It is only appropriate that after we have explored the basis of wisdom (and Wisdom) throughout the Proverbs that we turn our attention to Ecclesiastes. Labeled by many as the most "postmodern" book of the Bible, Ecclesiastes questions (one might even say deconstructs) everything. Wisdom has its limits, riches have their limits, work has its limits, everything has its limits.
This first section of Ecclesiastes starts the book off with the central problem - everything is meaningless. Nothing lasts, everything just goes in cycles. The Greek and Roman Empires thought they would last forever, now the empires are fragmented into individual nations and the buildings they thought would stand the test of time are ruins. The great Roman Empire is now a tourist attraction. Nothing lasts forever, yet we are on a constant path to attempt some kind of immortality built on achievements. Since the days of the tower of Babel, humanity seeks to find its eternal glory in our achievements.
Ultimately, meaningless. Just imagine, even in our Bible, how few people are named in its pages. Genealogies keep many names alive, but how many people are actually named? 1000? 2000? Out of an entire nation spanning a few thousand years? Human achievement does not stand the test of time. What does stand the test of time? What lasts? What is eternal?
and who would think the Bible would mention Huldah! DZ
ReplyDelete