It may
surprise you to know that the person I am talking about has found a voice in
the greatest book ever written. His views have been read by and even heralded
by some the most prominent people across the globe. 'Who is he?' You might well
ask. Well his name is Koheleth.
Those in
the know will recognise this name as the Hebrew word for teacher or preacher
and his work can be found nestled in the wisdom literature of the Old
Testament. The book in question is none other than Ecclesiastes. Many have
asked how a book of such pessimism, scepticism about God's justice and belief
in the futility of life can ever find its way into the Bible. It is enough to
send people scampering after 2 Timothy 3:16 and asking that it be rewritten to
say 'All scripture is inspired by God, except the book of Ecclesiastes'. But
there it is - have a read - see what you make of it.
The
wisdom literature of the Old Testament is an odd mixture. Some of it may have
been borrowed from neighbouring civilisations and therefore may not have the
veneer of the authentic faith of its fellow books. However, before we write it
off completely, let's reflect on its merits.
I
actually like to read this book and gain a great deal from its contents. It is
by no means the only writing in the Old Testament that makes you question your
faith. Take for instance Psalm 73 where the writer admits to nearly losing his
faith altogether because of the seeming injustices of the world.
Psalm 73:1-3 God is truly good to Israel, to those who have
pure hearts. But I had almost stopped believing; I had almost lost my faith
because I was jealous of proud people. I saw wicked people doing well. (NCV)
Or look
at Psalm 88 where the writer finds himself totally abandoned by God and
suffering untold misery and unlike many other similar Psalms, does not end on a
high note.
Psalm 88:16-18 You have been angry with me, and your
terrors have destroyed me. They surround me daily like a flood; they are all
around me. You have taken away my loved ones and friends. Darkness is my only
friend. (NCV)
So why do
I like Ecclesiastes? Simple - because it's real - it's honest - it tells it
like it really is - it starts where most people today are at. Even the most
prominent of Christians, like Mother Teresa, asked questions of this kind about
the world, life and God. No evangelist worth their salt has failed to address
the problems raised by this book. No one can lead another to faith without at
some stage dealing honestly with these big questions of life.
However,
the book itself gives a totally inadequate picture of life and is clearly
written by someone who has yet to find what he is looking for. Christianity
points to someone who has wrestled with the issues raised by Koheleth, found himself abandoned by
God, rejected by his own people, deserted by his closest friends, suffered the
worst pain imaginable - and yet remained faithful to the end and bore no malice.
Christianity offers meaning and purpose in life and a certain hope of life
everlasting. Christianity reveals an aspect of God's nature which is sadly
missing in many other traditions - GRACE.
If only Koheleth had seen what we have seen and
experienced the eternal Spirit of God in his life. However, if that had been
true, we would have missed out on this amazing book. If you're brave enough,
take a look at the gloomy conclusions that Koheleth
raises in the book of Ecclesiastes and ask yourself - 'how would I answer him?'
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Questions
of Life (based on the NIV):
Chapter
1:2 – Everything is meaningless
Chapter
1:8 – All things are wearisome
Chapter
1:10 – There is nothing new
Chapter
1:11 – No one will be remembered
Chapter
1:17 – The pursuit of wisdom is futile (chasing after the wind)
Chapter
2:4-11 – The undertaking of great projects and the pursuit of gratification is
meaningless.
Chapter
2:14,15 – The wise and the foolish experience the same fate – so why choose
wisdom?
Chapter
2:17-21 – All our work is futile
No comments:
Post a Comment