Writings by Barri Cae Mallin

the Bonfire of Vanity

Tuesday 31 May 2005 - 12:39:30 "Vanity of Vanities! all is vanity."

What advantage does a man have in all his work which he does under the sun? Eccles. 1:2b-3, 14

Such wise words were spoken of the Preacher, Qoholeth, son of David, king of Jerusalem, also known as Solomon. No one else in all of history built and acquired goods as he did. He wrote thousands of parables, proverbs and poems. The crowning achievement of his reign was the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Although it was his father David who had the dream of building it, Solomon actually brought the dream to fruition.

Yet after a lifetime of seeking worldly pleasures, Solomon sat down to write of the vanity of life. Lest one thinks that Solomon's words are only for times past, consider the words of Paul Dewson, also known as Bono, lead singer of the group U2. He has been in the company of the late Pope John Paul II, Ruth Bell Graham and so on, yet he writes:

I have climbed the highest mountain, run through the fields...
I have run, I have crawled, I have scaled the city walls,
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for.

Solomon and Bono wrote of vanity, in Hebrew the word is heh-vehl and it means emptiness. The world is full of emptiness. The pursuit of pleasure and power and success might bring a temporary fulfillment, but eventually emptiness sets in. One of the ultimate horrors of life is to finally achieve something big and then find out that it wasn't at all what you expected it to be. Solomon had money to do whatever he wanted, over one thousand women to satisfy his every desire, power to direct world armies, position that gave him favor with kings and queens, and yet he wrote, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

Later on in Bono's song, he states:
I believe in the kingdom come, Then all the colors will bleed into one.
You broke the bonds, and You loosed the chains, Carried the cross of my shame,
but I still haven't found what I'm looking for.

For what does Bono seek? For what does man seek that will fill his emptiness?

Solomon gives us the answer in the end of his book:
"The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments because this applies to every person." Eccles. 12:13. This is where Solomon and Bono part company. Wise old Solomon has found the answer to his search. Fear God.

Hebrew expresses the word fear as yare - yah-reh. Not only is man to fear God, but man is to hold God in awe, to be astonished with Him, to be terrified of Him, to hold Him in reverence. As believers, we are to fear God so that we will fear not! Fear God, honor Him, obey His word, through Yeshua Jesus follow Him only, cling to Him, trust in Him at all times, love Him, reverence Him. In turn, He tells us to fear not, be not afraid. Think of whose company you are in when you do this:

Abraham - Genesis 15:1
Isaac - Genesis 26:24
Rachel - Genesis 35:17
Jacob - Genesis 46:3
The Children of Israel - Exo. 20:20
Joshua - Joshua 1:9
Elijah - II Kings 1:15
David - I Chron. 16:25
Jehosophat - II Chron. 20:15
Job - Job 37:24


Seven times in the Gospels, Yeshua spoke the words, "Be not afraid." We are not to be afraid. Yet we are to fear. God is a Jealous God and we are commanded to have no other gods before us than Him.

"For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deut. 4:24

And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying,
"YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."

This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. Heb. 12:26-29

Copyright © Barri Cae Mallin.