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[EKnight]

A few weeks ago I read all of Ecclesiastes and of course "all is vanity" was repeated over and over again.  I have read the word vain/vanity many other times in the bible and I just can't grasp its meaning.  Could someone simplify this for me?

Eileen

[Beloved]

love of self

beloved

[Kat]

Hi Eileen,

When we put our faith and trust in this anything in this physical world, we will be disappointed.  The physical is only temporary and will not last longer than our lifetime anyway.  Think about the parable of the rich fool.

Luke 12:13  Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
v. 14  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"
v. 15  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness,[2] for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."
v. 16  Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
v. 17  And he thought within himself, saying, "What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'
v. 18  So he said, "I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
v. 19  And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'
v. 20  But God said to him, "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'
v. 21  "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

We make plans, we seek happiness in wealth and/or power.  This physical life is a learning experience, nothing we obtain in this life physically will remain, only the experience.  It is vain to seek the physical, because only treasures in heaven are of any value.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[Beloved]

That was the simple answer this is a little more detail

Perhaps the intent of the author of the book of Ecclesiastes... not to make everything seem hopeless, but rather to point out that we can choose to chase after the ephemeral ways of this impermanent world, or we can choose to follow the eternal ways of God, living with unbounded love for God and for one-another.

That harvest which is sown is what is reaped

Chasing after the ephemeral and insubstantial ways of this world leads only to vexation, confusion, and disappointment, while realizing the truth of our worldly situation and living a life of joyful loving-kindness brings eternal peace.

Since our lives are described as grass

Isa 40:7  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass

then fixation on our self interests which is temporay rather than God who is etrnal  is discouraged

beloved.

[Dave in Tenn]

This one seems to be the one most used in Ecc.

H1892
הבל    הבל
hebel  hăbêl
heh'-bel, hab-ale'
From H1891; emptiness or vanity; figuratively something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb: -  X altogether, vain, vanity.

You've heard the expression 'they died in vain'.  I think that's the thrust of the word in Ecclesiastes.  For nothing, useless, pointless, empty.

[Martinez]

I really think the word vanity in the scriptures give us some amazing insight into not only ourselves but the entire human race.

Infact, if you were to do a study only on this one subject, it would crack open a world of understanding of our relationship to God now and what it will be and just how much of a miracle that is!

This is one of my favourite scriptures right here.

Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

[Dave in Tenn]

I wanted to add that there are other Hebrew words also translated as 'vanity' in English, so I think Martinez may be onto something in running this one down.  My sense of what the word means has as much to do with what I see as the 'tone' of Ecclesiastes as in any firm definition.   

[Samson]

All Good responses as to defining vanity,



                                                       Solomon, apparently did not follow his own counsel regarding VANITY, his annual revenue of gold was 666 talents( about $ 25,748,226.00), aside from silver and gold and other items brought in by merchants. All the Kings of the Earth brought gifts yearly from their lands: gold and silver articles, balsam oil, armor, horses, mules, and other riches. Even Apes and peacocks were imported in ships of Tarshish. Solomon came to have four thousand stalls of horses and chariots. 1 Kings says one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand steeds- 2 Chron. 9:25. Read 1 KIngs chapter 10 and 2 Chronicles chapter 9. Ther was no KIng in all the Earth possessing the riches of Solomon.

                                                     Also, Solomon began to disregard God's Law: And King Solomon himself loved many foreign wives along with the Daughter of Pharoah, Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian,  and Hittite women, from the nations of whom Jehovah had said to the Sons of Israel: ' You should not go in among them  and they themselves should not come in among you; truly they will incline your heart to follow their gods. It was to them that Solomon clung to love them. And he came to have seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives gradually inclined his heart. And it came about in the time of Solomon's growing old that his wives themselves had inclined his heart to follow other gods. (1 Kings. 11:1-8)

                                                     Just alittle added information as where vanity can and will lead us. This is not intended to specifically attach Solomon's character, at least not my intention, especially when you consider that Ecclesiastes and Proverbs are more favorite Books of the Hebrew-Aramaic Scriptures. Further, there is much good counsel to be found in these writings if applied to everyday life.

                                           Kind Regards, Samson.

[Martinez]

How's this for vanity!

And God said, "let us make man in our image"

but man said, "let us make God in our image"

Man has trying to make God in his image since man has been on the face of the earth, they even have a Babylonian church devoted to it.

Now that's not just vanity, that's the ultimate in vanity!

[chuckt]

A few weeks ago I read all of Ecclesiastes and of course "all is vanity" was repeated over and over again.  I have read the word vain/vanity many other times in the bible and I just can't grasp its meaning.  Could someone simplify this for me?

Eileen

futility.

lack of vigor...... empty,.......what is devoid of truth and appropriateness perverseness, depravity frailty, want of vigour


peace
chuckt