October 29, 2018: Day 79 – Ecclesiastes 6

There is a repetition here of what has been said before.  There is an emphasis on vanity and how the one who works hard never gets to appreciate the fruit of his/her labors.  There is a sense that this is a book of the Bible that kind of discourages a hard nosed work ethic, but rather encourages us to stop and smell the roses periodically.  As Protestants we are known for our work ethic as a result of not thinking that our work will in any way provide a safe-guard to guarantee our salvation.  

I guess I would focus on vs.10 and say that this might be where we see a truth come out.  “Whatever has come to be has already been named”.  There is, again, almost a fatalist perspective that reminds us that our life is to be lived now.  This chapter reminds us that what we do now has an affect on all things, including whether or not we appreciate the gifts that we find in life today.