World is full of Vanity-Vanity-Vanity - But our goal is Eternity

Eccl a 1:2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
1 Ki 10:23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
1. Solomon had the power and position to try every thing his heart desired.
2. Satan’s lie is that if you could only have this one more possession or this one more pleasure or this one more bit of worldly wisdom, you would be happy.

LIFE WITHOUT GOD IS EMPTY BECAUSE LIFE IS TRANSITORY
Eccl 1:4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
Psa 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
LIFE WITHOUT GOD IS EMPTY BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE BRINGS NO PEACE

Eccl 1:16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
Eccl 1:17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

01. Knowledge that does not recognize God brings "vexation of spirit".
The point here is that intellectualism brings no peace because for the most part it ignores God’s wisdom and therefore sin remains.

1 Cor 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1 Cor 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1 Cor 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1 Cor 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1 Cor 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

LIFE WITHOUT GOD IS EMPTY BECAUSE PLEASURE, WEALTH, & WORKS BRING NO LASTING SATISFACTION

A. PLEASURE:
Eccl 2:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
Solomon had 700 wives, and 300 concubines, a Palace, and was the richest man in the world.
Remember, vanity means transitory, unsatisfactory. The bible tells us in Hebrews 11:25 that Moses chose"rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season"
At the end of life, those things we thought so important at the time, seem empty because they brought no lasting satisfaction.
Let us take a careful look at 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

How much of our lives are spent pursuing the things in verse 16, but verse 17 tells us it is all passing away.


WEALTH AND WORKS
Eccl 2:4-11, 5:10, and 5:15 Read and expound.

EMPTY BECAUSE OF SIN

Eccl 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

A. This verse tells us that Sin is an universal malady, we are all effected by it.

B. But men think they will not be caught: Eccl 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

C. Judgement will come therefore do not waste your youth and make your life empty.
Eccl 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Eccl 11:10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
Eccl 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;