Vanity of Vanities - Ecclesiastes #2

2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

The introduction of the book extends through the first 11 verses. Solomon sets the table by telling us that “all is vanity”. Everything “under the sun” is a vapor and will sooner or later, pass away.

Verse two is the theme, and he doubles down in his Hebrewisms, that all, everything is vanity. The Hebrew word translated “vanity” is that for vapor or wind. Vanity is something that is empty or lacks weight, temporary. Solomon is not saying that everything is pointless, but all is fleeting, temporary. This may seem like the musings of a depressed man, but hold on, Solomon will prove this thesis and explain more.

At certain seasons of our life, God often shows a man that there is more to living than what we see around us. When we get sick, or when we go to a funeral, when we lose something valuable to us, we get the feeling of life being like a breath. The book of of Ecclesiastes gives us a considerable bit of time meditating on this reality; a sober reminder of who we are. We do well to meditate on this life and what is important.