What does the Bible say about boredom?

The first note as to vanity is found in verses 4-11. There is a law of repetition, or circle-movement. It works in the sphere of nature as well as in human life. Generation follows generation; the sun has his circle; the winds too have their currents in which they blow from north to south and south to north; the waters also are subject to the same law. History repeats itself, for the thing that has been, is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done. There is then, no new thing under the sun; nothing is new, all is repetition, a monotonous unchangeableness. Man is in the midst of it; he too is subject to this law. Everything then under the sun is restless, unstable (except the earth itself, which abideth forever: verse 4) hollow and empty, therefore all is vanity. Here is a picture of unrest, weariness, if not melancholy and despair.

Verses 12-18. On the critical objection that Solomon is meant in verse 12 see the general introduction. The great king, filled with wisdom and learning, rich and prosperous as none ever was before him in Jerusalem, nor after him, gives his heart to search out everything that is done under heaven. When he says: "I communed with mine own heart," he states the method of his search. He does it by meditation and not through revelation. He searches not in the light which comes from above, but that which comes from nature and by observation. He tells us a little more of himself. "Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge." Is this language not sufficient to establish beyond the shadow of the doubt that Solomon speaks? And if not Solomon, who was it who dared to write these words? And what are the given results by the great and wise king of Jerusalem? The result is twofold. "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit"--the pursuit of the wind, that is chasing air-bubbles. And another conclusion: "For in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow" (verse 18). What a verdict from such a man as Solomon was. He had all things man can enjoy; all pleasures and honors; great possessions, chariots, horses, palaces and a large estate and he exclaims "nothing but travail!" "Nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit!" It all leaves me empty; it does not satisfy.

"All matters are fatiguing; one cannot express [them]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing." Here the Preacher turns to all the things of nearer experience and direct human interest, and declares that all the things or words, fatigue (or as some think, feebleness), are beyond one's expression: not only so, but even for the senses of largest range and the easiest to please, the eye is not satisfied, nor the ear filled. The result is weariness and disappointment, not happiness. What a difference where one beholds the Son and believes on Him! For He is the Bread of life, and the believer feeding on Him hungers not nor ever thirsts more; and no wonder, seeing that the water He gives becomes in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life. Fallen man becomes increasingly wretched, unless when under deadly opiates which end in the deeper misery of reaction.

Then is there not the enjoyment of novelty? "What has been is what will be, and what has been done, what will be done, and there is not all new under the sun." Granting this is the moral province, seen especially in what has been done; but is there not a matter of which it may be said, See, this is new? Even this has been in, or belonged to, the ages that were before us.

Soon there was general lamentation throughout the host. The bondage of Egypt was forgotten; its luxuries were remembered, and as they thought of them the manna lost its attraction and was despised. The manna is now more particularly described to us. It was attractive in its colour and taste, but labour had to be expended in gathering it and preparing it for food, whereas Egypt's delicacies were more easily obtained and prepared besides being more varied. To the people the manna seemed monotonous.

Verse 16. "Redeeming the time," etc. Nothing more plainly distinguishes a wise man from a fool than a right appreciation of his opportunities. Wisdom has anaim, while folly wastes itself in seeking one. Timeis precious to the wise, because it is his opportunity of action. Now that which rules the wise believer in his ways is the truth, which he both knows and loves. To have a Christ to live for, is something to a heart that glories only in His cross. If God is teaching us His wisdom, He makes us understand that we are living, while in this tabernacle, in an evil day. Not thoughtless security, therefore, but watchful sobriety, must be the daily habit of our mind. The days are evil, all of them alike, till Jesus comes. But if evil, they are also few. The time is short: and if we rightly know our calling, we shall not feel the weary vacancy of one who has no object. The Lord has hired us to serve Him from the day we knew His love. Each Christian has his talent and his opportunity, together with a Master who will take account of both. He will prove his wisdom, therefore, not bymaking the liberty into which he has been called an occasion to the flesh, but by giving diligence to make his calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10). Loving and trusting the Lord, who has redeemed him, he will not fear the issue of a venture that risks all for Him (Luke 19:12, seq.).

Now if you are desirous of pleasing the Lord on His day, you will never be led to self-indulgence. It is a very common and erroneous notion that the day of which I speak is one specially ordained by a gracious Providence that man should spend in idleness, which he calls rest, or in the pursuit of pleasure, which he calls recreation. That there are physical benefits derived from the weekly cessation from ordinary duties one would not deny, and in the institution of the sabbath as in Old Testament days this feature is made prominent, and suitably so to that dispensation. But I do hope that none of my young friends will descend so far below the Christian standard as to reckon the Lord's day to be one designed for self-ease and enjoyment. Supposing you have had a busy week, do you think you are a mere machine just to stop "running" until you are wanted again on Monday morning? Besides, you ought to remember that "Absence of occupation is not rest; a mind quite vacant is a mind distressed." Let the time be profitably spent for the Lord and not for self.

Man naturally craves something. He thirsts for what he has not, and has an aching void in his heart, which he vainly seeks to satisfy. As the powers of intellect become developed, and tastes and inclinations formed, so people may be seen selecting objects to interest their minds and meet their wishes. But turn where they may, and have what they may, their experience is that all under the sun is vanity and vexation of spirit. Still, if one object brings its sorrowful disappointment, they pursue another, and it is to be feared that many fritter away life with no better experience than running from one thing to another in this evil world, seeking rest, and finding none.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon says, "There is no good thing under the sun"; "All is vanity and vexation of spirit." Why so? To him, self was seeking its own satisfaction. Here, then, was no rest, no peace; it could not be otherwise. No human object could satisfy an immortal soul, nor could a dying man get rest in what he was to die out of. Yet, when thinking of himself, it was all I, I, I, I did it, and I found it vanity; but in Canticles we see all his blessedness, because he speaks of Christ being all to him there. As it has been said, in Ecclesiastes the heart was too great for the object; in Canticles the object is too great for the heart. We want a largeness of capacity for the enjoyment of God Himself; a largeness of capacity which none but God can give and none but God can fill. Where that is, "life and peace" are. What peace and joy and communion a Christian, so walking, has in his heart! But when self comes in, even if we have assurance, there is no peace of heart, because there is always a liability to have it wounded, and if it be not, self is never content. If we know ourselves, we shall soon see that it is the central thought of every irritated heart.

While at work for the Lord, be the work what it may, nature is kept under pressure; but when at ease, nature begins to work, and feel the action and influence of external things. We should seriously ponder this. Satan will ever find mischief for idle hearts, as well as idle hands. David was made to feel this. Had he been at Rabbah with his army, his eye would not have rested upon an object calculated to act upon the corrupt principle within; but the very act of tarrying at home afforded an opening for the enemy to come in upon him.

It is well to be ever on the watch, for we have a watchful enemy. "Be sober, be vigilant," says the apostle, "because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour." Satan watches his opportunity, and when he finds a soul unoccupied with his proper service, he will surely seek to involve him in evil. It is, therefore, safe and healthful to be diligently engaged in service — service flowing out of communion with God, for we are thus in an attitude of positive hostility to the enemy; but if we are not acting in hostility, he will use us as instruments for his own ends. When David failed in energy as the captain of the hosts of Israel, he became the slave of lust. Sad picture! Solemn, most solemn warning for our souls!

The manna was not appreciated for long by the people of Israel. They soon got tired of it. "Our soul is dried away," they complained, "there is nothing at all beside this manna, before our eyes." Have we not heard similar language? "Oh, in that Hall they talk about nothing but Jesus Christ; we can't go there." "We want life, entertainment something to make us laugh. We have enough of Jesus Christ on Sundays."

Such is the withering commentary upon all earth's resources as given by the pen of one who had all that earth could give — of one who was allowed to drain to the very dregs every cup of human and earthly pleasure. And what was it all? "Vanity and vexation of spirit." "All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing." The poor human heart can never be satisfied with the resources of earth. Creature streams can never quench the thirst of the immortal soul. Material things cannot possibly make us truly happy, even if they were permanent. "All is vanity and vexation of spirit."