Why did Solomon write Ecclesiastes?

Answer 1

Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes in his later years. It was written primarily to warn the young people of his kingdom (and others) to avoid walking through life on the path of human wisdom; he exhorted them to live by the revealed wisdom of God (12:9-14).

Answer 2

Ecclesiastes is a general comparison between the "Wisdom of God" and the "vain pursuits of unbelieving man" as he pursues the "wisdom of this world" that distracts him and keeps his mind and heart off of his Creator... his God.

"...hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the Wisdom of God the world by wisdom KNEW NOT GOD, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Jesus crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness..." (I Cor.1:20-23).

"...I gave my heart to seek and search out by [this world's] wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven..." (Eccle.1:13).

Solomon... who knew his father, David's, God... was nonetheless mislead in the course of his life by "worldly things"... by the "wisdom of this world."

And in his worldly search for wisdom, he discovered: "...For in much [worldly] wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow." (verse 18)

By the end of his vain, life-long ecclesiastical search for wisdom... he correctly determines:

"Let us hear the conclusion of the matter: FEAR GOD, and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: for THIS IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. For God shall bring every work into Judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." (Eccle.12:13-14)

The "purpose" of the book of Ecclesiastes, therefore, is to save those who "believe and follow the Word of God" a "whole lot of dead-end pursuits and sorrow"... and to guide them to pursue their "duty" in this life in this world.

Answer 3

For the benefit and edification of all of God's people. However, for many Christians, this book is either ignored or they regard it as testimony of a man living apart from God. How unfortunate as this books asks relevant questions about life's meaning and it declares the utter futility of existing without God.

Answer 4

It is King Solomons third book of wisdom, but it was when he had back slided.