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;
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
- 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
- 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.