If you’re anything like me, you enjoy a well-done, thought-provoking movie with a not-so-happy ending. Most of my favorite movies end up with the main character dying. I’m drawn to such movies because death forces us to grapple with the most meaningful questions of life. Questions like “What is worth living and dying for?” Citizen Kane is one such movie. Except, it begins at the end with the death of Charles Foster Kane.
The remainder of the movie is a quest to find the meaning of Kane’s final word, “Rosebud.” Numerous people whom he left behind give an account of his life from their varying perspectives. As a result, the audience is taken on a journey to find the meaning of life.
The Preacher of Ecclesiastes is not unlike Charles Foster Kane. In this world, they share successes, pleasures, accomplishments, and wealth beyond measure. They seek to answer the question, “What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?” Yet, in the end, both find it all vanity and a striving after wind (Eccles. 2:10-11). Ecclesiastes and Citizen Kane speak to our human condition in this fallen world. It is a message that critiques the false gods of our modern culture and the false dreams of every human heart.
Ecclesiastes, as an “anti-wisdom” book, is certainly unique in the biblical canon of scripture. It balances the traditional wisdom of Proverbs through the observations of the Preacher that in a fallen world evil often goes unpunished, good often goes unrewarded, and meaning is as elusive as mist in the air.
Ecclesiastes is intentionally depressing because we are in desperate need of having our dreams crushed. The Preacher of Ecclesiastes and Charles Foster Kane are dream crushers armed with the experience of having every dream realized. They both begin life with such promise and hope for their dreams providing the key to the meaning of a purposeful life. Yet, in the end, neither find any fulfillment in the things of this world. Death looms and even a life of success and many worldly accomplishments are seen as a striving after wind. What was the purpose of it all?
In his commentary on Ecclesiastes Craig Bartholomew says:
Consumerism…is the dominant ideology of our age, and central to consumerism is the quest for pleasure through possessions and experience. The heroes of Western culture have multiple houses, accumulate phenomenal wealth, and are able to buy all the pleasures of life they desire…Yet the quest for fulfillment and meaning remains as elusive as ever. Depression has become so common that some are calling our age the “age of melancholy”…To this context, Qoholet’s [the Preacher’s] test of pleasure and his decisive NO to its effectiveness speaks powerfully…pleasure is a creational good but hedonism seeks in pleasure what can be found only in the Creator…Qohelet is attempting to recover meaning and even paradise by playing God.— Craig Bartholomew, Ecclesiastes, 2009
Humans have been attempting to play god since our first parents. Yet, the Preacher’s and Kane’s message is especially helpful to our age. The American Dream continues to promise satisfaction just around the corner and so millions continue to walk down this path with their dreams still intact. Yet, Kane reminds us that even with the American Dream attained the experience of fulfillment and meaning remain elusive. Mansions, sex, career accomplishments, power, and influence are not enough to fill the empty hole in his heart. So, on his deathbed, he utters one word, “Rosebud.” A throwback to his childhood. Perhaps the last time in his life he was truly happy. A time before he believed in the promise of the American Dream. A dream that in the end goes up in smoke.
To us the Preacher and Kane say, “Don’t waste your life chasing a false dream.” We are in desperate need of having our dreams crushed. The sooner they are crushed the sooner we will seek satisfaction, fulfillment, and meaning in the only one who can give it.
Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead to give us hope beyond this fallen world. We are no longer restricted to a worldview “under the sun” but are free to seek the things that are above, where Christ is (Colossians 3:1-3).
Ironically, this new perspective gives new meaning to life itself. We no longer have to play god, but are free to humbly come to the one true God to discover life’s purpose. After his journey of disappointing self-gratification, the Preacher finally concludes that there is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in his toil (Eccles. 2:24). These are gifts from God and can only be truly enjoyed as such. If we look to earthly pleasures for meaning they will be found wanting. However, if in the gifts we are led to the Giver, we’ll find all the meaning and satisfaction our hearts desire.
If our hope is under the sun, all is vanity and a striving after wind. If in heaven, our hope is secure. In the Lord, our labor is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58)! In him we will find life, joy, and dreams more satisfying than anything this world has to offer. Jesus Christ has recovered meaning and paradise for us. Stop playing god. Let the Preacher crush your dreams.
