Solomon, the author of this book, begins by saying in Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”  He ends this book by saying in Ecclesiastes 12:8, “Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.” He uses the words ‘vanity’ or ‘vanities’ 36 times in this book of Ecclesiastes. 

We see one of the vanities he writes of in Ecclesiastes 4:8-12, “There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

“There is one alone.”  He lives for himself, thinks of himself, seeks to enrich himself.  We read of such a stingy man in Ecclesiastes 1:8, “All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.”  Solomon also writes about this kind of man in Proverbs 27:20, “Hell and destruction are never full; so THE EYES OF MAN ARE NEVER SATISFIED.”  No matter what the miser is able to accumulate…it is never enough!

Many people are misers, living solely for themselves and heaping up riches and treasures for themselves.  They have no relations, no children, no family.  Companionships and friendships are unknown to them, except for those who might use them for their personal gain. These people live solitary lives. Their ambition is to labor and become rich, but their eyes are never satisfied with what they attain; they want more and more all the time. This is vanity and it is a useless struggle.

However, “two are better than one.”  The Lord proclaimed in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”  In most cases, the married life is infinitely preferable over the single life.  The reasons are obvious.  “For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”  In the proper marital relationship, one ceases to live solely for his/her own pleasure.  In marriage, two people become one (Matthew 19:6) and live to serve and please one another.  Often, they produce children which gives them even more of a purpose in life. 

If two is better than one, then three is better than two because “a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”  When the husband and the wife submit themselves to the Lord in their marriage, they become a ‘threefold cord’ and that is not easily overcome or broken.  There is much power when the Lord is the head of the household.

It is vital to see that while two are better than one, who we join ourselves together with is so important.  In fact, it is such an important decision that we should never enter into marriage without seeking council and without much, much prayer.  Amos 3:3 poses an important question, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”  Two is much better than one when the Lord is the One who draws them together and leads in their relationship.  (383.4)