Is All REALLY Vanity and Meaningless?

Ecclesiastes is teeming with some challenging things to read. The Preacher repeats that he has experienced it all. The good and the bad. The ups and the downs.

His constant conclusion throughout it all is that everything is “hevel.” Poor translation would lead us to believe that nothing matters, but this is not at all what the speaker is presenting whatsoever.

He is using a very intriguing Hebrew word, “hevel”, to express that life is as a vapor. It is as smoke. Smoke is most surely a tangible thing. One can see it and often even smell it. But, make an attempt to grab it and it will be futile. It is beyond one’s control entirely. It is demonstrable, but it cannot be manipulated. It is surely there, but cannot be apprehended.

So as the Book of Ecclesiastes takes us through the bends and curves of life, a conclusion is presented by the wise Teacher. Since all is as a vapor, as smoke – a breath that comes and goes – do “this”: fear Yahweh and keep His commandments. This conclusion is presented as a solution, of sorts. In Hebrew “conclusion” speaks of what we might think that it would. It is an end.

To close out the book, the writer uses another interesting Hebrew word. He states that this conclusion (fearing Yahweh and keeping His commandments) is the “totality” of all of mankind. No matter who one is or what he does, there is but one conclusion… for every single human being that will ever live. Fear and obedience to the Creator of all things.

So, as you sit and assess your life today, and all of its ups and downs, twists and turns - heed the words of the wise Preacher. The end of all things, for all of humanity, is quite simple. Fear Yahweh and keep His commandments. Selah.

* For more on what it really means, biblically, to "keep" the commandments, consider the video series in the comments below.