Lesson 28                              

Ecclesiastes

The Things That Don't Work!

Chapter Nine

INTRO:

- We begin here to bring his arguments to a climax.

- have two major sections 9:1-11:6; 11:7-12:14

- Up to this point what have we seen - primarily the reports from his journal has been devoted to an expose' of the emptiness of life no matter in what direction you go or what you do if you pursue life apart from God and His wisdom.

 

- If we orient to these major realities they will give your life great meaning and purpose and definition  - true regardless of the external circumstances in which you may find yourselves.

 

9:1  For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it

 

 

that righteous men, wise men,  and their deeds are in the hand of God. 

 

- This of course being a consequence of the fall - Adam was given the      responsibility of rulership - dominion over the earth and all that God had created - but when he fell Satan, the deceiver gained power and rule within the kosmos.

 

Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred;  (opposing types of circumstances such as prosperity or suffering)

 

 

What he's saying is this:

Look I've tried it all - pursued every pleasure - any and everything  that I thought would bring me satisfaction - Let me save you the trouble and heart ache - I've been there – none of it was able to do it -  so don't bother.

Now let me introduce you to some things that have substance, some things that you can count on, some things that are reliable, not because I say they are but because of WHO backs what I'm saying.

 

OBSERVATIONS:

1. First thing we must recognize as believers is that God is in control and He has a plan and the provision for each of us.

- This is true regardless of race, rank status, age, heritage, intelligence, environment, temperament, the hand of God is upon us.

 

- Everything you need to fight the good fight and win every time is   available to you and if you don't it's not God's fault.

 

2. Believing this (that God's hand is on us) brings us great assurance in time.

 

- This was Solomon's problem - no application - wore himself out fighting the reality that God is in charge - has created man in his own image so that for man to be satisfied in time he must live in obedience to God  not his own way.

 

3. Believing this, that God’s hand is on us, then we recognize that nothing is out of control.

 

- Not only is nothing out of control but neither is mankind a useless,  despairing evolutionary mistake stumbling through life. i.e. no real purpose,  a philosophy of despair,  facing a bleak empty fate at the end.

 

4. We are not given briefings about His strategies therefore it says that in our lives we may experience  love or hatred; anything awaits him.

 

- being in the hand of God, His care and provision is not as we hear so often today synonymous with or a guarantee for economic prosperity, physical health, protection from pain, enjoying a trouble free occupation, and having everyone smile and appreciate us.

 

 

5. What we do know is that behind whatever happens is a God who cares,  (it matters to him concerning you  1 Pet 5:7b) and He is a God who hasn't lost a handle on the controls of history.

 

6. We must learn to trust God to take the many variables of life and sort it all out in our lives.  Prov 3:5-6

 

 

 

 

The Mystery, enigma of the next segment vs:2-6 is one of the greatest, the presence of sin and death in the world.

9:2  It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear.

 

 

- The one fate - does not imply anything of the power of fate as understood in paganism - a fatalism.

- The word is miqreh hr,q.mi  =  would be better translated – an event, a happening, an  outcome -- therefore one event comes to all

 

- Primary interpretation here of the one event, one destiny is physical death.

The fact and reality of which we all will face - but most don't come to grips.

 

- The inevitability of death is a theme that is repeated over and over again in scripture.  Begins with Gen 2:17; 3:19; Ezk 18:4; Rom 5:12; James 4:14;    Rev 20:11-12 

 

9:3   This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

 

- hearts = brain/soul of men are full of evil - under the rulership of the sin nature and therefore the potential is there for all kinds of activity in direct defiance and opposition to the will of God.

 

- and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives.

 insanity =  tAlleAh - madness/insanity

not madness/insanity that would result in one being put in the "funny farm" – considered to be 'non compos mentus'

- it refers to a blindness to the true issues of life.

 

- insanity here then describes - openly defying the +R stds of God therefore in reality is dealing with moral evil in the life.

*** TXLN:  The wicked whose hearts (brain/soul) are full of evil and every conceivable madness while they are alive, join their righteous counterparts and go to the grave.

 

 

- Any activity that we are involved in that is outside the boundaries, the limits God has set forth in his Word for us, DWOG, this activity is irrational and insanity on our part to pursue. 

 

Must remember that there exists two potential rulers of life for the believer: [to rule your thinking and therefore your life]

1. The indwelling Holy Spirit along with the mind of Christ, the Word.

- producing within the new man/the inner man, out of which flows the basis for the character of Christ being reflected in the life.

- know that construction or use of what is already built is short circuited when God/H-S is not in rulership

2. The indwelling SIN NATURE which is programmed with a knowledge of good (human) and evil (Rom 6:12).

- Gen. 2:17; Heb. 5:14  From the growth in word we are to have our senses trained to discern good and evil.

3.  Know that the sin nature will always be leading one away from God and His grace provision while it is in rulership.

4.  One of its greatest areas of impact is the break down of the conscience, under its rule one is able to rationalize anything and any activity as acceptable in their own eyes.  Isa 5:20

Philosophies that are prevalent  today 

1. FATALISM

- its all fixed - therefore we might as well resign ourselves to the events, circumstances of life since they follow an irrational blind process.

 

- leads to the philosophy of despair – Nietzche

- system of thinking that sucks all the hope and motivation from life.

- increasingly feels like a trapped robot and life becomes depressing and an unchangeably dreadful existence!!

 

2. HUMANISM

- Humanity is glorious therefore exalt yourself.

- Denies the reality of the depravity of man.

- On the contrary - humans possess great and grand potential & are able to do anything on their OWN.

- Holds that  We're good enough and strong enough and capable enough  to pull it off regardless.

- This philosophy was first displayed openly at the Tower of Babel and gains momentum with each passing generation.

- This philosophy may be illustrated by William Earnest Henly in a poem often used in high school lit classes titled "Invictus"  which communicates the humanistic philosophy very eloquently.

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

 

In the fell clutch of circumstance,

I have not winced nor cried aloud:

Under the bludgeoning of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate;

I am the captain of my soul.

Get the picture - man is the master of his own fate, the captain of his own soul.

Man is indomitable, unconquerable - invincible.

Man is in charge not God.