Ecclesiastes 2:9 Commentary and Bible Study

Solomon had now achieved what he had set out to achieve and he was well aware that he had gained more than all who had gone before him. He had power and prestige and influence. Any failure to find happiness could not be blamed on insufficient diligence or even on lack of achievement of his goals. The problem was with the goals themselves. He stood above all those who had gone before him and knew he had come to a place which no other had reached. Like a man who has climbed a mountain for the first time, he looked out on a view that no one else had ever seen. Would he from this vantage point discover a secret hidden from all others – how to find meaning and purpose in life without God?In all this his wisdom remained with him, for he never forgot what he was doing. His primary aim was not the indulgence of the flesh but the pursuit of wisdom. Wisdom was required to remain in charge at all times and direct his next move, and wisdom must examine the result of each new experiment. He did not forget that this was his ultimate aim and so to some extent his experiences did not master him, but we know that sin gained a grip on him and that he fell away from the worship of God and began to serve idols. Yes, even Solomon with all his wisdom could not embark on such a course and not be hurt by it; even he could not take fire into his bosom and not be burned by it. He therefore suffered a long period of pain and loss of communion with God and he learnt by personal experience that no matter how noble we think our intentions are, if they involve a departure from the law of God, they are harmful and will bring us into bondage.