Wisdom of Ecclesiastes Part 2: The "Teacher" vs. Jesus

Hanging out with Ecclesiastes isn’t fun. The book goes on about the endless march of time that results in death for everyone. Everything dies––humans and animals. We can see that all living creatures go to the dirt, and we don’t have any concrete proof of what happens after that. Depressing, right? Yes––it can be. The teacher is trying to shake things up and dismantle the illusions of the reader, but it can be rough to read. The guys will talk about the context of Ecclesiastes, and why we as Jesus followers can see things differently.In the first part of the episode (02:37-11:14), the guys talk about the “endless march of time.” Ecclesiastes has a whole poem about aging. We are all moving towards old age, and on top of that, life is unpredictable. We can’t guarantee that when we do the right thing it will work out. Where is the hope?In the next part of the episode (11:45-21:37), Tim and Jon discuss the teacher’s warning about being overly righteous. According to the author of Ecclesiastes, it is good to be righteous and strive to live an upright and moral life, but when that becomes our sole focus we can become entitled.In the next part of the episode (22:15-35:38), the guys try to make sense of all of the despair in this book. What are we supposed to do with this? We need to come to terms with our inability to control the circumstances of our lives. Acknowledging this is the secret to enjoying our lives.In the final part of the episode (36:04-1:07:10), the guys talk about how to live beyond all of the hevel of life. The teacher is talking about "life under the sun,” or our metaphor, “life in the fog.” Life still has meaning long into the future even though it can be hard to see in the present. Justice will come, life won’t always be shrouded in hevel, and one day the fog will be lifted.Video:This episode is designed to accompany our video on the book of Ecclesiastes. You can view it on our youtube channel here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeUiuSK81-0Scripture References:EcclesiastesShow Music:Defender Instrumental by Rosasharn MusicBlue Skies by Unwritten StoriesFlooded Meadows by Unwritten Stories