Ecclesiastes 2:22-24
Many people have come to the same conclusion and fallen into despair and despondency. Yet the Preacher would have us learn and know how to find true joy in life. The joy of life as the Preacher experienced. His heart rejoiced in labor - Ecc 2:10 “And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.”
The reward of his labor was the joy in doing it - Ecc 2:10.
The Preacher’s observations:
Nothing is better than to enjoy simple things and what you do - Ecc 2:24 “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,”
The ability to enjoy what you have and what you do comes from God - Ecc 2:24-25 “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?”
God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to the man good in His sight - Ecc 2:26 “For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.”
The wicked may acquire many things, but it will eventually be given to the good - Ecc 2:26 “but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God.”
Man should rejoice and do good - Ecc 3:12 “I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live;”
Every man should enjoy the good in their labor, which is a gift from God - Ecc 3:13 “also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil--this is God's gift to man.”
The joy in one’s work is his heritage, not what may happen after he is gone - Ecc 3:22 “So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?”
Again, this is one’s heritage, and it is a gift from God - Ecc 5:18-20 “Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil--this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.”
So in the day of prosperity rejoice, and in the day of adversity contemplate - Ecc 7:14 “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.”
Thus he commends enjoyment of the fruit of one's labor - Ecc 8:15 “And I commend joy, for man has no good thing under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.”
The Preacher’s conclusion is:
Eat and drink with a merry heart - Ecc 9:7 “Go, eat your bread in joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.”
Express your joy in how you live - Ecc 9:8 “Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.”
Live joyfully with your wife whom you love - Ecc 9:9 “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.”
Enjoy your youth, yet remember you will be accountable - Ecc 11:9 “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”
Therefore remove sorrow and put away evil, for youth is short-lived - Ecc 11:10 “Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.”
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth - Ecc 12:1 “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them";”
Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is your reason for living - Ecc 12:13 “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
Life “under the sun” is vanity... Without God, there is no meaning in life. Without God, you will not be able to truly enjoy your time on earth. Life “under the sun” can be filled with joyful experiences and joyful memories.... With God to guide us in keeping our priorities in life straight. With God to bless us with the wisdom and ability to enjoy what good there is in life. To find joy in the vanity of life, remember your Creator, fear God, and keep His commandments. Today, that especially means to pay heed to His Son and our Savior... - He 1:1-4 “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
