Still a Bleak out look??

I continue to go through Ecclesiastes. It still does not sound very uplifting. Chapter 9 talks about a common destiny for all. At first pass, this sounds like there is no point in righteousness or wisdom in life at all. Either Solomon is very disillusioned as to the whole point of life, or he is trying to make the point that what you have, or who you are in this life doesn't matter. Is there sarcasm here? Yet, the author explicitly states that no one can comprehend anything that goes on under the sun (8:16-17). This tells me that we cannot know the purpose of life. Both wise and unwise have the same destiny, but wisdom is still held up as the better value here.

So I have been reading through Ecclesiastes Lately

So I have been reading through Ecclesiastes Lately. I am sure that in one of my OT survey courses I would have been required to read this book before but, I can't remember it for the life of me. There is the famous passage in chapter 3 that is in the song and people quote the verse about there being a 'time for everything' all the time. But I never really read through this book. I have been paying more attention to the pace of life and issues of the sabbath. Its been somewhat interesting as I read through this book about the futility of the things this world/life have to offer man (or woman). It makes life seem very sad. 'What is the point?' Now I know that, obviously, the things of this world are nothing compared to the eternal qualities of God. but to just read this book on its own could leave someone to think that there is no point to anything. Now, I am only through the first 4 chapters, AND I know that this is probably the direction that the author (probably Solomon) is intending to go. But, so far it doesn't seem to point towards the richness that is found in a life with God. I think I need to take a closer look.
But I have noticed this continual phrase that the author uses 'chasing after wind'. If you try to get a mental image of this it could be quite comical. But if you get past the initial chuckle, it is very rich in metaphorical wisdom. So, if you just went out and began chasing the wind you would be going no where very fast. Furthermore how would you know if you are chasing AFTER, running WITH, or completely off course? OK, so then you would say to yourself, 'I need to study this better and somehow get right in the middle of it. It is too unpredictable to go ahead of it. and I could never figure out where the end of it is. But if I am just tracking it from the middle of the stream then am I really tracking it, or is it just pushing me around. This is how life can be, the more we try to take control of such elusive and cumbersome, and even invisible things, the more we find ourselves either trying to go out in front of something that we cannot predict, trying to follow something that we will never find the end of, or just being tossed around. And what in the world would one benefit from by tracking the wind?

Ecclesiastes...HHhhmmmm....

6:1-2 is a very puzzling verse. " I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men: God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil." How is something that God does Evil? Is it that it seems evil? or Is Solomon really talking about what has happened to him and he is just bitter about it? Either way, I see scripture here saying that what God did was evil!! How can this be?

[Pause for further study]

OK, after some look through a few commentaries. One just simply assumes the benevolent character of God. This is great for for character and daily practice, but it does nothing to explain the verse, which is what commentaries are for. Another does give light to the apparent inconsistency in God's character that may be represented here. I obviously don't believe that there is some loophole in God's character. I am wondering about how to read this passage. The more enlightening commentary explains the portion, "but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead", as referring to the persons death. For whatever reason a man has been allowed to continue to receive the worldly desires of his heart. But he continues down this path of desire and retrieval until his death. He never stops and enjoys it.

The wording here suggests that it was God who chose for this man to never enjoy what He gave him. When in fact, the wording is just being consistent in representing God's sovereignty. I can now see that The author is highlighting that it is God Who gives and God who takes away. But in this scenario. God gave and gave and gave. Then at a certain time God, as with all mortal beings, brought his life to an end. it was the man's choice to never enjoy what God had given him during his lifetime.

Oh my God and my Savior, please forgive me for the desires in my heart that resemble that of this man in this passage. Many times I continue and continue to seek after desires of my heart, and ignore the opportunity and HUGE blessing that it is 1. just that you gave it to me and 2. the enjoyment and fulfillment that YOU desired for me to have by allowing me to have such a blessing. Please help me to be be aware of your blessings and gifts. You are a generous God and I am so grateful for loving even me...