Even by today’s measures, Solomon is considered the richest, wisest man to ever live. He was King of Israel from roughly 971 BC to 931 BC. His father was David, born around 1040 BC. David was also King of Israel for 40 years. Their reigns may have overlapped a few years. Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s summary of the search for meaning in life.
He spared no cost in the quest for wisdom, pleasure, accomplishment, and relationship. What he found is that all people, regardless of intelligence or wealth, die. He found that in searching for the good things in life they became meaningless in light of death and the unpredictability of life in general.
Solomon acknowledged that there is a time for everything. His famous list is found in chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes – a time for life, death, planting, uprooting, peace, war, weeping, laughing, and so on.
Underlying this understanding of life’s natural yin and yang, he saw God’s sovereignty. He realized that only when humans submit to God’s timing and seek God for all meaning will they find what is ultimately the sweetest gift in anyone’s life, and that is peace that comes from knowing, trusting, and obeying God.
Accept that there is a time for everything in some form or measure. Acknowledge that the human experience and inherent nature of people will not change. We are not evolving. Scientific research, study of history, and human observation allows us to see God’s design and work, if we will look.
The Holy Spirit will lead you in every last detail of life, if you’ll ask.