Portrait of a King: Under the Sun

2015-11-07 
David Nasser 

There is perhaps no better portrait of a man’s life than his reflective last words. Solomon’s confessions and conclusions in the book of ecclesiastes give us great insight from a man who attained one essential truth from the sum of his experiences. Through highs and lows, great triumphs and devastating failure, Solomon learned that life will only be fully lived “under the sun”, when it is fully attained from an “over the sun” perspective. 

Ecclesiastes 1:1-3 (NIV)
1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”
3 What do people gain from all their labors
at which they toil under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NIV)
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.