The Peace That People of Faith Enjoy

This passage deals with the emptiness Solomon saw at the end of his life and with what true peace is. Just as the love parents devote to their children becomes empty if it does not lead to gratitude, it is not easy for human beings to give satisfaction to their Creator. Yet God gives abundant power and wisdom to those who carry out their mission, and the passage shows that true love is giving children the chance to stand on their own.

On the other hand, greed like King Saul's, which does not fear God and seeks to harm others for the sake of one's own power and one's children's interests, in the end brings ruin. Saul tried to kill the innocent David and even turned against his beloved son Jonathan, living in anxiety. Such a selfish heart narrows one's vision and keeps one from finding eternal rest, and in the end makes the difference between lives that part ways into heaven and hell.

Though Solomon enjoyed wealth and glory, he realized in the face of death that all was vanity. He envied the peace of those who were poor but feared God, and regretted how empty his own life had been. The world's wealth and success disappear with time, but those who serve God as their Master and live by faith enjoy eternal rest. The sermon asks believers to cast off the world's empty desires, rely on God alone, and live in peace.