“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3 sermons cite this verse
… Vanity of vanities, says the preacher. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? There are two key concepts that we have identified in there and come back to again and again. The first is vanity. You see how often it's repeated in those first verses. In Hebrew, in Hebrew, vanity is the word, what is it, class? Hevel, hevel, that's right. And remember that hevel literally means a vapor, like a cloud, something that looks so appealing and beautiful from the outside, but is actually substanceless. If you try to grasp a cloud, it will slip through your fingers. If you try to rest on it, you will fall right through it. This, the preacher says, is life under the sun. Life that has been subjected to the curse of futility, a curse that has come about because of our sin. And because of that, because of that, Solomon says, it is useless, here's the second concept, to seek gain in life here. …
Ecclesiastes is one of the most confusing books in the entire Bible. I know some of you might say, well, Pastor, the whole Bible feels confusing to me. And that is okay, because what we try to do each week in here is break it down to make it really simple. But the book of Ecclesiastes is especially confusing, even for more experienced Bible readers. and that is in part because it's got a lot of strange verses in it like this one. Ecclesiastes 7 16. Be not overly righteous and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you wear yourselves out? In other words, back it down Bible banger. You're getting into this wisdom and Bible study thing a little bit too much. How about this one? Ecclesiastes 10 19. Wine makes life happy and money is the answer for everything. And all God's people said, what? Plus we find in Ecclesiastes, just some really odd random advice like Ecclesiastes 9, 8, wear fine clothes with a splash of cologne. …
"Honor's a puff of noisy breath, And gain a heap of yellow clay." And what is even power itself, but anxiety and care? Solomon knew the world at its best and his verdict upon her was, "Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity." Without Christ, Sinner, you will find the world to be unsatisfactory. When you have tried it at its best, you will turn from it and say, "I have been deceived! I have eaten the wind and I am not satisfied. I am like one that feasts in a dream, and wakes and, lo—he is hungry!" Without Christ you will not even find this world to be comfortable. Perhaps there are none so unhappy as those who are surrounded with what we think to be the means of happiness. I know this—if I had to find the extreme of wretchedness, I should not go to the dens of poverty, but I should go among men surrounded with the trappings of wealth and find you hearts broken with anguish and spirits wrung with griefs which they could not tell! Oh, yes, the world is a heap of chaff! The only solid treasure is to be found in Christ! But if you neglect Him, you neglect all that is worth having! …