Ecclesiastes Audio Sermons

Ecclesiastes asks about the vanity of life under the sun, and at last declares that “the end of the matter” is to fear God and keep his commandments (Eccl. 12:13). It treats the meaning and the limits of life honestly.

Background of writing

• Author and inspiration — It opens as “the words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Eccl. 1:1). Solomon is traditionally held to have written it under God’s inspiration.
• Date of writing — Many place it late in Solomon’s reign, the tenth century BC. Scholars differ on the exact date.
• Historical setting — From a place of wisdom and wealth he looks at the limits of life, work, pleasure, and wisdom: all is vanity under the sun, yet it has meaning before God.

Purpose of writing

• Toil, pleasure, wisdom, and wealth under the sun do not satisfy in themselves.
• “For everything there is a season” (Eccl. 3:1). Under God’s rule, the duty is to fear him.
• It calls believers, in emptiness and busyness, to remember the Creator and keep his commandments.

Select a session in the list below to play the exposition in the player. (33 sermons)