While the Lord helping me this
morning, the scripture that I'll bring to your attention is found
in Ecclesiastes 9, verse 3. Ecclesiastes 9, verse 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. This book of Ecclesiastes is
a much neglected book, and yet it contains many valuable lessons
lessons which Solomon had learnt by experience, and by the Holy
Spirit's teaching, lessons which he passes on to posterity in
the form of this book of Ecclesiastes. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness. And this book of Ecclesiastes
is a part of the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise
unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Well
may we then be instructed, taught of God, and made wise indeed
unto salvation as we consider this portion of the inspired
word of the living God. We know that the human author
of this book was King Solomon. And we know that from the opening
verse of the opening chapter. Chapter 1, verse 1, the words
of the preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Solomon here
describes himself as the preacher. Well, if he is a preacher, then
this book of Ecclesiastes must be his sermon. And If this book is a sermon, then
there must be a text. So what is the preacher's text?
well the text is found in the second verse of the opening chapter
vanity of vanities saith the preacher vanity of vanities all
is vanity here is the preacher's text and the preacher's great
object in this sermon is to show us the vanity of the things of
this present evil world and of the things that are done under
the sun and to point us to the next world that we might seek
those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right
hand of God that we might set our affection on things above
not on things on the earth although we might be weaned from the things
of earth to the things of heaven Solomon testifies in verses 12
to 14 of the first chapter, chapter 1. He says, I, the preacher,
was king over Israel in Jerusalem, and I gave my heart to seek and
search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under
the heaven. This sore travail hath God given to the sons of
man to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that
are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and vexation of
spirit." He had made a great search, a diligent inquiry, into
all the things that are done under heaven and what is his
conclusion? I have seen all the works that are done under the
sun and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit at the
end of the book we read let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter here is Solomon's therefore Therefore, let us hear the conclusion
of the whole matter. Fear God. That is, worship God. But seek ye first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness. Seek God first. Anything else
is idolatry. 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. What a solemn truth that is! Think about it! Think! For we
must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone
may receive the things done in his body according to that he
hath done, whether it be good or evil. Whether it be good or
bad, Solomon says. This book, this sermon, is designed
to show us where and in what our true and eternal happiness
consists. In order that we might see something
of the vanity of this world, the preacher speaks of many of
the evils that are done under the sun. So, for example, in
chapter 2 he speaks of the unprofitableness of gathering riches and indulging
in pleasures lawful and legitimate, though these things might be. In chapter 2, verses 3 to 11,
He says this, I sought in my heart to give myself unto wine,
yet acquainting my heart with wisdom, and to lay hold on folly
till I might see what is that good for the sons of men which
they should do unto the heaven all the days of their life. I
made me great work. I builted me houses, I planted
me vineyards, I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees
in them of all kinds of fruits. I made me pores of water, to
water therewith the wood that brought forth trees. I got me
servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house. Also
I had great possessions of great and small cattle, above all that
were in Jerusalem before me. I gathered me also silver and
gold and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces.
I gat me men singers and women singers and the delights of the
sons of men as musical instruments and that of all sorts. So I was
great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem.
Also my wisdom remained with me, and whatsoever mine eyes
desired I kept not from them. I withheld not my heart from
any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was
my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works
that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured
to do, and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there
was no profit under the sun. He goes on to point out in verse
18 of that chapter, as a great evil, the fact that this world's
goods must be left to others. And we do not know whether those
who come after us will be wise or foolish. Yea, I hated all
my labour which I had taken under the sun, because I should leave
it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether
he shall be a wise man or a fool? Yet he shall have rule, over
all my labor wherein I have labored and wherein I have showed myself
wise under the sun this is also vanity in verse 21 he calls it
a he calls it vanity and a great evil for there is a man whose
labor is in wisdom and in knowledge and inequity, yet to a man that
hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion.
This also is vanity and a great evil. Chapter 3 Solomon points
out as a great evil that which is now depressingly common in
our own nation at the present time. And moreover, this is verse
16 of chapter 3, and moreover, I saw under the sun the place
of judgment, that wickedness was there, and the place of righteousness,
that iniquity was there. The place of judgment and the
place of righteousness is the seat of government, where laws
are enacted, the courts where justice is administered. This
might have been written for our own Parliament and moreover I
saw under the sun the place of judgment that wickedness was
there and the place of righteousness that iniquity was there. Oppression is described as a
great evil by the preacher. In chapter 4 he says, So I returned
and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun.
And behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had
no comforter. And on the side of their oppressors
there was power, but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praised
the dead, which were already dead, more than the living, which
are yet alive. Yea, better is he than both they,
which have not yet been. who have not seen the evil work
that is done under the sun. You don't need me to tell you
that there is terrible, brutal oppression in this world, especially
under Islam and communism. There are reports that tell us
that Christians are the most persecuted group in the world.
It should be no surprise to us. The Lord has told us that in
the world we shall have tribulation. I did a quick search on the internet,
the most recent figures I could find were in 2016 alone, in one
year, 90,000 professed Christians were killed,
simply because they professed the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
90,000 in one year. One report states, there are
many places on earth where being a Christian is the most dangerous
thing you can be. Oppression is a great evil that
is done under the sun. Another evil is described in
chapter 5 and verse 13. There is a sore evil which I
have seen under the sun, namely riches kept for the owners thereof
to their hurt. There are many warnings in the
Word of God against the love of money and the snare that it
brings. For example, in 1 Timothy 6 verse
9, But they that will be rich fall
into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful
lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of
money is the root of all evil. Now mark that, it's not money
that's often misquoted this scripture. It's not money that's the root
of all evil, it's the love of money. For the love of money
is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they
have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with
many sorrows. Solomon points out there in chapter
5 that we can take nothing with us when we die when we come to
die we must leave it all behind chapter 5 and verse 15 as he
came forth of his mother's womb naked shall he return to go as
he came and shall take nothing of his labor which he may carry
away in his hand this also this and this also is a sore evil
that in all points as he came so shall he go at what profit
hath he that hath laboured for the wind you see what the preacher
is saying there the men of the world which have their portion
in this life they are labouring for the wind the Lord Jesus Christ
said labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that
meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall
give unto you." You know, there's a proverbial expression. There
are no pockets in shrouds. There are no pockets in shrouds.
Wisdom teaches us to labor not for that which we cannot take
away with us, not for those things which are seen, not for those
things which are temporary, but for those things which are not
seen. which are eternal. Faith teaches us not to labor
for the wind, but for substance. Christ, the wisdom of God, speaks
in the book of Proverbs and he says, I lead in the way of righteousness,
in the midst of the paths of judgment, that I may cause those
that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures.
Oh in the Lord Jesus Christ there is a treasure all divine and
all the treasures upon this earth cannot be compared with the treasures
that are in the Lord Jesus Christ well another evil is described
in chapter 6 another evil to do with worldly riches and honour
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is
common among men, a man to whom God has given riches, wealth,
and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that
he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof. But
a stranger eateth it. This is vanity, and it is an
evil disease. In chapter 10, another evil is
described which is also again depressingly common among men,
both in church and in state. Chapter 10 verse 5. There is an evil which I have
seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. I have seen servants upon horses,
and princes walking as servants upon the earth. You know there was a time when
atheists were not allowed to sit in Parliament. And our nation
was the better for it. What a terrible judgment that
is against any people. Described in Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 3 and verse 4.
And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall
rule over them. And the people shall be oppressed,
every one by another, and every one by his neighbour. The child
shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the
base against the honourable. Do we not see it now in this
present evil day in which we find ourselves? We see it not
only in the state, of course, in the national institutions,
but we also see it in the professing church. Folly is set in great
dignity. Folly is set in great dignity.
Deniers of the faith are made bishops and archbishops in the
established church, and the rich sit in low place. Those who are
rich in faith are found outside the camp. Let us go forth therefore
unto him, that is unto Jesus, without the camp, bearing his
reproach." Well, Solomon saw all these evils under the sun
in his day and do we not see them in our day? Solomon was
taught the vanity of this present evil world. I wonder when we begin to see
something of all the evil works which are done under the sun
Do we begin to desire a better country? That is an heavenly. And the more we see of all the
evils which are done under the sun, do we desire that better,
that heavenly country all the more? It is a mark of God's elect,
you know. But now they desire a better
country, that is, a heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed
to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city. Now, in the words of our text,
in Ecclesiastes 9 verse 3, the preacher brings before us another
evil which he had witnessed under the sun. another evil which he had witnessed
in the earth he says 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 so what is this evil? well it's this that there is one event
unto all that there is one event unto all. We find the explanation
of the phrase in the previous verse, in verse 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.
The preacher is, of course, speaking of the providence of God. He
calls it an evil because the dispensations of divine providence
are so often the cause of confusion and perplexity in the Lord's
people. As Solomon says earlier, in chapter
2, verse 14, he says, And I myself perceived also that one event
happeneth to them all. Then said I in my heart, as it
happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me. And why
was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart that
this also is vanity. And not only does it appear that
the righteous suffer under the same dispensations of providence
as the wicked, and likewise the wicked seem to be blessed under
the same dispensations of providence as the righteous, but it also
seems so often that it is the wicked who actually prosper in
the world, while it is the righteous who suffer affliction. the righteous
seem to be afflicted and the wicked seem to be rewarded so
often and so the preacher says in chapter 8 and verse 14 there
is a vanity there is a vanity which is done upon the earth
that there be just men unto whom it happeneth according to the
work of the wicked Again, there be wicked men to whom it happeneth
according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also
is vanity. Now this can be a great trial
of faith and a great temptation to the people of God. Asaph says
in Psalm 73, but as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps
had well nigh slipped, For I was envious at the foolish when I
saw the prosperity of the wicked. But there are no bans in their
death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble
as other men, neither are they plagued like other men." And
he goes on to say, Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in
the world, they increase in riches. Verily, I have cleansed my heart
in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day
long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. This is the temptation. This
is the trial. Now by faith, by faith, we know
that it shall be well with the righteous. And it can only be
by faith that we know this. It's only by faith that this
is known. Creation doesn't teach it. For God, we are told, maketh
his Son to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain
on the just and on the unjust. Providence doesn't teach it,
for there is one event unto all, and all things come alike to
all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked.
Ah, but the Word of God teaches it, and the Word of God is received
by faith. Again in Isaiah chapter 3, verse
10, Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him, for
they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked,
it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall
be given him. And this was the faith that Solomon
had. You see in chapter 8 verse 12
he says, Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days
be prolonged, yet surely I know Mark those words, surely I know
that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before
him, but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall
he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he feareth
not before God. And he knew that whatever their
outward circumstances, the righteous have God for their sovereign
protector. He says in the first verse of
this ninth chapter, 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. Another thing we learn from the
dispensations of Providence is this, that we cannot know whether
we are loved of God or hated of God by our outward condition
or circumstances and neither can we judge others by these
things the preacher continues there in verse 1 no man knoweth
either love or hatred by all that is before them the sinner
can only know that he is loved of God by the Father's gracious
teaching drawing him to Christ, by the shedding abroad of his
love in the heart, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
The believer's love for God is, as it were, a pale reflection
of the love of God to the believer. We love him because he first
loved us. We cannot know then either love
or hatred by all that is before us in providence. for all things
come alike to all the preacher continues his description
of this particular evil that there is one event unto all he
goes on to say yea also the heart of the sons of men is full of
evil and madness is in their heart while they live the heart
of the sons of men is full of evil he says why is there so
much evil in the world Why is there so much evil done under
the sun? Well, here is the reason. The heart of the sons of men
is full of evil. Here is the doctrine of total
depravity in a nutshell. Jeremiah says, the heart is deceitful
above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Now
the heart is the spring of all our actions. For out of the heart
proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts,
false witness, blasphemies. And this is the heart of each
one of us by nature. As we are descended from Adam,
as we come forth from the womb, Paul says in Romans, doesn't
he, as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth.
There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of
the way. They are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good,
no, not one. What are there no exceptions?
No, not one. The whole of Adam's posterity
is born spiritually dead. Dead in trespasses and sins.
The heart of the sons of men is full of evil. Oh, but is there
not some good in the hearts of men? Oh, that little baby, surely. His little heart isn't full of
evil? The scripture says the heart
of the sons of men is full of evil. Full of evil. There's no
room in it for anything that's good. It's full of evil. And if ever we are to be saved,
we must be brought to this, we must be brought to this, that
there is nothing in us to commend us to God. Nothing. The heart of the sons of men
is full of evil. What we need then is a new heart.
That's what's needed, and that is exactly what is promised in
the covenant of grace. A new heart also will I give
you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away
the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of
flesh, and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to
walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.
For men and women will continue in a course and in a state of
sin and rebellion against God until they reach the grave. Unless
they are arrested by the sovereign grace of Almighty God. And unless
and until they are given that new heart. It's a sad and great evil. that
when men and women witness the dispensations of divine providence
they become hardened in their sin. The preacher says, chapter
8 verse 11, because sentence against an evil work is not executed
speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set
in them to do evil. Because they see that all things
come alike to all, Because they see that there is one event to
the righteous and to the wicked. Because they see that as is the
good, so is the sinner, they therefore go on in their sins.
They think it doesn't matter whether they be righteous or
wicked, whether they be clean or unclean, whether they sacrifice
or sacrifice not. That is, whether they worship
God or worship Him not. And when they sin, Don't they
see that judgment doesn't fall instantaneously upon them? Therefore
the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Oh, they do not consider that
God hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world
in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, that is,
by Jesus Christ whom he hath raised from the dead. they do
not consider that at the last day all accounts will be settled
and these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the
righteous into life eternal the preacher goes on to describe
sin as madness yea also the heart of the sons of men is full of
evil and madness is in their heart while they live and madness
is in their heart while they live the sons of men are mad
upon their sins and upon their lusts and they will follow the
evil dictates of the flesh and of the devil right up until their
dying day right up until that moment that they drop into hell
and madness is in their heart while they live all the while
they live sin sin is absolute madness when
you consider that it is rebellion against the Most High God. He
is wise in heart and mighty in strength who hath hardened himself
against him and hath prospered. It is sheer madness to live as
if there were no God. The fool hath said in his heart
there is no God. When you consider that God shall
bring every work into judgment, and with every secret thing,
whether it be good or whether it be evil. When you consider
that every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Oh,
what madness it is not to seek the Lord while he may be found,
not to call upon him while he is near. What madness it is to
seek after the vanities of this world. For what shall it profit
a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? What madness it is, what madness
it is, for a man to live as if he had no soul. Man that is in
honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
Sin is the ultimate madness. But where does it lead? James
tells us that sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Paul says the wages of sin is
death. The sons of men are under the
sentence of death because of sin. The soul that sinneth, it
shall die. And yet they continue in it.
And madness is in their heart. while they live and after that
they go to the dead and after that they go to the dead men of the world which have their
portion in this life have their minds set on the things of this
world and then they die What then becomes of all their worldly
cares? And all their worldly hopes?
And all their worldly joys? The preacher tells us in verse
5, the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a
reward. They know not anything, that is, they know nothing of
what transpires on earth, and they have no interest or concern
in it. They have no more any portion
in the world. The preacher in verse 6 continues,
also their love and their hatred and their envy is now perished.
Neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done
under the sun. But doesn't the Christian die?
Doesn't the Christian die? Yes, of course. That's exactly
what the preacher has been saying. That there is one event unto
all, and a very solemn event it is too. The only hope for
the perishing sinner is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. For
as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. That
is, all who are in and of Adam shall die, but all those who
are in Christ shall live. Jesus said, I am the resurrection
and the life. He that believeth in me, though
he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die. In the gospel, and the word gospel
means good news, in the gospel there is set before sinners the
hope and the promise of eternal life. Eternal life! For the wages
of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus said, and this is the will
of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son and believeth
on him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the
last day. How is it that the Christian
shall live in that day when all others are cast into hell? It
is by virtue of the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by virtue of His death
and resurrection. He was delivered for our offenses
and was raised again for our justification. You know, we used
to sing a hymn in junior school. It's strange when the Lord called
me by His grace at the Age of 20, all those hymns that I used
to sing in junior school came flooding back into my mind, and
this was one of them. There was no other good enough
to pay the price of sin. He only could unlock the gate
of heaven and let us in. What was the key that unlocked
the gate of heaven for all the Lord's people? It was Jesus'
precious blood. Jesus' precious blood. As for
thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy
prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Interestingly, a
couple of verses before that verse in Zechariah 9 verse 11,
a couple of verses previously we read of the king coming to
Jerusalem. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of
Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, thy King cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation,
lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of
an ass." The Lord Jesus Christ came for the salvation of His
people and that salvation was procured by the shedding of His
precious, sin-atoning blood. And having finished the work
which the father gave him to do he is now risen from the dead
and ascended up where he was before and you know where the head is
gone the body is sure to follow the Lord Jesus has promised his
people because I live ye shall live also because I live ye shall
live also we see then that although there is one event unto all,
and all must die, yet the death of the righteous, that is those
who are justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the
death of the wicked, are two very different things. Precious
in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. So let us
draw to a conclusion. John Bradford was burnt at the
stake in the year 1555. Now I should explain to our Dutch
friends that during the 1500s we had the terrible reign of
Queen Mary I. She was known as Bloody Mary
because she persecuted the Lord's people. It's reckoned that she
burnt approximately 289 men, women and children at the stake. John Bradford was one of them.
He was burnt at the stake in the year 1555 for his love and
devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. And before he suffered at the
stake he wrote a sweet contemplation of heaven and heavenly things.
And in that contemplation he said this, Oh my soul, lift up
thyself above thyself. Fly away in the contemplation
of heaven and heavenly things. Make not thy further abode in
this inferior region, where is nothing but travail, and trials,
and sorrow, and woe, and wretchedness, and sin, and trouble, and fear,
and all deceiving and destroying vanities. Bend all thine affections
upward unto the superior places where thy Redeemer liveth and
reigneth. and where thy joys are laid up in the treasury of
his merits, which shall be made thy merits, his perfection thy
perfection, and his death thy life eternal, and his resurrection
thy salvation. Esteem not the trifling pleasures
of this life to be the way to this wealth, nor thy ignominious
state here to be any bar to prevent thee from the full use and joyful
fruition of the glory there prepared for thee. I am assured that though
I want here, I have riches there. Though I hunger here, I shall
have fullness there. Though I faint here, I shall
be refreshed there. And though I be accounted as
a dead man, I shall there live in perpetual glory. This is the
city promised to the captives whom Christ shall make free.
That is the kingdom assured to them whom Christ shall crown.
There are the joys prepared for them that mourn. There is the
light that never shall go out. There is the health that shall
never be impaired. There is the glory that shall
never be defaced. There is the life that shall
taste no death. And there is the portion that
passeth all the world's preferment. There is the world that never
shall act worse. There is every want supplied
freely without money. there is no danger, but happiness
and honor and singing and praise and thanksgiving unto the heavenly
Jehovah, to him that sitteth on the throne, to the lamb that
here was led to the slaughter, but now reigneth with whom I
shall reign after I have run this comfortless race through
this miserable earthly veil." What a testimony that is! Is
that your estimation of this present one? this miserable earthly
veil faith's estimation of this world is just that it's miserable,
miserable when compared with the world to come for I reckon that the sufferings
of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory which shall be revealed in us Oh, what madness it is then to
look for heaven upon earth! May our eyes be opened to see
the vanity of this world, and may all our affections be bent
upward unto the superior places where our Redeemer liveth and
reigneth. If ye then be risen with Christ,
seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right
hand of God, Set your affection on things above, not on things
on the earth, for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ
in God." Dr. Robert Hawker said that they
who have Jesus for their portion should see in Him all they need
and not have their eyes look with an evil covetousness after
any of the perishing things around them. May the Lord bless his
word to us each. 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. Amen. Let us join together in the singing
of our concluding hymn Hymn number 807. My brethren, why these anxious
fears, these warm pursuits and eager cares for earth and all
its gilded toys? If the whole world you could
possess it might enchant, it could not bless false hopes,
vain pleasures and light joys. Hymn number 807.