1. We are in God's hands (1-12)

As the Teacher reflected on everything under the sun, he realized that everyone shares a common destiny. "The same destiny overtakes all." Death is the destiny of the righteous or the wicked, the clean and the unclean. Everyone dies. Everyone shares this destiny because all are in God's hands. So the Teacher directs his readers to enjoy our lives. Eat with gladness, drink with joy, enjoy our spouses, and do our work with all our might. For we never know when God will call us home.

2. Wisdom is better than folly (13-18)

The teacher tells a parable about a powerful king who came against a city. That city was saved by the wisdom of a poor man. But afterward, people despised the wisdom of the poor man. Is wisdom, then, better than strength? Wisdom comes from God. God's wisdom is greater than the strength of people.