The certainty of death
Ecclesiastes 9:1-10
*Humility is learning to accept the things we cannot change. Therefore, we can trust God’s everlasting love. As we go through life we should not ignore Him but acknowledge Him in all our ways or plans in life and the promise is “He will direct your path.”
The beauty of being a believer is that we have a hope in this life and life to come. However I want you to realise that hope is only valid when it is reality based—our hope is based upon ultimate reality. The reality of historical Jesus, the reality of His death and resurrection, the reality of His promises that He has prepared a place for us, the reality of the witness of the Holy Spirit that we are children of God.
Solomon in this chapter wisely tells us to break away from doubts, distrust and focus on issues that have spiritual value. This is also what the Hebrew writer tells us: Heb. 12:1-2 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”.
First truth, according to 9:1 Everything is in God’s hands, “For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God…”
Everything is in God’s hands. It is tremendously comforting to know that that our lives are in God’s hands. There may be times that matters seem out of control, and we feel uncomfortable, but to God it is not. It is true as Solomon says “no man knows whether love or hate awaits him.” But when God holds us, then nothing will ever happen to us that we cannot handle—of course with His help and grace.
Second truth, according to v2 is the brevity of life for all. “All things come alike to all:
One event happens to the righteous and the wicked;
To the good, the clean, and the unclean;
To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice.
As is the good, so is the sinner;
He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.
What is that “one event that happens?” The certainty of death. Solomon’s Ecclesiastes keeps returning to this subject. We cannot ignore the truth of this book. I think some people are careful choosing words to comfort someone. We use the words such: “he is now asleep in Jesus; “he has gone to a better place;” “he has changed his address;” “went to be with the Lord.”
You know the number of minutes in an hour, right? You know the number of hours in a day, right? But you do not know the number of days in a lifetime, right? Your lifetime could be 7 days or seven years or seven thousand days more. You never know, right? But our God holds and knows the future, right? How is your relationship with God? Salvation is by grace, it is a gift. All by grace and by grace alone!
