The Ecclesiastic King

Present Day Jerusalem

Inside a little blue-gray bungalow on Alexander Street in Clay Center, Nebraska, around 1986 or so, Ann read the story of King Solomon to her daughter. She read the part in 1 Kings 3:1-15 when he asked God for wisdom. While her daughter sat in her pajamas, holding her favorite stuffed polar bear, Ann read to her, starting in verse 5,

 “In Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

Solomon’s Prayer

6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great faithfulness to Your servant David, my father, according as he walked before You in truth, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great faithfulness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 And now, Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am like a little boy; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. 9 So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, to discern between good and evil. For who is capable of judging this great people of Yours?”

God’s Answer

10 Now it was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself a long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the lives of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 13 I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14 And if you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.”

I was that little girl, and this passage of Scripture impacted me GREATLY. From this moment on, and even into adulthood, I often prayed for “wisdom,” just as Solomon did. But I was a little surprised when I realized that Solomon had written the book Ecclesiastes. The language of Ecclesiastes is melancholy, depressing, and sometimes entirely without hope. How could a man who started out so strong write a book filled with such a dark outlook on life? But there’s a rich meaning buried deep within the book, and things will begin to make sense when you look at it through the lens of who Jesus is.

Finding King Yeshua in Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes is one of those books many believers hesitate to dive into. Maybe because, at first glance, it seems a bit gloomy. The Teacher (or Qohelet, in Hebrew) declares everything under the sun to be "hevel," often translated as “meaningless or vanity.” But did you know that even amid this apparent despair, we can clearly behold King Yeshua, our Jesus, shining through Ecclesiastes? Let's find Him together in this “fascinating” book!

What Does "Hevel" Really Mean?

The Hebrew word הֶבֶל "hevel," central to Ecclesiastes, shows up 38 times. But, as scholar Robert Alter beautifully describes, "hevel" refers to a mere breath. It is something temporary, fleeting, and elusive, like the vapor of your breath on a chilly day. It's there one moment and gone the next. This paints a vivid image of life's uncertainties and the fragility of our plans and expectations.

Yet, there's a profound "behold" moment (hinneh!) right at the beginning of Ecclesiastes: “And behold, all is hevel and striving after wind” (Eccl. 1:14). It’s a stark invitation for us to reflect on where true meaning and lasting value are found. It is not here under the sun but beyond it.

Life Under the Sun—But Hope Beyond

Throughout Ecclesiastes, we encounter the reality of time, chance, and death, elements of our human experience that often leave us wrestling with disappointment and confusion. Sometimes, the righteous suffer, and the wicked prosper. The Teacher doesn't shy away from this truth; instead, he leans into it, urging us to be realistic about life's unpredictable nature.

Yet, within these honest reflections lies the key to discovering true meaning: shifting our gaze from life "under the sun" to life beyond the sun, where our Creator dwells. The concluding advice in Ecclesiastes rings loud and clear: "Fear God and keep His commandments" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The Teacher's wisdom points us toward God as the only stable source of meaning in an otherwise fleeting world.

Beholding King Yeshua

How, then, do we behold King Yeshua within a text filled with human frustration and life's fleeting realities?

Paul gives us clarity in Colossians 2:2-3, "My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding...the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." The wisdom and meaning the Teacher seeks but cannot fully grasp under the sun find their fulfillment in Jesus.

King Yeshua steps into our broken world—into our hevel—to give us the lasting hope and eternal meaning that the Teacher longs for but can't quite reach. Jesus transforms our vaporous existence by conquering death itself, showing us that life under the sun isn't the whole story.

When Paul writes about the resurrection, he emphasizes that without it, everything we do is meaningless (1 Corinthians 15:12–19). Yeshua’s resurrection proves that there is something beyond this transient life. There is a reality filled with divine purpose, restoration, and eternal hope. He breaks the cycle of hevel by showing us a kingdom that lasts forever.

Living with Eternity in Mind

Ecclesiastes invites us not to despair but to embrace a balanced and honest view of life's uncertainties while anchoring our hope in something more significant—Someone beyond the sun. Jesus didn't promise us an easy path, but He promised meaning, purpose, and eternity with Him.

As followers of Yeshua, our challenge is to help others—especially the next generation—understand that life's hevel is not a cause for despair but an invitation to look upward beyond the fleeting vapor of this world. Our calling is to point each other back to King Yeshua, the One who entered our world to redeem it, breathing new, eternal life into the hearts of those who behold Him.

So, friends, when life feels like chasing after the wind, let’s remember to pause, catch our breath, and behold King Yeshua—our everlasting wisdom, our eternal meaning, and our hope beyond the hevel.

Grace and peace to you, my friends, as you live life beautifully anchored in Jesus.