Preface
Acknowledgments

1. Let’s Pretend
2. Bursting the Bubble
3. Doing Time
4. Living a Life Less Upwardly Mobile
5. Looking Up, Listening In
6. Learning to Love the Limitations of Life
7. From Death to Depth
8. Things to Know When You Don’t Know
9. One Foot in the Grave
10. Getting the Point

Notes
General Index
Scripture Index

“The past two decades have witnessed quite a number of popular expositions of Ecclesiastes—and this one by David Gibson is the best of them. It follows the line of the book in a believable and compelling way. Its applications and reflections are cogent and telling, and the writing is characterized by grace and verve. Moreover, the questions found at the end of each chapter make this volume suitable for small-group Bible studies. Highly recommended.”
D. A. Carson, Theologian-at-Large, The Gospel Coalition

“David Gibson’s expositions of Ecclesiastes are like Ecclesiastes itself: sometimes shocking, often tantalizing, always refreshing. He deftly combines serious stuff with a light touch, clear style, and gospel relief. You will repeatedly run into ‘think-stoppers’; he will make new grooves in your grey matter that weren’t there before, and you will often admit, ‘I wish I’d have thought to put it like that!’ I think the writer of Ecclesiastes would be pleased with David’s work.”
Dale Ralph Davis, former pastor; Former Professor of Old Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson

“If Ecclesiastes is a book for our times, then Living Life Backward is the book to unpack it. Beginning with the paradigm shift that embracing death is essential for life, I was intrigued from the start. Utterly counter to a modern worldview, the truths of Ecclesiastes are woven with ease into a narrative that rightly makes sense of why we are alive. Bold and beautiful in style, Living Life Backward promises to jolt the mind and shake us out of our complacencies. I couldn’t put it down!”
Fiona McDonald, Director of National Ministries, Scottish Bible Society

“Every reader of David Gibson’s steady and reverent progress through the book will reap reward, along with wonderfully enhanced understanding and rich insight into divine truth. Those who have benefited from David’s work in the foundational book From Heaven He Came and Sought Her will rush to enjoy the same values here of profound scholarship and covetable clarity of presentation.”
Alec Motyer, author; Bible expositor

“Only when you’re ready to die are you prepared to live. Sheer lunacy, isn’t it? Or is it actually the sanest thing you’ll ever hear? Engaging contemporary culture, David Gibson retells Ecclesiastes in all of its jarring dissonance with whatever we consider reasonable and normal. As it turns out, the wisdom of the world is silly and its will to power is impotent. I needed to read this—and so do you.”
Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California