The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
- Eccl. 1:1
The book of Ecclesiastes cannot be properly understood apart from the OT account of the life of Solomon which itself cannot be fully appreciated apart from the wider OT story of kingship within Israel. As we come to the first verse of Ecclesiastes we must take all of these things into consideration if we are to understand the author’s introduction which serves to establish both his identity and authority.
Within this verse the author assigns himself three titles. First, he is ‘The Preacher’ or Qohelet, a generic term which emphasizes the universal nature of the book’s message. Second, he is the ‘son of David,’ a phrase used only three times in the OT and always in reference to Solomon. This title conveys that the author is the heir of the promises of God given in the Davidic Covenant. Finally, he refers to himself as ‘king in Jerusalem,’ emphasizing his authority over the people of God, Israel. We would do well to see that within this verse the ‘son of David’ has the authority to speak to mankind in general but also to the people of God in particular. In light of the development of kingship in Israel this should come as no surprise.
While the concept of kingship is found throughout the OT narrative in relation to important individuals such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses, the first clear reference to kingship in Israel is found in Deut. 17:14-20. Along with the instructions given to prophets and priests, the Lord instructs Israel that when they ask for a king, that individual will be chosen by the Lord. Instructions are then given regarding both what he should not do (Duet. 17:16-17) as well as what he should do (Deut. 17:18-20). When taken together, we see that the king of Israel was intended by God to be the leader of His people by serving as the ultimate example of a worshiper of Yahweh. He was to be the ideal Israelite.
The narrative of 1 Kings conveys that in many ways Solomon fulfilled the description found in Deut. 17 of the king as the ideal worshipper of Yahweh. When given the opportunity to ask anything of God, he sought wisdom that he might rule well (1 Kings 3:9). He also erected the temple which David had longed to build for the Lord (1 Kings 5-7) and, following its construction, assembled the people and led them in worship (1 Kings 8). Along with being the ideal Israelite, he was also the ideal man in general because of his great wisdom and wealth. The narrative of 1 Kings describes the wealth that he possessed (1 Kings 10:14-29) as well as the fact that people came from the surrounding nations to lean from him (1 Kings 4:29-34; 10:1-13). Although much of the narrative of 1 Kings describes Solomon’s reign in positive terms, he also speaks of his faults. Specifically, it highlights that he violated each of the prohibitions given for the kings of Israel in Deut. 17.
The life of Solomon is characterized by good and evil, wisdom and folly. In his position as the Davidic King and given the gift of wisdom that God bestowed upon him, he clearly recognized that he had the right to offer his testimony to all of mankind, both Jew and Gentile. The book of Ecclesiastes serves as that testimony given to all of those made in God’s image, exhorting us to recognize the brevity of life and to find true meaning and purpose in the worship of God. Solomon’s failures offer to us the opportunity to learn from his testimony and also direct our hopes toward a better king who will come to rescue all of mankind, both Jew and Gentile. The echoes of hope in the book of Ecclesiastes point us towards Jesus Christ, the one who forgives our sins, redeems our lives, and leads us to be the true worshipers of God the Father.
Join us this Sunday as we gather to worship the King of kings together!
Soli Deo Gloria.
-Thomas