“A divinely implanted sense of purpose working through the ages, which nothing under the sun, but only God, can satisfy” (The Amplified Bible). God created man in His image and formed in him a spirit that man may receive and contain Him (Gen. 1:26 and note Gen. 1:26^3d; Gen. 2:7 and note Gen. 2:7^5b). In addition, God put eternity, an aspiration for something eternal, in man’s heart so that man will seek God, the eternal One. Hence, temporal things can never satisfy man; only the eternal God, who is Christ, can satisfy the deep sense of purpose in man’s heart (cf. 2 Cor. 4:18). See note S.S. 1:4^1a.

In all his experiments in human life Solomon encouraged the fallen men under the sun, in accordance with God’s economy, to rejoice and do good in their lifetime and to enjoy what God has given to them, eating, drinking, and tasting enjoyment in all their labor (Eccl. 2:24; 3:12-13; 5:18-20; 8:15; 9:7-10). God created man for Himself, but man was seduced by Satan to give God up, and thus man became fallen. Nevertheless, God still blesses man so that he may have a good living and enjoy various material things (cf. Matt. 5:45b; 1 Tim. 6:17). By so doing God maintains the existence of the human race from generation to generation, thus affording Himself the opportunity to accomplish His redemption for fallen man, to carry out His eternal purpose in His choosing and predestinating men for the Body of Christ, and to maintain the fallen man of His old creation to be the provision for Him to bring in His new creation in Christ out of the old creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). This is proved by the apostle Paul’s preaching in Acts 14:15-17; 17:24-31.

To live a life that we may testify Christ and minister Christ to others to glorify God, we need the material things and physical matters. But we should not be attracted, captured, and usurped by them. If we are usurped by them, we will suffer their vanity. We are living in the world and passing through the “vanity fair,” but we should not linger in it for its vainglory (1 John 2:15-17). Today all things of the old creation are under the slavery of corruption (Rom. 8:20-21). If we do not escape “the corruption which is in the world by lust” (2 Pet. 1:4), we will share in its vanity.

Lit., been driven (i.e., into the past). God, in His sovereignty over all, has appointed all things that are in the present and that will be in the future and seeks to reemploy the things that took place in the past. Whatever God does will be forever; nothing can be added to it, nor can anything be taken from it, that all would fear Him that they may have His wisdom to realize the real meaning of human life (vv. 14-15).

Heb. ruach, different from neshamah, the word translated breath in Gen. 2:7 (see note Gen. 2:7^5b).

Heb. ruach. See note Ezek. 37:5^1a.