Today’s Word sounds almost Nihilistic as we venture into another book authored, Solomon; Ecclesiastes.  

Ecc 1:1  The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Ecc 1:2  “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

Solomon is remember by having every wealth at his disposal, this was a king who indulged in every excess, whether it was multiple wives, building his massive temple, eating the best of foods and drinking the most rare of wines, Solomon lived like a rockstar, but look at what he says about life, even to a person who has endless wealth: 

Ecc 1:2  “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

An english translation for original Hebrew there is meaningless or empty.  Solomon is saying that life has no purpose, which certainly does sound nihilistic.  

For what it’s worth, nihilism is a philosophy that operates on the basis that God doesn’t exist, which can certainly bring about a very pessimistic worldview.   

If we are just toiling away until our deaths whether it’s work, pain or pleasure, none of it matters at the ends of our lives.  We can amass wealth, but we are still buried in the same sized grave as a homeless person.  

However, when we are in Christ, and know that He came and died for our sins and beat death by raising up from the grave on the third day; once we realize that unassailable fact as truth, and live by it, we realize a happiness that great exceeds the doom and gloom outlook that Solomon is speaking on here.  

Suddenly, this life is no longer just vanity and meaningless, but we have a new life in Christ and a new reason to live.  

That is the essence of the Gospel, Christ gives us a new heart and gives us something to look forward to at the end of these passing lives that we are in right now; eternal fellowship with the Creator of the universe.