glorious realm of God. Heaven is the privileged place, not earth. Our body is a momentary shell, but our soul will be fitted for the everlasting. So may we hold fast to this deliberation and savor the beauty of God’s design. This life has much to offer, but what remains to be seen, heaven, is better still.