Snapshot
Ecclesiastes 9:2-3;11-18 (NKJV)
2] 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. 3] This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 11] I returned and saw under the sun that—The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all. 12] For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them. 13] This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me: 14] There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it. 15] Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man. 16] Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard. 17] Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools. 18] Wisdom is better than weapons of war; But one sinner destroys much good.”
Who’s this for
This article is prepared as an exaltation to grandaunts prospecting taking on life in its unfair nature. To this end, the musing of Solomon became very real and useful as equipment with which to arm one’s self against the rude shocks of life, as they are bound to occur. The world out there is unfair, however, one cannot but bid the other farewell into it as we all desire each other’s upward progression.
The Righteous and the Unrighteous alike
Subtly, Solomon discovered an appalling puzzle and ended up calling it evil. He stumbled greatly at the fact that the righteous and the evil suffer a similar fate on earth. Sometimes it appears favour fades, and glory wanes on the path of the righteous to make the events surrounding them similar.
I am, thus, not favourably disposed to repeat the false obvious by promising you all-round favour your life’s path. Nor do I pray for you that your course will be all-smooth, nor curse you with a rough way in life. Neither am I here to add another skill to your basket of skills; as we have read, favour is not for the skilled. Instead, I am here to drop a word or two for those who would find Solomon’s word to be true when facing the harsh reality of life.
Why the need to be righteous when the same fate awaits the righteous and the unrighteous? They will apply for jobs, you too. Employers will accept them, you too. Employers will reject some, you too. Some would be appointed, you too. Some will be disappointed, you too. The ungodly will face pressure in marriage, you too. Some of them don’t marry early, you too. When they eventually get married, sometimes, hell, let loose pressure on you both.
You might arrive at the juncture when you have to question if you serve God for naught while in school! Life’s bizarre may toss you so well that you may almost become envious of the unrighteous. I dare say the struggles on your way up may not differentiate you in life from an arrant sinner or errant righteous. Why? As stated by Solomon, “One or the same thing happens to all."
You might come to that point in life where you question like Habakuk and the writer of Psalms 73, where you question your lot. And I speak as one who has been walking that valley. And if not for God’s rod and staff as comfort, I would have despaired of life.
In expounding his position on the matter, Solomon took Eccl. 9:11-12 to clarify his argument. Finishing it off, He said, “time and chance happen to them." If I am allowed to paraphrase, I would have stated his position thus. He projected that upward movement in life does not follow a linear fashion. Output is not always commensurate with input. If not, how will favour not attend to skill? It takes diligence to acquire at least one. For example, one who goes to school to gain correct specialized understanding must realize that riches do not lawfully attend to high academic qualifications.
Life’s Mixed Realities
He meant further that two other significant variables beyond our control affect the results of our efforts in life. The two variables that one must factor in are time and chance. Solomon maintained that time is also beyond our control to worsen the matter. Also, chance, that is, probability always adversely reduce or favourably increase our resultant opportunities.
For your time, take Christ, one who has time under control. For your chances, take Christ still, one who can be your lot and maintain it.
Or you might perhaps say, “the portion of Jacob is not like theirs.” I would question if Jacob did not encounter bodily harm, wandering as a pilgrim, famine, losing his beloved, betrayal and death. His earthly portions were like other men’s but indeed not his spiritual. His spiritual lot was nothing like that of any man’s, as far as the record was concerned, of his time on earth.
All of Solomon’s paradox was solved by One who claimed in {bible verse} to be wiser than him. Solomon was a man made wise. Jesus is the source of all true wisdom.
For we know that all things -the good, bad, and ugly circumstances of life - work together for good of they that love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose. And the called is called to love Christ to the point of conformity. And not to embrace this world’s mode of weathering life’s storms.
Since the natural events that occur to the godly and the ungodly are identical, how do we differ? What is unique about being a child of God? We can spiritually access the lot of Jacob so that our spiritual yet, unseen riches surpasses those of the unbelievers. Darkness is clearly projected in the bible as a shade for or caused by sin. Still, there is also one other blessed darkness. It is caused by “the shadow of the almighty”, accessed by “dwelling in the secret place of the Most High”. This, therefore, mean both the Christian and the nonchristian can dwell in darkness: one orchestrated by nature, the other produced by nearness to God. The one fabricated by God is targeted at an end. It is so that amidst all storms that befall the godly and unrighteous, similarly, the holy can arrive at saying, ”…of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. Surely…"
While the unbeliever goes through all his problems with perishable earthly reward in mind, the righteous pass through his with the expectation that his challenges will amass him spiritual riches. We may all go through similar circumstances, but blessed is the man who has submitted to God enough to recognize that His own darkness is orchestrated by God. Blessed is that man, who through his difficulties understand and anticipate that they shall work for his good. The highest of which is becoming like Christ—transformed by sustenance into the recognition of God for our sufficiency—lacking yet, having it all because God has it all and has no hindrance to making it all available when needed.
Oh, to look out for Jesus, the unfading reward, in life’s circumstances, while the ungodly looks for fading rewards in theirs!
The race is not for the swift but is instead for the enduring. And the enduring run looking up to Jesus. He finds out what Jesus did in every bordering circumstance and does the same.
The battle is not for the strong. If anything, it is for the weak. That is why He chose the path of weakness and humility to overcome the devil.
“Father, I thank you for showing these things to babes." Said Jesus, appreciating God for approving His personality and lifestyle against the high and the mighty of this world. Although the belly-bread may not be for the wise, make sure you are babe enough to get the bread of life that Jesus gives. Make sure you are humble enough to be led by Him.
Not all of us will be rich, especially the uncompromisingly godly. But make sure you are not spiritually rich not to be hungry for Christ. Instead, choose to be poor in the Spirit, always seeking riches in Jesus. That is, never be satisfied with little wins. Thus, you would lively say, “Destitute, despised, forsaken, yet how rich is my condition![^1]"
Favour is not for men of skills. Skill acquisition is not the same as favour acquisition. When you have acquired the skills, favour must ice the cake. And the real favoured man is such that have first court favour with God, then with men. What is yours will by no means elude you. Whenever you add any new skills, bear in mind that the acquiring party labours in frustration except the Lord build the skills.
If you let go of anything I’ve said so far, please never let go of the lines of the song by Franny Cosby, titled, I Must have the Savior with Me.
References
[^1]: Henry, F. L. (1825). Jesus I my Cross I’ve taken
