Chasing the Wind Ecclesiastes 1

“I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind” (Eccl. 1:14, NASB).

“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Eccl. 1:14, NIV).

I am watching the news on television. Another school is terrorized by a person shooting up the school with an assault weapon. Several students and teachers are injured, some critically, and some are dead. This kind of incident has taken place in our country several times since the Columbine killings in 1999. This is cause for pause, a time when we try to make sense of things. We have hundreds of questions. For me, the most striking question that is asked is, “what can we do to make sure that this does not happen again?” This question causes me to think about the Book of Ecclesiastes. The Preacher says, “That which has been is that which will be. And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9, NASB). You see this question obviously is asked without taking consideration of God. The Preacher calls this vanity (meaningless) and it is like chasing after the wind.

The book of Ecclesiastes is written by Solomon, king in Jerusalem. For sure, there are scholars and interpreters that do not agree with this conclusion. However, I will not allow myself to get caught up in the debates because that would be meaningless and like chasing after the wind. I will give my reasons that I believe that Solomon is the author. First, he is the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Solomon is the son of David that becomes king after David dies. Second, the author seeks to discover life’s meaning by wisdom. He says, “And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to sons of men to be afflicted with” (v. 12, NASB). In 2 Chronicles Solomon goes to worship the Lord. “In that night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, ‘Ask what I shall give you” (1:7, NASB). In response Solomon asks for wisdom. He says to God, “Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of Yours” (v. 10). God grants to Solomon his request (v. 12), and Solomon becomes known throughout the lands as the wisest man alive.

The book of Ecclesiastes tells us about the Preacher’s quest to understand life with the wisdom that is given to him. He discovers that life without God is meaningless and there is no joy. On the other hand, life with God has meaning and there is joy. Thus, our own efforts and abilities cannot enable us to understand life. Regardless of the situations that we encounter in life, without God there is neither meaning nor joy.

Have you ever done your best to accomplish a goal? You fail to accomplish your goal. You are left frustrated, irritated, annoyed, and you even worry. It seems like this pattern occurs over and over again in your life. You seek answers from various sources. You get answers. You do what you are advised to do, but again and again you fail to accomplish your goal. It is like chasing the wind.

The Preacher gives us a description of the things that take place in the earth generation after generation. The earth remains forever (v. 4). The sun rises and sets in its place (v. 5). The wind swirls along on its circular courses (v. 6). The flow of the rivers and the seas continues (v. 7). There is nothing that man can do to change the way nature is. “All things are wearisome; Man is not able to tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing (v. 8). The Preacher seeks to understand the world through wisdom and knowledge. He learns a lot, and he seeks to know more by gaining more wisdom and knowledge. To his dismay he learns that this too is like chasing the wind. “And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I realized that this also is striving after wind. Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain” (vv. 17-18, NASB).

The Preacher gives us his wisdom about several areas of life in the book of Ecclesiastes. He talks about wisdom and folly, and labor (chap. 10). He says that there is a time for everything and God set eternity in the heart of man (chap. 3). There is evil in oppression (chap. 4), and many other areas of life are covered in this book. However, I want to discuss the phrase, “like chasing after wind.”

In chapters 1-5 the Preacher shows us that the desire to have material things and attaining material things is “vexation of spirit” (KJV), (chasing after wind). Vexation is a state of being frustrated or worried. When your spirit is vexed your mind can’t rest. There are restless days and nights and weariness and dissatisfaction. It’s like your breath is taken away. The Preacher wants us to learn to not chase after the wind. What does chasing after the wind look like?

You cannot see the wind. Its direction is unpredictable because it is always changing its patterns. There is a pattern for straight line winds. There is a pattern that is in tornadoes. Another pattern and direction is seen in hurricanes and cyclones. The speed and the strength of the wind are constantly changing. This is the reason that meteorologist forecast weather. They can tell us what is likely to happen, but they cannot say with absolute certainty what is going to happen. You cannot control the wind. You can feel the wind, and you can know the results that take place because of the wind. The same is true of life.

In chapter 3 the Preacher tells us that there is a time and a season for everything. We cannot control these events. They are realities of life. There is nothing that we can do to make these things happen. There is nothing that we can do to stop these things from happening. We cannot comprehend life on our own wisdom and knowledge. It is like chasing the wind. Thus, we must seek to understand life with God. Therefore, we must come to know God if we want to be free from the worries and frustrations in life. If we come to know God we learn to trust Him. We can find contentment in life if we live our life knowing that God is in control God has the final word. Let me give us an example.

A coworker walks up to me and she asks me if I know what is going to happen in the world. Based on the events that I see taking place in the world, do I have any knowledge of what to expect. What does the future hold, she wants to know. My answer is this. “No, I do not know what the future holds. I don’t need to know the future.” She asks, why?” I tell her that I do not need to know the future because I know the one that holds the future. I know the one that controls everything. I am reminded of one of the favorite bible verses of a friend long ago.

Theodis often recited Ecclesiastics 12:1. “Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (KJV). As we journey through life the most beneficial thing that we can do is to remember God regardless of the circumstances that we face. Life without God is meaningless and without joy. Life with God is comprehensible and we find joy. The Preacher writes this conclusion. “The conclusion, when all has been heard is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Eccl. 12:13-14, NASB). If we will do this, we will not be chasing after the wind.