Vanity of vanities, all is vanity! Many people ask the questions: “Why am I here?” “What is the purpose of my life?” “Is this all there is?” But few ever discover the spiritual answers.

The wise and spiritually discerning man, the preacher, who sought out wisdom discovered long ago that there is nothing new under the sun for ha·a·dam’s seed (a.k.a. “the sons of the man); he said “everything is vanity, a grasping at the wind.” And in following that pursuit, we will come up empty-handed every time.

I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task Elohim has given to ha·a·dam’s seed, by which they may be tested. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. (Ecc 1:12-14)

Life Is Vanity, And Those Who Dwell In The Flesh Are Nothing More Than Vapor

Most people live as vapor seeking after vanity, they are here on this earth for just a few seconds in eternity. Some burn more brightly than others, but they all will disappear forever.

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. (Jas 4:13-14)

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope. Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good. (Job 7:6-7)

Indeed, You have made my days as hand-breadth, and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man [a·dam] at his best state is but a vapor. Surely every man [eesh] walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them. (Psa 39:5-6)

Born — Died

The day of our birth and the day of our death is not what is important, but the dash in the middle (representing all the things that we do in between those two dates) means everything. Our life here on the earth is not about what we can accumulate or who we can impress with our great knowledge. We (men) were created in Yehovah’s image and have the awesome responsibility to manifest both His image and His kingdom in the earth through obedience to His instruction given to us through Moses.

Yehovah spoke to Abraham saying, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Gen 22:18)

Obeying Yehovah’s ways is the only thing that matters in our little dash; every thing else is vanity and emptiness. We (men) are nothing but dust returning to the earth.

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to Elohim who gave it. “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.” (Ecc 12:7-8)

As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of Yehovah is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to his son’s sons, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. (Psa 103:15-18)

The writer of Ecclesiastes concludes with what IS important for every man – past, present and future. He says,

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear The Elohim and keep His commandments, for this is the man’s [ha·a·dam’s] all. For The Elohim will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecc 12:13-14)

I see life as a test for every man and his woman. Will we learn to live according to our created purpose before Yehovah, or will we continue to pursue the vain things that will bring us to destruction? If we are unwilling to fulfill Yehovah’s created purpose now, why would Yehovah want us with Him for an eternity? For that matter, why would we even want to live with Him for an eternity if we do not love His ways?

The created purpose for the man, the only thing that will bring true fulfillment, is to keep the commandments, statutes and judgements of Yehovah and teach others to do the same.

Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. (Dan 12:3)

The created purpose of a woman looks differently. The man’s woman was created to lay down her life in service to her man, her master, in becoming A Woman Of Worth.  Unfortunately, most women will receive the same judgement that their man receives, as they are bone of their man’s bone and flesh of their man’s flesh. And this really is a sad state of affairs for most women today who look to the flesh and want riches and good looks from their man and fail to realize the vanity of pursuing comfort.

But I have to believe that Yehovah cares about the woman who will learn to live according to her created purpose even when she has a wicked master who will not learn his created purpose. I always think of Abigail who was willing to lay down her life in service to even her wicked and foolish man, Nabal, who in the end was killed by Yehovah and thus Abigail was freed to become David’s third woman.

So the purpose for the man and for the man’s woman is to learn to lay down your life in service to another. The man was created to serve only Yehovah and the woman was created to serve only her man. Everything else is vanity!

Go to Precept 9