Free Reading Plans and Devotionals related to Ecclesiastes 8:16

Ecclesiastes is frequently described as pessimistic, but after these 5 days, you’ll see it as one of the most encouraging books of the Bible. Solomon basically takes the filter off the world, exposing its relentless cycle of empty promises, compared to the eternal hope God freely gives us.

We all want to live wisely. Sometimes, we need discernment for big decisions. Other times, we feel in over our heads and need insight for what to do next. And then there are the ordinary but confusing days when we just need practical advice or help getting unstuck. Thankfully, the Bible is full of principles for discerning God’s voice and offers a clear starting place for living a life of wisdom: the fear of the Lord.

People try to find joy in many different areas of life; relationships, work, money, etc. However, to find true and lasting joy you need something else: a living relationship with Jesus Christ! Join us for one week to see what the Bible says about finding deep joy in God.

God created us to find meaning in our lives. But we live in a broken world where we’re continually frustrated in our search. So, what’s the point of living life? This is the question the Teacher in Ecclesiastes is asking. At first, the message of this wisdom book seems to lead to despair, but in fact points to the hope of life found in God alone.

Written by an elderly King Solomon, Ecclesiastes reflects on a life of meaningless pursuits. Solomon writes that the world's pursuits, from wealth to self-indulgence, are vain and unfulfilling. Ecclesiastes determines that God and his presence make life fulfilling, and true wisdom is to fear God and keep his commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

The book of Ecclesiastes is not an easy part of the Bible – largely because it plumbs depths to our souls and experience that are not easy either. Strap in for an unflinching, possibly uncomfortable, but ultimately hopeful encounter with a very ancient and also very contemporary anguish about what it’s like to be human in God’s marvellous, broken world.

Ecclesiastes is tough to read! The author, Solomon, is deeply reflective and concludes that everything is meaningless. Interestingly, these words are still relatable three thousand years later. Is everything meaningless? Why is this book in the Bible? Study the book of Ecclesiastes with the Story Bible guide, exploring what it meant when it was first written and what it means to us today.

In the beginning was the Word … but what came next? This plan is for anyone who wants a better understanding of the Bible. It provides a chronological reading program that endeavors to place all biblical passages in their date order. Part Six of this twelve-part one-year reading plan is titled ‘The Nation Rebels, Divides and Declines, 975 BC–730 BC’.

This is the fifteenth installment of our Bible reading plan, following a lectionary-style pattern with daily readings from the Psalms, Old Testament, and New Testament. Each day includes a devotional primer to guide your time in God’s Word. This month’s theme is purpose. In Ecclesiastes, we question what truly matters. Song of Songs reveals the purpose of love and relationships. Paul’s letters call us to live with clarity, identity, and mission in Christ. Together, these books invite us to discover God’s purpose—and how it shapes every part of our lives.