Why Ecclesiastes Is One of My Favorite Books in the Bible

[four1298]

The author has slaves: "I bought slaves, male and female, who had children, giving me even more slaves." The author also had wealth and maidens: "I piled up silver and gold,...and—most exquisite of all pleasure—voluptuous maidens for my bed." These things are compatible with Christianity. "Double protection: wisdom and wealth!"

It's pro-marriage: "It’s better to have a partner than go it alone." "Two in a bed warm each other."

However my favorite part is the pro-life message. "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof." I think this means old age is good. “A living dog is better than a dead lion." "Each day is God’s gift" Life is "lovely," "precious," and "beautiful: "Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over." "Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends."

"don’t knock yourself out being good, and don’t go overboard being wise." I like this one because I don't like altruism though I do like that being a parent is pretty much altruism(I'm not a parent though obviously).

 

[Bulbasaur]

Thank you for the wholesome Biblepost brocel.

I like the Book of Job. Job was a righteous man yet all these horrible things happened to him. His friends tried to blame him, yet he was innocent. The point is simple: bad things happen to good people. There is unjust suffering in the world.

 

[four1298]

Thank you for the wholesome Biblepost brocel.

I like the Book of Job. Job was a righteous man yet all these horrible things happened to him. His friends tried to blame him, yet he was innocent. The point is simple: bad things happen to good people. There is unjust suffering in the world.

Perhaps the lesson of Job is that there's light at the end of tunnel if you stay faithful because God restored Job's health. Job is honorable because he suffered but chose to not commit suicide even though his wife seems to have told him to: "Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die." If he can endure, you should be able to too.

 

[RuudVanNistelrooy]

Thank you for the wholesome Biblepost brocel.

I like the Book of Job. Job was a righteous man yet all these horrible things happened to him. His friends tried to blame him, yet he was innocent. The point is simple: bad things happen to good people. There is unjust suffering in the world.

Even his wife told him to curse God.

 

[Poopless One]

Both these books are my favorite along with Psalms

 

[RuudVanNistelrooy]

Perhaps the lesson of Job is that there's light at the end of tunnel if you stay faithful because God restored Job's health. Job is honorable because he suffered but chose to not commit suicide even though his wife seems to have told him to: "Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die." If he can endure, you should be able to too.

What is the message of the book of Job for us today?

First, our faith is sure to be tested. Pain may be inevitable, but misery is, to an extent, optional. We have no control over the weather that surrounds our lives, but we can do something about the climate of our inner life. What happens to us is less important than what happens in us.

Second, the book reminds us that human horizons are inadequate for a proper understanding of suffering and affliction. Job and his friends carried on their debate in total ignorance of the background exchange between the Accuser and God. They were trying to fit the puzzle pieces together without having all of them. The book shows that any attempt to reduce the complex problem of suffering to some neat formula is misguided.3

Third, the book gives guidance on how to comfort—and how not to comfort—those who suffer. Though well-intentioned, his friends’ advice was unhelpful. Job’s scathing rebuke of them is understandable:

 

[four1298]

Both these books are my favorite along with Psalms

This is my favorite verse from Psalms: "You keep me going when times are tough."

 

[Shay]

I like Revelations, it's cool. Ecclesiastes too spits serious facts and nihlism

 

[four1298]

This is my favorite verse from Psalms: "You keep me going when times are tough."

I also like Psalm 23: "my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life"