Reading the titles of the sections in chapters 1 and 2, I could hear “millennials.”

“I’ve seen it all.”

“I never said no to myself.”

“I hate life.”

I heard their voices in the verses of The Message translation:

• There’s nothing to anything, 1:2.
• Everything’s boring, utterly boring, 1:8.
• Year after year it’s the same old thing, 1:9.
• Don’t count on being remembered, 1:11.
• There’s not much to write home about, 1:13.
• God hasn’t made it easy for us, 1:13.
• I’ve seen it all and it’s nothing, 1:14.
• The more you know, the more you hurt, 1:18.
• Let’s go for it – experiment with pleasure, have a good time! 2:1.
• But there was nothing to it, 2:1.
• You just do what you can, and that’s it, 2:12.
• I can’t take it with me, 2:18.
• That’s when I called it quits, 2:20.
• Gave up on anything that could be hoped for, 2:20.
• What’s the point? 2:21.
• The best you can do with your life is have a good time, 2:24.
• Get by the best you can, 2:24.

“Ecclesiastes is a famous…witness to this experience of futility. The acerbic [sarcastic] wit catches our attention. The stark honesty compels notice….in order to call a halt to our various and futile attempts to make something of our lives, so that we can give our full attention to God – who God is and what He does to make something of us.”

The Message Introduction to Ecclesiastes

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Ecclesiastes 3:14, “I’ve also concluded that whatever God does, that’s the way it’s going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God’s done it and that’s it. That’s so we’ll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear.” The Message

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