The Preterist View of Ecclesiastes Chapter 6

         The Preterist View of Ecclesiastes Chapter 6

6:1–2 — “There is an evil that I have seen under the sun… a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor… yet God does not give him power to enjoy them…”

Solomon saw that even divine blessings under the Old Covenant—wealth, honor, long life—could not guarantee joy. The Law could bless externally but not heal internally. Paul contrasts this in Philippians 4:11–13: true contentment isn’t from what we possess, but from union with Christ. This shift is fully in effect after the end of the age—the era of shadows gave way to substance.

6:3–6 — “If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years… but his soul is not satisfied… a stillborn child is better off than he.”

In the Old Covenant, legacy through children was central (Deut 28:11). But Solomon admits—even that isn’t enough if the soul remains empty. Paul reorients us: true children are those of faith (Rom 9:8), and eternal inheritance is not biological but spiritual. The tragedy here is not death—but unfulfilled longing under a fading system.

6:7 — “All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.”

This is the perpetual hunger of the flesh, driven by a covenant based on performance and external provision. But Christ is the bread of life (John 6:35). Under the New Covenant, hunger is satisfied in Him. The cycle of toil and emptiness ends with the indwelling Spirit.

6:8 — “For what advantage has the wise man over the fool?”

Solomon levels the playing field—wisdom under the Law had benefits, but both wise and fool met the same fate: Sheol. But Paul preaches resurrection: “Christ has been raised… the firstfruits” (1 Cor 15:20). This resurrection reality was not postponed—it is present for those in Christ, who have passed from death to life.

6:9 — “Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite…”

Solomon clings to what is immediate and tangible. It's a resignation to the limitations of his time. But Paul writes, “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). In the New Covenant, it is not appetite but abiding that brings peace.

6:10 — “Whatever has come to be has already been named…”

This reflects the sovereignty of God, but also a resignation to fatalism under the Law. Man couldn’t change his standing—his sin remained. Yet in Christ, we are given a new name (Rev 2:17), a new creation, a new heart. What was predetermined under the Old Covenant (condemnation) has been overturned in the gospel.

6:11–12 — “The more words, the more vanity… who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life…?”

Solomon ends the chapter in uncertainty. He sees death, brevity, and mystery. But Paul answers confidently: “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). The question, “Who can tell what will be after him?” is fully answered in Jesus, who has conquered death and established the eternal age. The Preterist sees this not as a future hope but a present reality—no more waiting. This chapter shows Solomon pressing against the limits of his covenant, grasping for meaning but hitting a wall. In Christ, that wall is torn down. The longings voiced here are satisfied in the age we now live in—the age of the kingdom, fully come.