The poetical book we are about to read was written almost 3,000 years ago. That in itself should fill us with interest. But we cannot study it like other books from the ancient world. It is part of the sacred Scriptures, of which the inspired apostle declared, ‘Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope’ (Romans 15:4). Ecclesiastes was written for us, and we cannot