Daniel and his companions were Jewish hostages to Babylon before and during the destruction of the first temple by Nebuchadnezzar. In this first vignette involving adherence to the dietary laws and the interpretation of dreams, Daniels character and favor with God are established.

Solomon wraps up the book by wrapping up a man's life. Returning to the theme that the world is designed so that it cannot be completely figured out, he counsels that one should enjoy its beauties and pleasures with gratitude toward God and with an eye to the eventual audit.

As Solomon can see the end of his days, he is concerned with passing along some of the wisdom that God has given him. Even after a lifetime of sober living, a single act of folly can spoil one's reputation. This and other parables form the bulk of chapters 9 and 10. Living skillfully in the face of uncertainty.

God has put eternity in man's heart, but He has made it impossible to figure out all the reasons for what happens 'under the sun.' So, He has enabled us to realize that this life is not all that there is, but not in such a way that everything that occurs makes sense to us.

That the house of mourning is better than the house of feasting may seem counter intuitive. It is only at the end of a life that it is known what the person did with the potential that God invested in him. In the same way, a lumber yard is full of potential, but it is the finished piece that gives that potential its ultimate value.

The seasons of life - each of us goes through seasons in his life. The events and behaviors during one season are not possible or appropriate in another. The sequence and duration of those seasons varies from person to person. A good life 'under the sun' consists of getting the most from each season.

The book begins with a note about the futility of seeking life's meaning 'under the sun'. Solomon seeks satisfaction in life by employing all of the resources that wealth and power can provide. He discovers that that which is attainable using only the senses is ultimately unsatisfying.

The prophet speaks about divorce, robbing God of tithes and offerings and the Day of the Lord.

Introduction and historical background. The prophet's rebuke of Israel and its priests.

Laws do not exist in a vacuum. They represent a vision of what an ideal society should look like. That vision, in turn, comes from the stories and history of the people who make those laws. This is true for Israel and for the United States.