Ecclesiastes is a book that takes an honest look at life. It covers many areas including wisdom, pleasure, work, wealth and even death.

And one of the key recurring phrases in the book is the phrase “Under the sun.”

The author of this book, King Solomon, is examining life from the perspective of our human existence in this world.

To feel the weight of Chronicles, you have to understand what had just happened. The Babylonian invasion had crushed the nation of Israel. Jerusalem, the holy city, was besieged and destroyed. The temple — the very dwelling place of God among His people — was burned to the ground. The king was dethroned and dragged away in chains. The people themselves were taken captive to Babylon.