Worship and Obey God’s Words of Wisdom, Not the World’s Words of Weariness | Content Ambition
Take Great Care to Find the Words of Delight and Truth
If you have your Bibles—and I hope you do—open them up to Ecclesiastes 12:8–14. If you’re not sure where that is, open your Bible around the middle to Psalms, and then flip two books over. If you’ve hit Isaiah or Nahum, you’ve gone too far.
Ecclesiastes is a book of wisdom from “the Preacher,” whom we can safely assume—but not 100% confirm—is Solomon. We read that he is “the son of David, king in Jerusalem” (1:1) and “I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me” (2:9).
The Preacher is nearing the end of his life, and he gives this final word to the children of Israel:
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity (1:2).
Everything—work, family, inheritance, creation, food, recreation, friends, life, death—is vanity. Why? Because it is what it is. We cannot change anything. All the money in your bank account, the property you own, the family you love—everything you see will pass away. Death comes for us all.
So what should we do?
We should enjoy life to God’s glory. Hear what he says just before our main text:
“Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’” (11:9–12:1).
Life apart from God is vanity. Finding our ultimate pleasure in the things of this world is vanity. But worshipping and obeying God and enjoying the life He has given us—that’s not vanity. That will last until the judgment and will be weighed as a good thing.
But the things of this world are enticing, and we’re liable to try to find joy and peace in them. Yet everything will crumble. This is where we come to our passage:
Ecclesiastes 12:8–14
"Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
Introduction
How many of you are parents? As the parent of a 4-month-old, my wife and I have been getting a lot of advice—honestly, too much advice. Some of it contradicts itself. It can come from your own family or friends or anyone else. Everyone has a different opinion.
But we realized that if we kept trying to find the perfect method by constantly researching and studying, we would wear ourselves out—and not be good parents at all. We needed to find the core truths about parenting that have stood the test of time and hold onto those.
That’s my hope for you too—that you would discern the difference between God’s words of wisdom and the world’s words of weariness and worship and obey God and His commandments.
1. Vanity of Vanities (v. 8)
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “all is vanity.”
The Preacher circles back to his opening line to create a bookend for the entire message. It’s a reminder. Everything is like a vapor or like the bubbles your kids blow at a pool party—they pop just as quickly as they form.
He doesn’t want us to forget the goal of the entire book: this is wisdom literature. He is offering wisdom as a king to his people, as a father to his son.
2. Words of Wisdom Come from God (vv. 9–11)
“Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.”
This epilogue affirms the book’s authority and the Preacher’s credentials. He wasn’t just wise—he was a teacher, a scholar, a writer. He weighed, studied, and arranged the Proverbs with care. These were no random thoughts; they were crafted with precision so the people could read, understand, and apply them.
Why? So they would have:
Words of Delight – joy, satisfaction, pleasure, fulfilled desire in the Lord.
Words of Truth – sturdiness, faithfulness, firmness.
Illustration: These words are the opposite of the forbidden fruit in Eden. Instead of deception, they offer pleasure andfirmness. They are good for you.
They are given by one Shepherd.
This is the Shepherd with a capital “S.” Jesus claims this title in John 10:11–18:
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…”
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He gives us what we need. His truth is eternal, and His words are the firm, wise foundation for life.
The Preacher says these words are like goads—tools to guide—and nails firmly fixed—truths that secure. They’re there to keep us on course.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word” (Psalm 119:9).
Application: How are you guiding your life by God’s Word? Are you listening to wisdom?
3. Words of Weariness Come from the World (v. 12)
“My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.”
The Preacher calls his reader “my son”—a teachable, moldable learner.
There are always more books, more voices, more philosophies. But if we chase after every bit of wisdom out there, we’ll wear ourselves out.
Illustration: I love productivity and self-help books—Atomic Habits by James Clear, Deep Work by Cal Newport. They’re good! But if I try to build my life on them, I’ll burn out. I’ve already done it.
Application: Are you building your life on words of weariness?
4. The Whole Duty of Man: Worship and Obey God (v. 13)
“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
Here’s the conclusion. The Preacher has said everything he needs to say:
Fear God – Not a terrorizing fear, but reverence. As sheep to a shepherd. As sons to a father. It’s love and respect. Believing what He says is true. Worship Him. Delight in Him.
Keep His Commandments – Live in the way of wisdom. “If you love me, you will obey my commandments” (John 14:15).
This is our whole duty. Our whole life. This is what isn’t vanity. When done in relationship with the Lord, it matters eternally.
Application: Are you worshipping and obeying God?
5. The Whole Judgment of Man: God Will Judge Every Deed (v. 14)
“For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
Everything—seen and unseen—will be judged.
Illustration: Luke 8:16–18
16 “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. 18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”
Jesus tells us to be careful how we hear the Word. Because the seed is the Word of God, and what we do with it—whether it takes root or is choked out by the world—will be revealed.
Application: Do you know how your thoughts and deeds will be judged?
Apart from Christ, all our good deeds mean nothing. Our work, our generosity—without Jesus, it’s all vanity.
Final Applications
Take Great Care to Find the Words of Delight and Truth
Seek truth rooted in God’s Word.
First, straight from the Bible.
Second, from sources inspired by the Bible—seminary, Bible college, and teachers aligned with God’s Word.
Beware of Any Books, Study, and Teaching Beyond
Don’t look to anything else to solve your emptiness or vanity.
Test everything by God’s Word and the Gospel.
Worship and Obey God—This Isn’t Vanity
Give your whole life to worship and obey God.
This is the whole duty of man. And it isn’t meaningless.