Solomon’s Thesis Statement: Argument #2

Solomon’s Thesis Statement: Argument #2

The World is Never Stationary

Notice Solomon’s second argument. “One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.” (Ecclesiastes 1:4-7). People come and go within this world. Many rise to prominence but that prominence only lasts for a time. The masses mourn the loss of those we call great and for many it seems as if the world is going to come to an end! How does the world react? It continues in its circuit. The world continues to revolve around the sun as it “rises and sets.” The wind continues blowing and moving along the jet streams. The evaporation cycle continues as rivers run into the ocean only to have the water returned in the rain. Why is placing our sole focus on the things of this world vain? My life and death will not keep the world from continuing forward. That is, at least until the return of Christ (2 Peter 3:10).

Solomon's Thesis Statement: Argument #1

Solomon’s Thesis Statement: Argument #1

There is no Longevity

The first argument Solomon uses to prove his thesis statement is that of longevity. He wrote, “What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3). What long lasting profit is there is this is all a man focuses on? The short answer is, “None.” There is no long lasting profit because all of these things are temporary. The things of this world will succumb to wear, tear, and eventually become unusable. Also take note to Solomon’s use of “under the sun.” How long can man enjoy these things? He can enjoy these things as long as he’s alive. Just as a man enters this world with nothing, he also leaves with nothing (Psalm 49: 10, 17). It is said that two men were discussing the state John Rockefeller’s affairs at Rockefeller’s burial. One asked the other, “How much do you think he left behind?” The other answered, “I reckon he left it all.” Why is placing our sole focus on things of this world vanity? There is no longevity to it.

Solomon's Thesis Statement (Part 1)

Solomon’s Thesis Statement: The Thesis.

A proper thesis statement is always needed during a discourse as it will guide the listener/reader through the material given and better help the listener come to the appropriate conclusion at the end. Now, what exactly is a thesis statement? Wordweb defines it as, “An unproved statement put forward as the premise of an argument.” It is vital in setting the stage for whatever comes after. It is employed by Solomon at the beginning of Ecclesiastes. The book itself can be viewed as a science experiment by Solomon. He starts the book out by giving his thesis statement, some arguments used to back up this statement, and various tests in order to prove his statement. It is our goal to look at the thesis statement which Solomon wrote and to look the thesis statement and his beginning arguments in order to come to a better understanding of our own lives.

Solomon starts by writing, “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:1-2). A key word used throughout this book is “vanity.” Its most basic meaning is “emptiness.” Solomon stated, “all is empty.” It is important that one understands what Solomon means by “all.” Surely, Solomon does not mean that vanity encompasses everything. One need only look at Solomon’s closing statements to know that he did not view God as vanity (Ecc. 12:1, 13-14). Consider what he refers to as vanity (Ecclesiastes 2). His focus is explicitly on the things of this world with no mention of God. In fact, Solomon’s experiment focused on trying to gain happiness using the things of this world and leaving God out of the equation. Keeping that in mind, when Solomon wrote, “…all is vanity,” he refers to being focused only on that which is worldly. He even calls it “vanity of vanities” which is a statement of degree. It is the vanity at its apex. So, what is Solomon’s thesis statement in a nutshell? “To focus solely on the things of this world is vanity.”