The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ecclesiastes 3:15,
"Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account."
The NIV provides a possible alternative ending for this verse, such that it would read, "Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God calls back the past."
It appears to me that whichever ending of the verse is viewed, a central truth to what is said remains, a restating of 1:9, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
"Nothing new under the sun" speaks of what exists in this life. From one age to the next, what we face, what we experience, what we encounter has all occurred previously. Certainly this does not relate to technological advances and specific events. Two-hundred years ago no human had seen a phone, a car, a computer or a microwave oven. These kinds of things are not what is in Solomon's view here. Today we cannot experience the first time slavery was abolished, the first time women got the vote, we can't experience drinking the first beer ever made. Again, these are not the kinds of things that Solomon has in view here.
Solomon's point in Ecclesiastes deals with finding meaning and purpose in life. His theme is that what mankind pursues to find happiness and fulfillment in this life (under the sun) is "meaningless". I recall an interview with George Harrison of the Beatles where he said (paraphrasing here) that because the Beatles had earned so much wealth, so much fame so early in their lives, they were able to discover that fortune and fame was not "where 'it' is at." He was saying that what so many pursue, thinking if they could just get this or that, if they could just win the lottery and be able to buy all the stuff they wanted, if they could just get that promotion, that boyfriend or girlfriend, etc. it would bring them happiness and fulfillment in life. Existentially, the Beatles discovered the truth of Ecclesiastes.
The reality is that most of us will never experience those things many pursue, and discover for ourselves that fortune and fame, etc. does not bring the happiness we think we will find there. Solomon did, and he wrote this book to report back to us that what so many pursue is meaningless in that true happiness and fulfillment is not found in all the experiments he engaged in. In support of this proposition is the reality that there never will be anything new "under the sun" that will bring happiness and fulfillment either.
The only thing that will bring true happiness and fulfillment is something that has been here all along, something that fell outside the experiments Solomon engaged in (but something Solomon already knew for himself): happiness and fulfillment is found in discovering and enjoying our Creator. It is not what is "under the sun" that brings true happiness, true fulfillment, but in him who exists beyond time and space.
David discovered this very thing and made this observation, "How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light." Psalm 36:7-9.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account."
The NIV provides a possible alternative ending for this verse, such that it would read, "Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God calls back the past."
It appears to me that whichever ending of the verse is viewed, a central truth to what is said remains, a restating of 1:9, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
"Nothing new under the sun" speaks of what exists in this life. From one age to the next, what we face, what we experience, what we encounter has all occurred previously. Certainly this does not relate to technological advances and specific events. Two-hundred years ago no human had seen a phone, a car, a computer or a microwave oven. These kinds of things are not what is in Solomon's view here. Today we cannot experience the first time slavery was abolished, the first time women got the vote, we can't experience drinking the first beer ever made. Again, these are not the kinds of things that Solomon has in view here.
Solomon's point in Ecclesiastes deals with finding meaning and purpose in life. His theme is that what mankind pursues to find happiness and fulfillment in this life (under the sun) is "meaningless". I recall an interview with George Harrison of the Beatles where he said (paraphrasing here) that because the Beatles had earned so much wealth, so much fame so early in their lives, they were able to discover that fortune and fame was not "where 'it' is at." He was saying that what so many pursue, thinking if they could just get this or that, if they could just win the lottery and be able to buy all the stuff they wanted, if they could just get that promotion, that boyfriend or girlfriend, etc. it would bring them happiness and fulfillment in life. Existentially, the Beatles discovered the truth of Ecclesiastes.
The reality is that most of us will never experience those things many pursue, and discover for ourselves that fortune and fame, etc. does not bring the happiness we think we will find there. Solomon did, and he wrote this book to report back to us that what so many pursue is meaningless in that true happiness and fulfillment is not found in all the experiments he engaged in. In support of this proposition is the reality that there never will be anything new "under the sun" that will bring happiness and fulfillment either.
The only thing that will bring true happiness and fulfillment is something that has been here all along, something that fell outside the experiments Solomon engaged in (but something Solomon already knew for himself): happiness and fulfillment is found in discovering and enjoying our Creator. It is not what is "under the sun" that brings true happiness, true fulfillment, but in him who exists beyond time and space.
David discovered this very thing and made this observation, "How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light." Psalm 36:7-9.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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