ECCLESIASTES:
Joy that Perseveres. A Devotional Commentary
By Michael LeFebvre
Day One. 144 pages. £7.
ISBN 978 1 846 254 635
Ecclesiastes is a book with a serious reputation problem. Who really wants to be told that life is full of vanity and despair? And who wants to teach a book full of difficult sayings to their congregation, let alone their youth group?
But in this accessible little volume, Michael LeFebvre makes a convincing case that as a curriculum on truth and delight, Ecclesiastes is a book that speaks loud and clear into our world, especially to young people looking ahead to the uncertainties of adulthood. If experience teaches us to expect disappointments and sorrow, then Ecclesiastes teaches us to have realistic hope in spite of the vanities of life: ‘fearing God is the key this book offers us for knowing robust joy in a world of uncertainties’ (p.40).
Not lightweight
As one might expect from a devotional commentary, this book is clear and readable, with each brief chapter addressing a different section of Ecclesiastes sequentially. LeFebvre is certainly not lightweight in his exegesis of the text and on more challenging points of interpretation he helpfully distills the most useful insights of the academic commentaries for his readers. He does not seek to smooth out the tension of difficult sayings, but instead helps us to see their place within the coherent message of the whole book.
Well fed
As I read this book, I found myself being well fed by the timely truths of God’s Word, but also unexpectedly excited at the thought of trying to teach Ecclesiastes! This book would serve very well as an introduction for Bible teachers of any level who are preparing to teach Ecclesiastes.
