The Unfulfilled, Unhappy Life of
Solomon
by George
Kirkpatrick
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Solomon was the wisest, richest, and most powerful man of his time. Solomon's wisdom was spoken of all over the earth. His wealth was far beyond imagination. He made Jerusalem the trade capital of the world. He had servants without number, summer and winter palaces, and magnificent gardens. Anything Solomon desired he could have. But the question we need to ask is,
"Did all this wisdom, wealth, and power make Solomon happy?"
The answer is NO!
Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes to voice that his life was nothing but vanity. He cried out in his sorrow from his hard experiences with worldly wisdom, wealth, and power. He wanted all the world to know how to find true joy and happiness in this life. Learn the valuable lessons Solomon shares in Ecclesiastes:
"And I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and behold, this also is vanity." Ecclesiastes 2:1
Solomon thought laughter and amusement would make him happy. He probably hired the best jesters, clowns and comedians money could buy to entertain his search for a happy, fulfilled life. What Solomon didn't know was that some of the most unhappy, unfulfilled people in the world are comedians and clowns. Red Skeleton was the most famous comedian, yet died a very unhappy, unfulfilled man. He spent his final years painting clowns. Many comedians commit suicide because they never reach their goal of making people laugh. Many movie stars who were comedians died very unhappy. Charlie Chaplin had it all: fame, fortune, and women - - - yet died in seclusion. And many comedians turn to perverted jokes to get people to laugh. Television knows how important laugher is. To get the populace to watch their mediocre shows they lace their perversion with laugh tracks. Solomon tried all this, yet he cried out:
"I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?" Ecclesiastes 2:2
The true root of mirth and worldly laughter is madness. One of the meanings of mad is "to make a fool of." Laughter in many instances, does indeed, make one a fool, and their audiences as fools, also. Even in today's churches, laughter has turned to foolishness. Laughter failed to give Solomon a relief from his daily chores - - - so . . .
"I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life." Ecclesiastes 2:3
Solomon gave himself to wine. I am sure Solomon did not become a falling down drunk, but he became a connoisseur of wines. He served only the finest of wines at his banquets, taking great pride in his wine selections. Wine is mentioned in the Bible 256 times. The first mention of wine was the wine that Noah made. Wine is used as a strong drink to make one drunk. It is also used as medicine. Paul told Timothy:
"Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." I Timothy 5:23
Solomon in his vast searches for the finest wines could not find the true new wine available only in God's effervescent Word of Life. Jesus turned the water into new wine at the Marriage Supper. This He will do at the Great Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Those who have their stone water pots full of the water of the Word will receive this new wine He has saved for those who are obedient to His Word.
Solomon continues to teach us through example:
"I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.." Ecclesiastes 2:3
Solomon acquainted himself with wisdom - - - or he strived to maintain his wisdom. Then Solomon acquainted himself with folly. Solomon, as many today, turned to foolishness to relieve the pressures of being king. He thought if he experienced foolishness then his mundane life would be tolerable.
It was Solomon's intention to find out what man was to strive for. Was it for wine to make the heart merry, or was it mirth and foolishness. I detect Solomon was a man who was trying to find out what mankind should strive to do or to be to live a fulfilled life. Solomon found no relief in his encounter with laughter, mirth, wine or foolishness. Solomon continues:
"I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:" Ecclesiastes 2:4-6
Solomon continued to try to find purpose and fulfillment in his life. So he began to build. Solomon was one of the world's greatest builders. He built many houses (palaces). He planted vineyards to make the finest wines. He created magnificent gardens and orchards, planting every kind of fruit tree. Then he made grand lakes to water all this. Today we see the same thing. Man tries to find peace and happiness by the works of his hands — not only by the works of his hands, but by what he has accomplished by the use of his head. Did this bring happiness, peace and fulfillment in Solomon's life? The obvious answer is, NO! It only brought more grief and frustration.
"I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:" Ecclesiastes 2:7-8
Solomon had a grander household than any other household on the earth. When the Queen of Sheba came to see Solomon, what did she find?
"And when the Queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her." I Kings 10:4-5
She was amazed to see his house, how rich his table was set, how his servants were dressed, the expense he had gone to, to show his riches.
"And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom." I Kings 10:6 & 8
The Queen of Sheba had to see for herself what she had heard of Solomon. And, indeed, she saw the household of Solomon was happy, but what of Solomon? Did this opulence make him truly happy? Was he content with his fame, his fortune, his servants and all his wealth? No, Solomon was not a happy or fulfilled man.
"I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts." Ecclesiastes 2:8
In his search for happiness, Solomon sent ships all over the world to search out magnificent treasures. No expense was to great to bring from afar everything that would bring delight to his heart and keep him entertained, including great men and women singers and all kinds of musical instruments.
"Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold," I Kings 10:14
Six hundred and sixty-six, the best fleshly man could accomplish. This amounted to 20,000,000 in gold plus all the silver and other precious metals, exotic animals, trees for lumber - - - the list goes on and on . . .
He had ALL the delights offered the sons of men. What more could a man ask for. He had everything this world could offer?
"So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour." Ecclesiastes 2:9-10
Solomon was great, and increased more than any other man before him. Whatever he desired he got. He had horses and chariots without number, wealth without measure. He was recognized as strong and with much wisdom all over the earth. All Solomon accomplished in the flesh would take several books to tell, but what was he truly happy?
"For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? As the fool. Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit." Ecclesiastes 2:16-17
When Solomon realized all his works did not bring him true happiness and fulfillment, he despaired. He finally realized all must go by the way of the grave, and the wise would no more be remembered than the fool. No matter how wise, how rich, how famous, how accomplished, all men would go the same way. Paul wrote this same thing to Timothy:
"For we brought nothing into this world, and it is ceratin we can carry nothing out." I Timothy 6:7
James also wrote:
"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." James 4:14
When Solomon realized this he proclaimed:
"Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit." Ecclesiastes 2:17
Solomon hated his life! Why? It was because life was one thing he could not have control of. He could tell his many servants to do something and they did it. He could build by his own design and control all that was built. He could amass fortunes, buy and sell as he pleased, but he had no control as to how long he could live. This was in God's hands. God, alone, would say and control how long Solomon would live.
But what of all Solomon accomplished in this life? Even all his works he did were grievous unto him. He declared they were all vanity (or done in vain). He also declared they were vexation of his spirit. You might say Solomon was an accomplished failure.
"Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity." Ecclesiastes 2:18-19
Outwardly Solomon had accomplished more than any living man, but he despaired of dying and leaving all his works to another. Would the man Solomon left his wealth to take the same care - - - or would he squander what he had accomplished? Well, we know by the Word that not long after his death his kingdom was divided, and eventually all his wealth and all he had accomplished came to nought.
"Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:20
All Solomon's labor led his mind to despair:
"For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, where in he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity." Ecclesiastes 2:21-23
Solomon did not sleep nights, worrying and wondering what would happen to what he had accomplished after he died. Many today work all their lives to accomplish, then spend their reclining years worrying about keeping it, wondering if bad health will cost them their fortune - - - or if someone will steal it - - - or a relative will declare them incompetent to take care of what they had accomplished - - - or that all would be taken away by the government. Solomon began to realize where his fate lie:
"There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God." Ecclesiastes2:24
Solomon finally discovered there was nothing better for a man than to have something to eat and drink and enjoy all his labor - - - or simply put - - - to enjoy life because this peaceful existence comes from the hand of God.
"For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?" Ecclesiastes 2:25
Solomon set the finest table, but was he happy with his food? He had not slept, his stomach was tore up with worry. How many today sit down to a good meal and do not enjoy it for the same reason? Any food Solomon wanted, he could afford. But his meals were only a burden and dread to him because he was not at peace with God.
"For God giveth to a man that is good in His sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner He giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit." Ecclesiastes 2:26
God gives wisdom, knowledge and joy to the man who is good in His sight. But to the sinner, God gives travail (labor pains) to gather, to heap up wealth to give to those who are good before God. This, Solomon proclaimed, also is vanity and vexation to man's spirit when they know God takes care of His own and the wicked have to take care of themselves.
Solomon had tried mirth and laughter. He had become a wine connoisseur. He gloried in his wisdom. He tried foolishness. He did great works. He became a great agriculturist, planting vineyards, gardens and orchards. He constructed lakes and ponds to water his crops. He had all kinds of servants. He had horses, cattle, silver, gold and all precious metals. Whatever he wanted he got. One other thing Solomon had was one thousand woman at this beck and call, so he was not wanting for relationships. But did all this make Solomon truly happy? Did all this bring fulfillment in his life? The obvious answer is NO! So what did Solomon, in all his wisdom, declare:
"And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh." Ecclesiastes 12:12
We can read all the books written about life, but this only becomes a weariness of the flesh. What then do we need to know?
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13 & 14
Solomon gives us the answer to the whole issue of life - - - fear God and keep His commandments. Anything less or more is only vanity and vexation of spirit.
God is the ultimate judge of everything we do in this life. Will our works be acceptable to God, or will we discover all we accomplished is vanity and vexation of spirit?