All is Vanity

1. The setting

	This is Solomon's diary.  He is doing research.  He is probing for the meaning of life.  He looks at money, fame, power, wisdom, sex, music, work, wine, and pleasure (and several more areas).  All he finds is "Vanity".  He is "chasing the wind."  It is all empty, wasted and hollow.

2. The contrasts listed
	"There is an appointed time for everything.  And there is a time for every event under heaven."  (Ecc. 3:1)

	Born				Die
	Plant				Uproot
	Kill				Heal
	Tear down			Build up
	Weep				Laugh
	Mourn				Dance
	Throw stones		Gather stones
	Embrace			Shun embrace
	Search			Give up as lost
	Keep				Throw away
	Tear apart			Sew together
	Silent				Speak
	Love				Hate
	War				Peace

3. The main points
	A. What is the profit?
		1. Most of these points cancel each other out.
		2. Born - Die = What is the profit?
		3. 14 positive - 14 negative = What is the profit?
		4. Each day is 86,400 seconds -
			a. At the end - what is left over?
			b. What is the profit?
	B. What is the purpose?
		1. Universities teach the questions - NOT answers
		2. Where is your life going?
		3. Is life going up or down?

4. The Grand Conclusion
	"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time." 		(verse 11)
		1. God can make purpose (profit) out of loss.
		2. Romans 8:28 "work together for good."
		3. The negatives are "beautiful" in their time.
		4. There is meaning to tragedy, reason in 	
		calamity, and profit in loss.

My Conclusions and Comments

1. I do not believe that God decided that:
	A. It was time for some to die in an accident.
	B. It was time for 30,000 in Armenia to die.
	C. It was time for 250 to die in a plane crash.
	D. It was time for a person to die in a tornado.
	E. It was time for cancer, a heart attack, or stroke.

2. Watch for the IMPLICATIONS!
	A. If God decides WHEN - He decides HOW.
	B. If God decides HOW - He creates the EVENT.
	C. If God creates the EVENT - He is RESPONSIBLE.
	D. If "a time to die" means that God decides when, where and how my life will end - God is at fault for every accident, fire, suicide, murder, flood, tornado, earthquake, hurricane, etc.
	E. Take a look at all the other things on the list.
  		1. Does God decide when you will __________ ?
		Kill, Hate, Shum embrace, Throw stones, Tear down
		2. Does God control when you will _________ ?
		Love, Heal, Plant, Laugh, Embrace, Build up
	F. Is man a "Free Moral Agent"?
		1. Does God control every aspect of my life?
			If "YES" then --
			a. Explain the "judgment"
			b. Why some will be lost?
			c. Is God "Just"?
		2. Do I have any freedom of choice?
			If "NO" then --
			a. Explain "Why obey God?"
			b. Why study the Bible?
		3. Notice the dichotomy (horns of a dilemma)here =
			a. God commands us to love.
			b. He forbids us to hate.
			c. Yet, He controls when we do these.
			d. Same is true of "killing"

3. This passage is teaching us that:
	A. Life "without God" is a "ZERO".
	B. All our struggles will balance out to "0".
	C. Life has these opposites built into it.
		(See the list of 14)
	D. ONLY with God in your heart does life - -
		1. Become "beautiful" in its time.
		2. Take on meaning, or have purpose.