We’re going to see from Ecclesiastes 4:4-5:7 that you’re actually made to know God. That’s a bit surprising, because Ecclesiastes was written by someone who didn’t know God himself.
It’s a book searching for meaning in life, but deliberately only searching “under the sun” – in things you can see and touch. In the bit we read he’s thinking about relationships between people. But then when he speaks about God there’s no sense of a relationship with him. The rest of the Bible says otherwise.
So we’ll follow the Teacher’s thoughts in four parts, and in each part we’ll give the Bible’s answer to his searching.
These notes accompany a sermon on YouTube delivered at Bromborough Evangelical Church, Wirral in December 2025. You can find more in the series in our sermon index.
Find contentment in Christ (4-6)
The Teacher is looking for meaning in life, but he’s only looking “under the sun” – at things you can see or touch or do. He’s ignoring anything supernatural, so he doesn’t pray or refer to Scripture. That might sound very scientific to some, but it’s not: It’s cutting out data before you’ve even analysed it.
So he’s trying to find meaning in life by experiencing as much of life as he can! And work features quite heavily. So read Ecc 4:4.
Jealousy is a theme that comes up from time to time in the Bible. There are two situations where jealousy is good and right:
- A married couple should be jealous for each other – rightly offended if someone tries to tempt your spouse.
- Similarly, God is jealous for his people because he loves them, and hates them to be drawn away from his love.
All other references to jealousy or envy in the Bible are sinful. And yet our society actually urges you to feel envious/jealous:
- “You still got that old car?” “Have you seen this?”
- “It’s time to upgrade your phone, to move house, get that holiday you deserve, or get that house extension.”
- You’re advertised at in a way that makes you want what other people have. “I want that kind of retirement / ease / holiday / Christmas…”
And yet you know the James song, “If I hadn’t seen such riches I could live with being poor…” – and it feels so true. We sell out.
The truth is that the pursuit of meaning, happiness, contentment in work and things is actually unending and unfulfilling. The pursuit itself is a trap. You get caught.
Live to work or work to live?
But you know you have to work! Read Ecc 4:5. It’s an image you find in the book of Proverbs. The folding of arms is the opposite of work. If you didn’t work back then, you’d go hungry. He doesn’t mean they were cannibals; but they’d go thin!
But the Teacher says there’s an obvious balance: Read Ecc 4:6.
I remember a team meeting where our boss got us all to draw a chart of our emotional response to work over the past year: Others had wild swings of highs and lows. My chart was more modest: Some things were “ok” and others were “a bit inconvenient”. I was more invested in other things for my happiness.
A Christian’s riches aren’t measured in pounds and pence. They’re not charted in spreadsheets or gold.
A Christian’s riches are Christ himself.
- As C S Lewis put it, “Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose.”
- Phil 4:12-13 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.
- Phil 3:8 I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
So, yes, work hard, earn money, do well. There’s no sin in any of those things. But find contentment in Christ, the only treasure you can’t lose.
Enjoy companionship in Christ (7-12)
Next, the Teacher writes about a lonely person, working hard. Read Ecc 4:7-8.
“Still not content with riches…” Studies have shown that no matter what your income, you always think you’d be comfortable with just 50% more.
But often the toil itself stops us questioning the toil’s value! Until sometimes there’s a crash. A relationship breakdown, grief, or illness. Then we might ask why we’re bothering.
Notice that the Teacher only seems to see work as something you do for money, for gain, for return. He never sees the value in work to serve others, or simply doing good – let alone volunteering! He doesn’t even seem to see value in working for God’s kingdom. You wouldn’t see him on any church rotas!
It’s worth asking yourself what you think your work is for? Who do you think you’re working for? Yourself? Others? If you’re a Christian then everything you are is Christ’s.
The Teacher highlights the issue by this person on their own. So v9-12 emphasises the value of companionship. It’s better to work with others than to struggle in solitude.
The Teacher doesn’t have any real conclusion other than to say that relationships are better than solitude.
Never alone as a Christian
Now some live alone, not always by choice. For a single person the world can feel daunting. You might feel you need backup.
But if you’re a Christian, you’re never, ever alone in anything.
- Do you fear attack? When Paul was deserted by friends, he could say “ the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (2 Tim 4:17). You can say that too.
- When you go through a dark place – maybe approaching death itself, where no friend can walk with you – you have a shepherd: “Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me” (Ps 23:4).
- Or you might simply struggle to live for Jesus in an unbelieving world: Jesus says to you, “remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20).
He will never leave you nor forsake you. Jesus will own you before the Father in heaven, if you own him before people here in this life.
More, when you are added to Christ you’re added to his body, the church. Your companionship with Christ is made visible here. As you have fellowship with Christ’s people, you do so with him.
Why would you miss out on fellowship with Christ?
Know how cherished you are in Christ (13-16)
The teacher has another little story for us: Read Ecc 4:13-14.
So there was a poor youth who used his wisdom to become king! Everyone loves a rags to riches story. He’d probably have been a good king because of his wisdom, and his poor background would have given him compassion – so very much missing in most leaders today.
But how long does popularity last? It pops like a bubble! Read Ecc 4:15. That’s awful.
But the Teacher says it’s always like that: Read Ecc 4:16.
People chase after the top job. Or if not that, then more frequently people chase popularity – the top place, the life and soul, to be well thought of etc.
I took a look at LinkedIn recently. It’s like a social networking website, but it’s a “professional networking” site. You have “connections” rather than “friends” – colleagues at companies you’ve worked at or with. I’ve still got a few hundred connections. People I used to work with are now CEO’s, COO’s, Vice Presidents, MD’s, Directors, Heads of Departments etc etc. It’s a competitive space, full of one-upmanship.
But normal social media is the same, but different! People like to have very many Facebook Friends. Or followers on X or Instagram. We like to be popular.
But that can prevent you from having awkward conversations about faith or ethics. You want to be popular, not weird.
- 1 Peter 4 speaks about what happens when you try to live out your Christian life and your friends don’t understand: They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living—and they slander you. (1 Peter 4:4)
- But who’d want that?
Chosen and Cherished by Christ
But the thing is this: If you’re a Christian, your value isn’t counted in the number of friends you have.
It’s here:
- Eph 1:4-5 [God] chose us in [Christ], before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will
- 1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are!
- John 10:14-15 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.”
That is how much you’re cherished by God in Christ. As a Christian you are a cherished, loved, chosen child of God.
If you’ve never come to this realisation, do it now. God loves you. He doesn’t need your religious efforts. He loves you, and sent Jesus into the world to save you. You’re called to become a child of God.
Turn from your sin – and your empty religion – and pray to God yourself. Ask for his forgiveness, claiming Jesus as punished in your place. And become a child of God – now, forever, living for him.
When you know that you’re cherished by God, made to know God, then you won’t need the approval of people in the same way. Really embrace that!
It ought to encourage you and enable you to take risks with unbelieving people – be willing to risk your friendships. In fact, the more you love someone the more willing you should be to risk that friendship and tell them about Jesus.
Who are you planning on speaking to? Are you praying for help? Who are you planning to invite to church?
Live in intimacy with God in Christ (5:1-7)
Everything we’ve read so far has been about relationships with people – jealousy, companionship, popularity. But when the Teacher speaks about God, he speaks about religion, not relationship.
Remember: We’re supposed to weigh up the Teacher’s “under the sun” wisdom with the teaching of the rest of the Bible.
And the Bible says that you were made to know God, not to follow religion. He begins correctly: Read Ecc 5:1.
God lives. You can’t approach him with dead ritual. Sadly, lots of people do try just that.
So then read Ecc 5:2.
There’s much truth in that, of course. God is God! But he’s not unknowable, and not unreachable.
In v3, the Teacher urges you not to bring fanciful things to God in prayer. Verses 4 to 7 expand on that: He says that you’re not to go making fanciful promises to God in prayer. The Teacher thinks it’s generally better to say nothing at all.
But the Teacher doesn’t know God himself. He can’t, as he’s limiting his understanding to life under the sun.
You’re called to walk with God
What does God actually want of humanity? He’s told us:
- Micah 6:8 Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the LORD requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.
- Notice that: God wants you to walk with him.
I read recently about some brain scan experiments, looking at what parts of the brain are used at different times. The moment you stop focussing on a task, the Default Network kicks in. It’s how your brain is, even in newborns. It just happens that it’s the part of your brain that manages relationships with others: It’s your brain’s social network.
You are hard-wired for connection, for social interaction. God made you that way. You’re made to know God. The infinite, eternal God doesn’t call you to religion.
He doesn’t demand carefully crafted prayers, nor does he demand that you only approach him through a priest or a church. He calls you to “walk with him”. You’re to know him.
You can pray to him, speaking like a child to a father. Like a young prince or princess who’s got a totally different kind of access to the king from everyone else.
Through Christ we all have access in one Spirit to the Father. In Jesus we’re all being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit (see Eph 2:18,22).
The Teacher would never find meaning without Christ. Nor will you.
So by all means work hard, have friends, be popular.
But find contentment in Christ. Enjoy lasting, meaningful companionship in Christ. Always remember how cherished you are in Christ. And then live every day in intimacy with God in Christ.