Ecclesiastes 1:1-2
1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
    says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
    Everything is meaningless.”

The word “meaningless” is really better translated: “Vapor” or “Mist.” So, this world we’re in is important, but it’s a Vapor - a cloud that will disappear as quickly as it came.

OPPRESSION, TOIL, FRIENDLESSNESS

Ecclesiastes 4:1-12
1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the oppressed—
    and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
    and they have no comforter.
2 And I declared that the dead,
    who had already died,
are happier than the living,
    who are still alive.
3 But better than both
    is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
    that is done under the sun.

4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
5 Fools fold their hands
    and ruin themselves.
6 Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil
    and chasing after the wind.
7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
    a miserable business!

9 Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.11 
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

The New American Commentary breaks it up like this:

• Verses 1-3: On Politics
• Verses 4-8: On Wealth
• Verses 9-12: On Friendship

This section looks at:
1. power structures and social systems in our world that cause grief, from a political place
2. the economical and personal issues of craving wealth
3. the determent that comes with not having community around you, and most importatntly relationship with God

To sum it all up: Don’t try to fight spiritual battles with worldly solutions.

ON POLITICS

Ecclesiastes 4:1-12
1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the oppressed—
    and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
    and they have no comforter.
2 And I declared that the dead,
    who had already died,
are happier than the living,
    who are still alive.
3 But better than both
    is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
    that is done under the sun.

Solomon is in the place that so many of us get to:Feeling completely helpless looking at the destruction that is alive and well in the world around us.

All of the governmental powers in the world are incapabale of completely doing away with oppression and suffering.  The United Nations, The United States government, and our state and local government simply can't fix this alone. Many of our government programs are good, but no amount of money being thrown at these things is going to truly fix it.

Solomon is not just criticizing government, he’s saying this in self defeat! And he even goes as far as to say:
I declared that the dead, who had already died,
are happier than the living, who are still alive.

But better than both is the one who has never been born.

When we look at poverty, when we look at oppression, when we look at the evils of this world, there is only anguish when we AS PEOPLE try to solve it alone.

ON WEALTH

Ecclesiastes 4:4-8
4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

This first verse sets the stage for the next few. He’s saying, I’ve seen the hard work and achievement from everyone, and it always comes down to comparing to other people… People only want things, BECAUSE others DON’T have them.

Then he continues by hitting on the idea that oppression can be fixed through hard work by offering up two opposing proverbs:

#1 in verse 5 
Fools fold their hands
    and ruin themselves.

#2 in verse 6 
Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil
    and chasing after the wind.

So, the teacher steers us away from both Idleness and Workaholism and he uses both of these things to come to this conclusion:

Working like crazy to build wealth, is a vapor that is passing away when it isn’t for the betterment of other people.

7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
    a miserable business!

ON FRIENDSHIP

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
10 
If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
11 
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
12 
Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Turning to the world to take care of those things DOESN’T WORK

Turning to wealth to take care of those things DOESN’T WORK

Do you know what works? Relationship with each other, and Relationship with God

This section is a perfect passage to explain marriage. But the context isn’t necessarily marriage.  It’s us as followers of Jesus giving our lives in service for the people around us.

9 Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:

This world is a vapor, do it together

10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.

This world is a vapor, stand with the people who are fallen

11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?

This world is a vapor, the life in you will bring life to those around you

12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.

This world is a vapor, stand with the people around you

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

This comes back to the point of the whole book. Ultimately, anything we do with human strength will fail.

Don’t try to fight spiritual battles with worldly solutions. The only way to defeat the atrocities of this world that is passing away like a vapor, is to commit yourself to the people around you, and to weave your relationship with God into it.