“The book of Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books of the Bible because of its brutal honesty. It does not dodge the hard questions of life. And although Jewish traditions attribute King Solomon as its author, someone named “Qoheleth” is identified as the writer. But it could be a pseudonym or a title. They could be the same person. Whatever the case, the writer did it all—he partied, drank, and more to find the meaning of life. And spoiler alert, he found that everything was meaningless. Everything, apart from God. Ecclesiastes is a reminder that we can try to fill our God-shaped hole with his gifts, but they ultimately don’t satisfy. You can’t replace the giver of gifts with his gifts. It took the author several seasons to realize that.
And that’s where Alabaster gets it right and highlights: The seasons of life. Images of different seasons abound—images like branches (Autumn), snow (Winter), flowers and fruit (spring), clear sky (summer) to stages of life like images of building blocks (infancy) to images of dirt (finality). All the images bring about a cohesive theme to Ecclesiastes and helps the reader reflect about their life.
My copy of the Book of Ecclesiastes was complimentary through Alabaster’s Influencer Program.”
“I received a complimentary copy of the Ecclesiastes book through Alabaster’s Influencer Program and was very impressed. If you love to read the scripture through the lens of a creative soul who loves art, you will love their books! They are perfect for your coffee table or simply pulling off your nightstand for your quiet time. The simplicity in their books make it easy for the words from scripture to come alive. I am such a fan of Alabaster and appreciate all of the hard work that goes into each unique book.”
“I received a complimentary copy of the Ecclesiastes book through Alabaster’s Influencer Program and was very impressed. If you love to read the scripture through the lens of a creative soul who loves art, you will love their books! They are perfect for your coffee table or simply pulling off your nightstand for your quiet time. The simplicity in their books make it easy for the words from scripture to come alive. I am such a fan of Alabaster and appreciate all of the hard work that goes into each unique book.”
“A beautiful, artistic rendering of the book of Ecclesiastes. The brevity of this book allowed ample room to creatively illustrate the biblical text, through both photographic art and stunning landscapes. Reading these time-honored words in the midst of a visual backdrop creates a truly unique experience of the Word of God. This is an especially relevant book for our time as we are stripped of our securities and left flailing for meaning and purpose. As the preacher discovers, apart from Christ, all is vanity.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Alabaster’s influencer program.”
“A beautiful, artistic rendering of the book of Ecclesiastes. The brevity of this book allowed ample room to creatively illustrate the biblical text, through both photographic art and stunning landscapes. Reading these time-honored words in the midst of a visual backdrop creates a truly unique experience of the Word of God. This is an especially relevant book for our time as we are stripped of our securities and left flailing for meaning and purpose. As the preacher discovers, apart from Christ, all is vanity.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Alabaster’s influencer program.”
“Wow—I forgot how stunning these books are. Ecclesiastes is perfect for biblical meditation. I thoroughly enjoyed reading passages and then using the photography to reflect on What I’d read and guide my thoughts.
Ecclesiastes is a weird mixture of truth and frustration. It’s a very thought-provoking book in and of itself, kind of Proverbs-esque.
Solomon goes through all his attempts to find pleasure: wisdom, food, women, possessions, wealth. He intermittently repeats his ultimate conclusion for the human race: “Eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God had given them, and to accept their lot in life.”
This verse particularly struck me: “To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.”
And this one could have been an anthem for quarantine: “Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right for there is a time and away for everything even when a person is in trouble.”
I read the whole thing in one sitting and will definitely do so again when I need to be reminded that life is confusing and sometimes frustrating and seemingly meaningless, yet God wants us to enjoy it and love His people and do what we know is right regardless of results.
(My copy of the book was complimentary through Alabaster's Influencer Program)”
“Wow—I forgot how stunning these books are. Ecclesiastes is perfect for biblical meditation. I thoroughly enjoyed reading passages and then using the photography to reflect on What I’d read and guide my thoughts.
Ecclesiastes is a weird mixture of truth and frustration. It’s a very thought-provoking book in and of itself, kind of Proverbs-esque.
Solomon goes through all his attempts to find pleasure: wisdom, food, women, possessions, wealth. He intermittently repeats his ultimate conclusion for the human race: “Eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God had given them, and to accept their lot in life.”
This verse particularly struck me: “To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.”
And this one could have been an anthem for quarantine: “Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right for there is a time and away for everything even when a person is in trouble.”
I read the whole thing in one sitting and will definitely do so again when I need to be reminded that life is confusing and sometimes frustrating and seemingly meaningless, yet God wants us to enjoy it and love His people and do what we know is right regardless of results.
(My copy of the book was complimentary through Alabaster's Influencer Program)”
“Such a beautiful presentation of Ecclesiastes!!! With the ample time I now have on my hands, I’ve been spending a lot of time in Ecclesiastes. “Everything is meaningless” hits me EVERY TIME. In this season, I’ve taken a good look at my life and realized that the things I used to prioritize simply aren’t as vital to my being as I once thought they were. This time has been difficult - but it’s been sobering. I am once again remembering who I really I am by remembering Whose I really am. Reading through Ecclesiastes has helped me to reflect on that.
As much as I love reading straight from the text in my personal bible, I was so refreshed by Alabaster’s creative take on Ecclesiastes. The images, layout, simplicity…everything! Such a beautiful portrayal. I’m so inspired! I usually like to journal and really mark up my Bible while reading but Alabaster's book has enabled me to interact with the Word in a much simpler and differently wonderful way. Experiencing God’s Word through Alabaster’s presentation has helped me to focus while reading the scripture; I'm not worried about highlighting or taking notes - I'm simply reading and marveling and it's been so refreshing!
If you’re thinking about purchasing this book, I would so encourage you to do it!! An absolutely stunning piece of work and a timely reminder to us all of the true meaning of life.
I’m so thankful to receive a copy of Ecclesiastes through Alabaster’s Influencer Program but all opinions are my own! Great work, Alabaster (:”
