The words below are from the commentary of Matthew Henry, as I read them, I not only felt much hope but realized that there are many out there that need to hear these words.
Henry makes points about Solomon’s life that apply to people who have grown up in the western world amid great prosperity; where we have been brainwashed that it is perfectly fine to pursue the gratification of every lust….
Solomon did that, as he described in the book of Ecclesiastes. I have long known that I have been conducting experiments similar to Solomon, regarding just what it is that will give meaning and happiness to my existence.
Henry brings much clarity to Solomon’s experience and his discoveries. I hope that his words are fodder for my future prayers, as God can deliver from such things:
[Some subdivisions made for ease of reading; emboldening is mine; the first paragraph below is a bit difficult, but the reading quickly gets easier.]
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of The Book of Ecclesiastes. We are still among Solomon’s happy men, his happy servants, that stood continually before him to hear his wisdom; and they are the choicest of all the dictates of his wisdom, such as were more immediately given by divine inspiration, that are here transmitted to us, not to be heard, as by them, but once, and then liable to be mistaken or forgotten, and by repetition to lose their beauty, but to be read, reviewed, revolved, and had in everlasting remembrance.
The account we have of Solomon’s apostasy from God, in the latter end of his reign (1 Ki. 11:1), is the tragical part of his story; we may suppose that he spoke his Proverbs in the prime of his time, while he kept his integrity, but delivered his Ecclesiastes when he had grown old (for of the burdens and decays of age he speaks feelingly ch. 12), and was, by the grace of God, recovered from his backslidings. There he dictated his observations; here he wrote his own experiences; this is what days speak, and wisdom which the multitude of years teaches. The title of the book and the penman we shall meet with in the first verse, and therefore shall here only observe,
I. That it is a sermon, a sermon in print; the text is (ch. 1:2), Vanity of vanities, all is vanity; that is the doctrine too; it is proved at large by many arguments and an induction of particulars, and divers objections are answered, and in the close we have the use and application of all, by way of exhortation, to remember our Creator, to fear him, and to keep his commandments.
There are indeed many things in this book which are dark and hard to be understood, and some things which men of corrupt minds wrest to their own destruction, for want of distinguishing between Solomon’s arguments and the objections of atheists and epicures; but there is enough easy and plain to convince us (if we will admit the conviction) of the vanity of the world, and its utter insufficiency to make us happy, the vileness of sin, and its certain tendency to make us miserable, and of the wisdom of being religious, and the solid comfort and satisfaction that are to be had in doing our duty both to God and man. This should be intended in every sermon, and that is a good sermon by which these points are in any measure gained.
II. That it is a penitential sermon, as some of David’s psalms are penitential psalms; it is a recantation-sermon, in which the preacher sadly laments his own folly and mistake, in promising himself satisfaction in the things of this world, and even in the forbidden pleasures of sense, which now he finds more bitter than death. His fall is a proof of the weakness of man’s nature: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor say, “I shall never be such a fool as to do so and so,” when Solomon himself, the wisest of men, played the fool so egregiously; nor let the rich man glory in his riches, since Solomon’s wealth was so great a snare to him, and did him a great deal more hurt than Job’s poverty did him.
His recovery is a proof of the power of God’s grace, in bringing one back to God that has gone so far from him; it is a proof too of the riches of God’s mercy in accepting him notwithstanding the many aggravations of his sin, pursuant to the promise made to David, that if his children should commit iniquity they should be corrected, but not abandoned and disinherited, 2 Sa. 7:14, 15. Let him therefore that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall; and let him that has fallen make haste to get up again, and not despair either of assistance or acceptance therein.
III. That it is a practical profitable sermon. Solomon, being brought to repentance, resolves, like his father, to teach transgressors God’s way (Ps. 51:13) and to give warning to all to take heed of splitting upon those rocks which had been fatal to him; and these were fruits meet for repentance. The fundamental error of the children of men, and that which is at the bottom of all their departures from God, is the same with that of our first parents, hoping to be as gods by entertaining themselves with that which seems good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise.
Now the scope of this book is to show that this is a great mistake, that our happiness consists not in being as gods to ourselves, to have what we will and do what we will, but in having him that made us to be a God to us. The moral philosophers disputed much about man’s felicity, or chief good. Various opinions they had about it; but Solomon, in this book, determines the question, and assures us that to fear God and to keep his commandments is the whole of man.
He tried what satisfaction might be found in the wealth of the world and the pleasures of sense, and at last pronounced all vanity and vexation; yet multitudes will not take his word, but will make the same dangerous experiment, and it proves fatal to them.
He, 1. Shows the vanity of those things in which men commonly look for happiness, as human learning and policy, sensual delight, honour and power, riches and great possessions.
And then, 2. He prescribes remedies against the vexation of spirit that attends them. Though we cannot cure them of their vanity, we may prevent the trouble they give us, by sitting loose to them, enjoying them comfortable, but laying our expectations low from them, and acquiescing in the will of God concerning us in every event, especially by remembering God in the days of our youth, and continuing in his fear and service all our days, with an eye to the judgment to come.
Below are a few relevant definitions that apply to the aforementioned:
From Dictionary dot com:
***Epicure: noun – a person who cultivates a refined taste, especially in food and wine; connoisseur.
Archaic. a person dedicated to sensual enjoyment.
***Epicurean [ ep-i-kyoo-ree-uhn, -kyoor-ee- ]
Adjective – fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking.
Examples: fit for an epicure: epicurean delicacies.
(initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of Epicurus or Epicureanism.
Noun – an epicure. A disciple of Epicurus.
***Hedonism [ heed-n-iz-uhm ]
Noun – the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good. Devotion to pleasure as a way of life:
The later Roman emperors were notorious for their hedonism.
***Covetousness [ kuhv-i-tuhs-nis ]
Noun – eager or excessive desire, especially for wealth or possessions:
Social media so often encourages us to compare ourselves to others, inspiring covetousness and insecurity.
Covetousness used in example sentences:
They talked of the covetousness and want of scruple of the Knights, of their passion for aggrandizement and their rapacity.
They sowed in the hearts of youth the seed of covetousness, and they excited it with the bait of the most insatiable passions.
From: SECRET SOCIETIES AND SUBVERSIVE MOVEMENTS|NESTA H. WEBSTER
***Idolatry [ ahy-dol-uh-tree ]
noun, plural, i·dol·a·tries: the religious worship of idols; excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc. 2. obsession, madness, mania.
***A single scripture verse is provided below that describes the errors of Solomon’s middle and later life and fall; the word whoredom below is probably chiefly about idolatry (and the above things that lead one to that place, like pleasures of euphoria in wine…):
Hosea 4:11 [ESV] whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding. [KJV] verse 11: Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
Conclusion:
Americans are subjected to commercials daily that aim at making them covet, and lust for things they don’t need. We have also been shown a million times that things will give us happiness. Henry’s point is that Solomon went to great lengths to test that hypothesis, and he discovered, late in life, by the grace of God, that it is not true. That only trusting and obeying God can fill that emptiness that naturally exists in our hearts and that has been made larger by vain pursuits. Additionally, I believe covetousness to be a curse from God, when he does not permit one to be satisfied because that one is looking for satisfaction in the wrong place.
Think on these things yourself, at those frequent times you experience dissatisfaction, emptiness….
The following link is to Bible Hub where I copied the above text. It is for those who might want to read Henry’s commentary on other verses in Ecclesiastes, or other Bible texts. There are many versions of the Bible on that site, and many commentators, dictionaries…it is a very valuable site to the Bible student.