Ecclesiastes

To shatter the illusion that human achievement and wisdom can provide ultimate meaning, redirecting readers to fear God and keep his commandments as the only lasting foundation for life.

The Preacher (Qoheleth) systematically surveys all human pursuits — wisdom, pleasure, work, wealth, power — and declares them all "hebel" (vapour/vanity) under the sun.

The Preacher's relentless examination of human experience "under the sun" exposes the futility of life without God — making Ecclesiastes the Bible's most powerful critique of secular life.

After surveying life's injustices and uncertainties, Qoheleth urges enjoyment of God's gifts, diligent work, and youth well-lived — culminating in the great allegory of aging and the book's final verdict: fear God and keep His commandments.

Ecclesiastes resolves its long meditation on the vapour of life not by escaping the question but by arriving at the only adequate answer: the fear of God, life's proper enjoyment, and confidence in ultimate divine judgment.