The book of Ecclesiastes is part of the Wisdom Literature section of our Bibles - it is filled with existential questions and ponderings which are then met with reflections on the Torah (the first 5 books of our Bible). It reads as a guide for how to live life well as a believer, without shying away from the hard truths and questions that we all have.

For a broader view of this book of the Bible, we also encourage you to watch this video:

Bible Journaling Tip:

Play around with different fonts, spacing, and line height when you Bible journal. This is especially helpful if you do not feel like you are the most artistic person when it comes to drawing or painting. How you write can be a form of worship too! A fun challenge is to search for a beautiful calligraphy alphabet and try to copy those letters next time when you make a note in the margins.

LOOK UP: (information) encounter God through the Scripture 

Author:

Some have suggested that the author of Ecclesiastes might be King Solomon, but it is disputed who exactly wrote this book. In the beginning, the author introduces a teacher - but we are also not sure who the teacher is. The one thing that we do know is that this teacher is a character in the book, who the author writes about (see the first verse).In the final part of the book, the author goes on to reflect on what the teacher has said and helps the reader to understand it. 

Audience:

The book is written to challenge all the ways that people try to make meaning of life, outside of God’s ways. There is great joy to be found in godly living - since God is the designer of life itself. He is the only one who can show us how life was intended to be lived. Take a moment to think about who you have taken instructions for how to live from… 

History:

The book of Ecclesiastes is very similar to the book of Job that we already journaled about. Make a list of all the similar ideas you find in both books. What is the main question of each book? How does the book of Ecclesiastes link with the rest of the books in the Bible? Mark places in your Bible where themes from the story of God’s people, the Israelites, are clear.

Genre:

The book of Ecclesiastes is part of the Bible’s wisdom literature. The purpose of wisdom literature is in the name: to share wisdom. Another book in the Bible that fits into this genre is Proverbs. What are the differences between how Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are written? Are there any similarities? Do they ever contradict each other, or build on the same ideas?

LOOK IN: (revelation) contemplate / reflect on our own lives

Key verse:

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NIV

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Inspiration:

What is the main duty of all mankind, according to these verses? Reflect back on the book of Genesis: God gives people two main mandates when he creates them. See if you can find these two, and then compare them to what the author of Ecclesiastes sees as the duty of all mankind. Is it the same mandate? Could the one fit into the other?

LOOK OUT: (transformation) respond with creative worship action  

Drawing prompt:

The book of Ecclesiastes is filled with beautiful imagery to explain important truths for life in God’s kingdom. Draw a big circle on a page. In the middle of the circle write: Images of Ecclesiastes. Make some dots along the outline of the circle, 7-8 will do. Connect the dots to the words in the middle, so that your circle resembles a pie / pizza cut into pieces. 

Now, open your Bible and read Ecclesiastes. Whenever you find an image that you will be able to draw, indicate it in one of the “slices”. In the end you will have a mindmap full of images and wisdom from this book in the Bible.

For example:
Eccl 4:9-12 
Two are better than one 
(drawing of a strong cord of three strands)

Bible Journey with JournalOwl:

Here are some questions / prompts provided by the JournalOwl community. 

• What does it mean to go to the house of God – 5:1? What should we remember when we go there?
• Who benefits from the cultivation of fields – 5:9? (Think: Why is it important that kings understand this?)

Follow this link to dive into this book with an online Bible Study group.

Writing prompt:

In books like Job and Ecclesiastes, we learn that God is not scared of our questions. 

Write a list of questions that you have about God or the Bible or how people should live. Leave space under each question for an answer. After you’ve brainstormed the questions, take a break: go for a walk, make a cup of coffee, or water your plants. While you’re on your break, talk to God about the questions and ask him to give you answers. 

When you return to the questions, you can firstly write down anything that God said to you. If nothing came up, you can try one of the following methods to find answers:

• Ask a mentor / friend 
• Google “Where in the Bible does it speak about …?”

Prayer:

God, I want to thank you for books like Ecclesiastes and Job. Thank you that faith is so real, and that you do not shy away from our questions. Help me to also be bold in asking questions so that my faith may be strengthened. Let my response to this text be worship unto you!