What is the value and purpose of life? Is everything we try to do empty, wasted effort?

1. ALL IS VANITY A look at the diary of Solomon Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

2. Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 1 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; 3 A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;

3. Ecclesiastes 3:5-8 5 A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; 7 A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; 8 A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.

4. The Setting Ecclesiastes is the diary of Solomon He is doing research. He is probing for the meaning of life. He looks at money, fame, power, wisdom, sex, music, work, wine, poetry, pleasure (and several more areas of life).

5. The Setting All he finds is VANITY. Hebrew word = chasing the wind. All is empty, wasted, useless, hollow.

6. The Contrasts Listed BORN DIE PLANT PLUCK UP KILL HEAL BREAK DOWN BUILD UP WEEP LAUGH MOURN DANCE THROW STONES GATHER STONES

7. The Contrasts Listed EMBRACE SHUN EMBRACE GAIN LOSE KEEP THROW AWAY TEAR APART SEW TOGETHER SILENT SPEAK LOVE HATE WAR PEACE