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Ecclesiastes 12:8
[Bible Verses]Ecclesiastes 12:8 concludes the main body of the book. It repeats the opening declaration of Ecclesiastes 1:2, "Vanity of vanities," to sum up the transience of life under the sun. The verse is often cited as the thematic statement of the whole book, and interpreters understand "vanity" in several ways.
Ecclesiastes
[Bible]Ecclesiastes is a book of Old Testament wisdom literature. It reflects on the transience, or "vanity," of all things in the world and concludes that fearing God is the whole duty of man.
Ecclesiastes 11:9–10
[Bible Verses]A passage in which the Preacher urges a young man to enjoy his youth while remembering that God will bring every deed into judgment. Because it joins enjoyment and accountability in a single sentence and observes that youth passes quickly, it is frequently cited in sermons addressed to young people.
Ecclesiastes 2
[Bible]In Ecclesiastes 2 the Preacher tests pleasure, great works and wealth, wisdom, and a lifetime of labor in turn, and concludes that all of it is "vanity and vexation of spirit." At the end he says that the enjoyment found in eating, drinking, and taking pleasure in one's labor comes from the hand of God.
Ecclesiastes 4
[Bible]Ecclesiastes 4 records the Preacher's reflections on the oppression and envy he has seen under the sun, on solitary toil, and on the fleeting nature of power, and teaches that two are better than one.
Ecclesiastes 1:2
[Bible Verses]Ecclesiastes 1:2 is the opening thematic verse of the Book of Ecclesiastes, in which the Preacher declares, "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity." It is widely cited as a classic statement of the transience of life. Interpretations vary regarding the meaning of the Hebrew word rendered "vanity" and the message of Ecclesiastes as a whole.
Ecclesiastes 5:4–5
[Bible Verses]Ecclesiastes 5:4–5 is the Preacher's exhortation that a vow made to God should be paid without delay, because it is better not to vow than to vow and not pay. In Korean Protestant churches the passage is frequently cited in connection with vow prayers, vow offerings, and calls to pastoral ministry.
Ecclesiastes 12:13–14
[Bible Verses]The closing words of Ecclesiastes, which declare that to fear God and keep His commandments is the whole duty of man and that God will bring every work into judgment. The passage is frequently cited as a condensed statement of the book's conclusion, and its relationship to the main body of the book is also debated.
Topical Preaching
[Doctrine & Theology]Topical preaching is a method of preaching in which the preacher first selects a topic and then gathers various Scripture passages related to that topic to build an argument.
Pulpit
[Worship & Rites]A pulpit is a platform at the front of a church sanctuary, raised above the congregational seating, where the preacher stands to preach and lead worship. The term can also refer to the preaching stand placed on that platform or to the ministry of preaching itself.
Edward Mote
[People]Edward Mote (1797–1874) was an English Baptist minister and hymn writer, best known as the author of the hymn "My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less," which is also sung in Korean translation in Korean churches.
Ecclesiastes 8:17
[Bible Verses]Ecclesiastes 8:17 states that however much a person labors, he cannot fully comprehend the work of God that is done "under the sun." The verse is frequently cited in discussions of the limits of human wisdom and of divine providence.
Ecclesiastes 5:15
[Bible Verses]A verse stating that just as a person came forth naked from the womb, so at death he takes away nothing of what he has labored to gain. It is frequently cited alongside Job 1:21 and 1 Timothy 6:7 in discussions of the transience of wealth and the finitude of human life.
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8
[Bible Verses]Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 is a poem that uses fourteen pairs of contrasting lines to declare that God has appointed a time for everything. Because it sets the transience of human life alongside God's providence, it is frequently cited in funeral and New Year sermons.
Ecclesiastes 12
[Bible]The final chapter of Ecclesiastes urges readers to remember their Creator in the days of youth, before old age and death arrive. It closes the book with the conclusion that fearing God and keeping His commandments is the whole duty of man.
Ecclesiastes 6
[Bible]Ecclesiastes 6 describes as "vanity" the plight of a person who receives riches and honor from God yet cannot enjoy them. In twelve verses, the chapter addresses the futility of endless desire and the human inability to know what lies ahead.
Ecclesiastes 9
[Bible]Ecclesiastes 9 opens with the observation that the righteous and the wicked alike meet the same end in death, and it urges the reader to enjoy the life he has been given and to work diligently. It then addresses the value and limits of wisdom through reflections on time and chance and the illustration of a poor wise man.
Ecclesiastes 3
[Bible]Ecclesiastes 3 declares, in fourteen pairs of opposites, that there is an appointed time for everything under heaven. It then reflects on human labor and the work of God, on injustice and judgment, and on the death that comes alike to humans and animals.
Ecclesiastes 1
[Bible]Ecclesiastes 1 is the first chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes. It declares the book's theme, "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity," and describes the endless cycles of nature and history and the limits of the pursuit of wisdom.
Azusa Street Revival
[History]The Azusa Street Revival was a series of revival meetings led by the Black preacher William J. Seymour at 312 Azusa Street in Los Angeles, California, beginning in 1906. It is widely regarded as the landmark event marking the beginning of the modern Pentecostal movement.