Ecclesiastes 2:26

"For to. person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God's sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind."

For. moment we are allowed to look above the sun. The book itself will end strongly on such. positive note. God doesn't simply have favorites, rather, one's relationship with God depends upon one's moral character. The sinner is violating the laws of God (1 John 3:4). And "good" is determined by God, not by some human judgment.

On the one hand we have the righteous individual, who because of their humble obedience, character and mental perspective is allowed to enjoy truly meaningful things, even in this life. Godly wisdom (James 3:17-18), knowledge which leads to freedom (John 8:31-32), rather than mental anguish, and. true and lasting joy with is unaffected by outward circumstances. But look at the task given to the sinner, the frustrating business of amassing what cannot be kept. If you decide to reject God, then this is the lot that you have chosen for yourself in life! And you really don't have any right to complain about being miserable or unhappy if that is your choice. From this chapter it would seem that Solomon is saying, "I walked in the shoes of the sinner!. tried to find happiness in things. And. found it to be. very disappointing, frustrating and miserable experience!"

"This too is vanity" -that is choosing to live in rebellion to God. The idea that the sinner only gathers and collects for the righteous seems to be the same idea as the "meek will inherit the earth". Not that the righteous will get all the things owned by sinners, but the righteous end up appreciating the things of this life more than those who worship the things of this life.