Tonight, I read from Ecclesiastes 3:10–11, “I have seen the busyness that God has given to the sons of man to keep busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also put the world in their heart, so that man cannot discover what God has done from beginning to end.”
That is really something to read and to know He has taken the world OUT of our hearts. He lets us know His story! It touched me to read that!
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Yes, Beth.
The world is in everyone’s heart until Christ circumcises the world from our hearts by the Spirit. That is something to be very thankful for!
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What does the word “Ecclesiastes” mean? Does it mean something, or was it just another name for Solomon?
Beth D.
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The word “Ecclesiastes” comes from the Hebrew word, “Qoheleth”. Some actually use that name for the book instead of Ecclesiastes. It apparently means something like “a gatherer of the Assembly” or “one who speaks to the Assembly”. “The preacher (or pastor)” is another option. If we choose that translation, the King James Version may have it right: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.”
We chose, at least for now, to translate that first verses of the book like this:
1. The words of Ecclesiastes, son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2. Vanity of vanities, says Ecclesiastes. Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!
Thank you for the question.
Pastor John