The Whole Matter

I've heard it said that Solomon's final writing (Ecclesiastes) can't be used as Bible Doctrine because of the idolatry which he had fallen into through the heathen women he had taken for wives and concubines.

Solomon had received wisdom from God and knowledge of all things in nature; had seen all the works that are done under the sun; had experienced all of life's pleasures; but it was after he had been ensnared by women (which he confesses to), that his description of old age seems to be made; not merely in theory, but from personal experience.

The period of time in which Ecclesiastes was written, seems to have been in his later years before his wives turned his heart away from God. Although there is no testimony of his repentance before his death; it is my hope that Solomon, being a wise man did repent before leaving this world.

I believe Ecclesiastes can be and should be used as good doctrinal material; it's in the Bible. Paul speaks to this issue in 2nd Timothy 3:16 …"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness …"

In fact, if one would like to split hairs, the Scripture Paul was referring to that he wanted Timothy to study was the Old Testament, the only Word they had.

I like Solomon's teaching; I think he was a wise man, his inspiration coming from God, and then by adding his own observation of life, he basically writes things down as they truly are. There is nothing in this book that speaks to grace or even redemption, but only the experience of this present life which he called … vanity.

In this short study I want to look at what this so called fallen man has to say about God's time and how we waste it on our vanity.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 …"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die …"

A season, and a time … God governs the world by His Providence, which is His foresightful care and guardianship; and He has determined and purposed certain things and operations to certain times.

God has given to man a certain duration or amount of time; the space in which all the operations of nature, animals, and intelligent beings are carried out; and while nature continues as God intended, and animals follow their instincts; men devote their time to a great variety of things; but very often the time used is for seeking things which God never intended the time to be used for in the first place.

We will say though, that in all man does with his time, there are two things which man has little influence over; and that is the time of his birth, and the time of his death, which are in God's hands. But all other things are left to the option of man, although God continues to rule over them by … His Providence.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 …"I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever; nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him."

Whatsoever God doeth … when God does anything, unlike us, if He so chooses, it will last forever; it is complete, we can't add to or take away from the work that He does.

Ecclesiastes 8:16 …"When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth … how neither day nor night some men's eyes sleep …"

I applied my heart to know … God governs the world; but we cannot see the reasons behind His conduct, nor do we know why He does what he does. We may study night and day, and deprive ourselves of sleep … but we shall never understand all that is involved in the government and Providence of God; but all is just and right as He has purposed and proclaimed it.

Ecclesiastes 8:17 …"Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; because though a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it."

The work of God … I saw it to be of such a nature, that a man can not find it out. Even though he labors to find out the work God does, man will not succeed in his effort. Though he is wise, the most intelligent among His creation, it is yet beyond the wisdom and power of man to understand and comprehend why God does what He does.

God's Providence … guardianship, control and care over our lives. There is no space, distance or time constraints with God; therefore He knows past, present and future exactly what, where, how and why we need certain things. You will not be able to understand it and you can not comprehend it. We may be able to see some of what God does for us; but as to the why, we'll just have to trust Him and His wisdom, knowing that everything God does proceeds from … a heart of love.

Ecclesiastes 9:1 … "For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God … no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them."

Here Solomon makes a conclusion from what he had seen, and from what he knows to be the character of God; that the righteous, the wise, and their works, were all in the hand of God, and under His power; but we cannot judge from the good or bad events which take place in life … who are the objects of God’s love or God's displeasure.

Ecclesiastes 9:2 … "All things come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath."

All things come alike to all … this is generally true; but God often makes a difference in the lives of His children, and comes to their aid with many interventions of Divine Providence in their behalf. There are general blessings and general natural evils that equally affect … the righteous and the wicked.

God's approval or disapproval shall not be shown by any of these occurrences that happen in life. But in this all is still right; the evils that are in nature are the effects of the fall of man; and God will not alter or suspend His laws of nature except on rare occasions; therefore … all things come alike to all.

The general state of nature including what are called the evils of nature is just as it ought to be. Generally, what the world suffers from is the fruit of their own making. The world, like it or not, operates on one of God's laws; both spiritually and naturally, and that is … You reap what you sow.

There is enough evil in the world to show that man has fallen from God, and enough good in the world to show that God deals with him in mercy. I cannot see that there is any rational cause for me to stumble in my trust and belief in God at the dispensations of Divine Providence on these accounts.

Ecclesiastes 9:3 …"This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that … they go to the dead."

The heart of the sons of men is full of evil … it is no wonder then that the curse of God should be so frequent upon the earth. The sentence of death is part of that curse.

Ecclesiastes 9:5 …"For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten."

The living know that they shall die … this is so self-evident that none can doubt it; therefore all that have this conviction should prepare for death and eternity.

Ecclesiastes 9:12 …"For man also knoweth not his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them."

As the birds that are caught … man with all of God's warnings and wisdom given to him, still acts so carelessly that he is often taken as a fish in a net or the bird by baited snare. And so … as the evil time in nature suddenly falls upon them; men are also taken in a moment of time and have no means of escaping.

How frequently we see these comparisons illustrated in man as he is caught in the baited traps of Satan and his works. Man confesses his ignorance … for beyond that which is seen, man can know nothing of his time on earth.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 …"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."

Hear the conclusion of the Book of Ecclesiastes, the whole matter. The only rule of life, the whole duty of man is to fear God … who has our lives in His hands; who judges every action every day of our lives; and the living of life that Solomon calls … vanity … meaning it's futile, useless, empty and without purpose when lived … without God.

What Solomon wrote is pretty close to the true facts of life. May I also add these words about the whole matter …

We must come to understand that His purposes and thoughts, as He has shaped and drawn the image of things in His own mind; everything that is … is determined by the Lord; that nothing comes by chance, but everything is … as it is purposed by God; that everything comes to pass which He has resolved; therefore every solution, every answer to life … proceeds from Him, and is the product of His wisdom and Providence.

As Nicholas Herman; the seventeenth century Carmelite monk from French Lorraine once said …

"The greatest glory we can give to God is to distrust our own strength utterly, and to commit ourselves wholly to His safekeeping. I know not how or when God will dispose of me … therefore I abandon myself in His hands that He may do with me what He pleases."

The whole matter … our life … in God's time.