Unhappy business

Eccles. 1:12-15

12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart [1] to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.[2]

15 What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be counted.

Footnotes
[1] 1:13 The Hebrew term denotes the center of one's inner life, including mind, will, and emotions
[2] 1:14 Or a feeding on wind; compare Hosea 12:1 (so throughout Ecclesiastes)

• What did Solomon set out to do?
  
• What is the unhappy business that God has given mankind?
  
• How did the events in the Garden of Eden result in the vanity Solomon saw?
  
• Why is it important to keep in mind that Solomon is looking at things "under heaven" or "under the sun"?
  
• Would you agree or disagree with Solomon? Why?
  
• Why might Solomon conclude that all the works done under the sun are empty and like chasing the wind?
  
• Does your experience on earth lead you to agree with Solomon or not? Why?
  
• What is crooked in this world?
  
• Why can't it be straightened?
  
• What is lacking under the sun?
  
• Why can't it be counted?

Harold's Musings:
Ecclesiastes is one of those books that stands the test of time. It is not one of the more common books for us to study, but that is our oversight. Every time I read it I find myself agreeing with Solomon yet again. My life has had so many "vanity/emptiness" events. Chasing professional recognition, striving for breakthrough innovation, struggling with inner wants and desires, all vanity. As you have seen so far, there are likely to be more questions than my musings in this study. Please seriously think through your answers. We have unhappy business to tend to.