Ecclesiastes 1:1-18
The book of Ecclesiastes can be summed up in these words of the Lord Jesus: "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again" (John 4:13). Sychar’s well is a picture of an arid and deceitful world where no lasting happiness can be found. Most people are like the poor Samaritan woman. They are ready to receive the living water, the free gift of the Son of God, only after they have found out by experience that "the water" of this world cannot in any way quench their soul’s thirst (cf. Jeremiah 2:13).
The Preacher had experienced this and his experience is recorded in this book to help us not to go through the same. This is the experience of one who, because of his greatness and wisdom, was the best qualified to search out "all things that are done under heaven" (v. 13). The Preacher is none other than Solomon, king of Jerusalem. His testimony still carries the same weight for "there is no new thing under the sun." It is true that many things do not look the same outwardly but the heart of man is exactly the same as it always was and the consequences of sin are still here: "that which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered" (v. 15).