Eccl. 3:9-22, The Purpose of Ecclesiastes (2)

Again, let us consider various points related to the purpose of Ecclesiastes.

·       We need to remember that man can know a lot about God from what he sees in creation and in his own conscience, as well as from a study of “all the works done under the sun.”  For example, man can know that God is powerful (Rom. 1:20), that God is good (Psa. 8:3-4), that man is not God (Psa. 8:3-4), that God is glorious and wonderfully creative in all He has made (Ps. 19:1), that God is a wise Creator (Ps. 104:24), and that He is worthy of praise (Ps. 148:13).  All these are, as Job put it, “the mere edges of His ways” (Job 26:14).  The key in all this is that, while I have substantiated this from the Bible, what the Bible says is that man should be able to know all this, and more, without the Bible.  He should be able to know this from paying attention to creation. 

·       All that man knows about God can lead to various applications in the man’s life.  He can know he is obligated to please the Creator; that is by definition.  He must glorify and thank the One who has given him life.  And by the man’s conscience, he can know that he has not done this; the man is guilty before the Creator. 

With this background, let us consider today’s reading.

ü In v9-10 how does he know that “work” is a “God-given task?”  The answer is that this is something he has seen.  In other words, he looks around and everyone is involved in work because that is how you live from day to day.

ü In v11 there is a commentary on the well-known passage at the beginning of the chapter (3:1-8).  He sees all the things that happen in the world, things that are good and bad. 

ü Also in v11 he makes this statement: “He has put eternity in their hearts.”  How does he know this?  It is from his observations of life, his studies.

ü How can he conclude in v12-13 that enjoying life and doing good is the gift of God?  Again, it is by observation.  God did not have to tell him this in a dream or vision.  It’s common knowledge, common sense.

ü Again, v14-15 are common sense.  God, by definition as the Creator, is eternal.  And as Creator, we are accountable to God.  Likewise, this is how he knows God will judge the righteous and the wicked (v17).  It stems from the fact that God is the creator of all people.

ü As for the distinction between the righteous and wicked (v16-17), this also is common sense.  There are no societies in the world where murder, rape, lying and stealing are considered righteous.  Humans have a “moral compass.”

ü The idea in v18, that God tests people, is something the author concludes from examining his own heart, as he says.

Our discussion of “purpose” is not finished.  Today’s post can be helpful in terms of understanding your neighbors who are without Christ.  They have the capability of this kind of knowledge.  They have “eternity” in their hearts.