I had forgotten about Ecclesiastes and all of it's depressing qualities. As I was reading it I was annoyed and I found it hard to take all the negativity of the "internal debate," but as I was nearing the end, I found that it was very true. In the authors search for the meaning of life he finds it all "meaningless, like chasing the wind." (4:4) Seeking temporary pleasure is something that the world is obsessed with and it's been a problem on the earth almost since the beginning. For the likely author, Solomon, it would have been a problem he was especially familiar with; that all of the money, women, and success in the world doesn't satisfy. I love how the book ends with hope; life isn't meaningless with God, but without Him. God is our hope and the reason we are alive and His purpose for us gives our lives meaning! "Here is now my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone's duty." (12:13)
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