Introduction

Ecclesiastes was always the “bleak book” to me—full of repetition about meaninglessness, frustration, and the futility of life. A book that felt like a philosophical rain cloud.

But after walking through it in depth with Dr. Manny Arango of The Bible Department, I discovered that Ecclesiastes isn’t a book of despair.

It’s a book of diagnosis.

It explains why life feels fleeting.
Why our hearts feel restless.
Why nothing on earth ever fully satisfies us.

And it all revolves around one profound phrase:

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the human heart…”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)

This changes everything.

“Meaningless” Doesn’t Mean Meaningless

As Dr. Manny explained, drawing from the work of Dr. Tim Mackie of The Bible Project, the Hebrew word translated as “meaningless” is hevel (הֶבֶל).

It doesn’t mean pointless or meaningless.
It means vapor.
Mist.
Smoke.
Something real, visible, but impossible to grasp.

So Ecclesiastes isn’t saying life has no meaning—
It’s saying life under the sun is fleeting, mysterious, hard to hold onto.

Like trying to grab fog.
Like chasing the wind.

That’s not hopelessness—
It’s honesty.

It’s wisdom.

The Key Phrase We Miss: “Under the Sun”

Solomon says nearly 30 times that life under the sun is hevel.

“Under the sun” means:

• life evaluated only on earthly terms
• life limited to what we can achieve or control
• life disconnected from eternity

When we live only for this world:

• work becomes a treadmill
• relationships feel fragile
• accomplishments lose their shine
• wealth evaporates
• pleasure never lasts
• time slips away faster than we want

Why?
Because God intentionally made this world insufficient to satisfy us.

Not to frustrate us—
but to direct us.

A Final Key: The Chess Clock of Life

One more theme appears again and again in Ecclesiastes—one many readers mistake for pessimism (and I did too, for a long time): the constant reminders of death.

But Solomon isn’t trying to depress us.
He’s trying to wake us up.

By pointing out the brevity of life, he’s effectively setting a chess clock on the table, saying:

“Your time here is limited.
So don’t waste your precious seconds chasing things that won’t matter in the end.”

The reality of death isn’t meant to rob us of joy—it’s meant to focus us.
It urges us to:

• stop obsessing over things that don’t matter
• stop holding grudges that steal our peace
• stop worrying about wind and vapor
• stop comparing our lives to others
• stop chasing what won’t last

And instead…

• savor the gifts God has given you today
• enjoy the people He has placed in your life
• appreciate beauty in ordinary moments
• practice gratitude
• cultivate work that honors Him
• prepare your heart for eternity

In light of eternity, the small annoyances and temporary frustrations lose their power over us.

They simply aren’t worth your minutes.

Eternity in Our Hearts

Solomon tells us exactly why nothing “under the sun” satisfies:

“…God has set eternity in the human heart…”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)

We were created with an eternal ache.
A homesickness for a world we haven’t yet seen.
A longing for:

• perfect peace
• perfect joy
• perfect relationships
• perfect beauty
• perfect justice
• perfect love
• perfect life with God

In other words…

We want Heaven.
And God put that longing there.

Nothing under the sun can fill a longing that comes from beyond the sun.

Why We Miss This—Especially in Daily Life

Despite this eternal wiring, we lose sight of it constantly.

We let ourselves get consumed with:

• deadlines
• politics
• financial stress
• difficult people
• traffic
• news headlines
• social media
• temporary frustrations

Solomon’s message?

Stop grasping smoke.
Stop chasing wind.
Look up, beyond the sun.

Life under the sun will always feel insufficient because we were made for something more.

And that brings us to this weekend—a hinge between two spiritual seasons.

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As Thanksgiving Ends: Gratitude Starts to Make Sense

Thanksgiving weekend is winding down as we read these words.

And this teaching from Ecclesiastes helps us truly feel gratitude, because it reminds us:

• Most of the things we stress about are hevel—temporary, fleeting, not ultimate.
• Most of the blessings we overlook are actually daily gifts from a God who loves us.
• The greatest gift isn’t “under the sun” at all—it’s the eternal life Jesus purchased for us.

When we understand Ecclesiastes correctly, it clears the fog so we can see the blessings right in front of us:

• breath in our lungs
• people who love us
• moments of beauty
• provision from God
• the ability to experience joy
• the hope of Heaven

Gratitude suddenly becomes natural.

Because even our earthly blessings—though fleeting—are whispers of eternity.

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As Advent Begins: Eternity Steps Into Time

Today is also the first Sunday of Advent, the season when we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

And this ties directly to Ecclesiastes 3:11:

God placed eternity in our hearts…

…and then entered time through a baby in Bethlehem to fill that longing.

Jesus is eternity wrapped in human flesh.
He is heaven stepping under the sun.
He is perfection visiting brokenness.
He is the One who satisfies the ache Solomon described.

And in His birth, we glimpse what all our longing is really pointing toward:

• a world restored
• a life without sorrow
• a relationship without distance
• a joy without end
• a King who loves us completely and eternally

This Advent season reminds us:

The eternity in our hearts is fulfilled in the humility of the manger and the glory of the Cross.

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So What Do We Do With All This?

Solomon ends the book with this simple conclusion:

“Fear God and keep His commandments…
for this is the whole duty of mankind.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NIV)

Or in modern terms:

• Live for the God who put eternity in your heart.
• Enjoy the gifts of today without expecting them to carry eternal weight.
• Let go of stress about fog—things that don’t last.
• Anchor your heart in the One who does.

Paul echoes this beautifully:

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Colossians 3:2 (NIV)

And Solomon says:

“Eat, drink, and enjoy the toil of your days—
this is the gift of God.”
(Ecclesiastes 2:24–25, paraphrased)

Meaning:

Enjoy your simple daily gifts.
Release your burdens.
Remember eternity.
And walk with God.

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Conclusion: Why This Matters Today

As Thanksgiving ends…
As Advent begins…
As the year turns its final corner…

Ecclesiastes offers us a gift:

A reminder that the things we chase are temporary,
but the One we long for is eternal.

So the next time life feels like smoke slipping through your fingers, remember:

• You were made for more than this world.
• God placed eternity in your heart.
• Jesus came to fulfill it.

And that eternal reality—already begun in Christ—is the source of true contentment, hope, joy, and peace.

The very things your soul has been aching for all along.