Ecclesiastes 1:14-15 “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.”

There is a lot that we can learn from Solomon’s instruction to his son Rehoboam. I mentioned before that anyone can learn through personal experience, but it does take a wise person to learn from the experience of others. On this note we can learn from Solomon.

It seems that Solomon is talking about these matters at the end of his life. He started out well asking God for wisdom that he might lead the people God entrusted to him in the right way for this was God's purpose for Solomon as the king of Israel. But, we know that some place down the line his life got off the right track.

In 1 Kings 11 we read that Solomon loved 'foreign' women; he set up places for his wives to worship their idols and the outcome: “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” 1 Kings 11:4

Although he became successful, wealthy, honored, famous and free to indulge himself he learned that apart from God it is all vanity - meaningless. Solomon found that there was no meaning or permanence for his life and so we find him constantly repeating these words: "Meaningless, meaningless all is meaningless." Solomon is telling his son and us that no matter what we seek apart from God, whether wealth, professions, fame, etc. these bring no real, permanent satisfaction in life. It is all just chasing after the wind.

How we need to learn from this instruction of Solomon to his son Rehoboam! There was no-one who prospered in life more than Solomon; no one more free to pursue and explore the different pleasures in life. At the end of it all he could conclude is that without God it is all vanity and meaningless.

Jesus brought out the same thing in his famous Sermon of the Mount when He told His disciples to: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) Jesus said, “all these things will be given to you as well” when we seek first His kingdom. What ‘things’ is He referring to? The ‘things’ mentioned come down to four things we all need - shelter, food, health and our future secured with God. I have had the privilege of traveling in many different parts of the world and it is these four things that men seek no matter what culture they come from.

Man tries to gain these things without God. The problem is that they are putting the cart before the horse and it does not work. Jesus said put His kingdom first and all these things will be added. Very simple instruction, but so hard for man to follow, and like Solomon we find that without God life is meaningless.

Solomon wants his son to think carefully about going down the road of self-indulgence. What Solomon is telling his son is also for us. Solomon ‘has been there and done that’ and he is telling us that it is not the path to trod. We need to learn through his experience because it will save us a lot of grief. The pleasures of this world will not satisfy and we will never gain a measure of wholeness and well-being through what the world can offer. If we go down that path we will find that it is empty and destructive.

We have an enemy of our soul - Satan. He will come to us through our flesh and the world. We need to learn how to fight the good fight of faith. Paul told Timothy that the way to fight the flesh is “flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”  2 Timothy 2:22

Writing to the church in Rome Paul told us how to fight the world: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

So we are to fight the flesh by fleeing and the world through being transformed by the renewing of our mind. This is why the Book of Ecclesiastes is so important, but not just that one book, but all sixty six that make up our Bible.  How true Moses’ words were to the children of Israel (and for us today): "Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you — they are your life.” Deuteronomy 32:46-47