Ecc. 2: The Human Pursuit

Ecclesiastes 2:16 "For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die!"

Solomon was a man with the means to test his Meaningless Theory. He built these great homes, buildings and parks. He drank the finest wine, ate the finest food, and probably held court with the finest women. It says he denied himself no pleasures. He was richer than the entire world put together...or something like that. Still it was all meaningless.

I see his point to an extent about how a wise man and a fool both suffer the same fate of death. Time forgets both wise and foolish equally. So what's the point then of being wise? If everything ends up in the same place? Even passing on riches to a son who didn't earn them, and then is going to die himself is pointless.

Then he makes his point clear. Eat, drink, and find pleasure in your accomplishments. Happiness comes from God. Without God, of course, everything, every accomplishment, every wisdom, every folly, every toil is meaningless. God gives this happiness to those who please him. Apparently at the expense of the sinner.