Ecclesiastes chapter 9. Ecclesiastes
chapter 9. Our text will be in verses 1
through verse 6. Solomon says, 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. All things come
alike to all. There is one event to the righteous
and to the wicked, to the good and to the clean, to the unclean
and to the unclean, to him that sanctifyeth and to him that sanctifyeth
not. As is the good, so is the sinner. And he that sweareth has he that
feareth an oath. This is an evil among all things
that are done unto the Son, 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. For to him that is joined to
all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than
a dead lion. For the living know that they
shall die, but the dead know not anything. Neither have they
any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their
love and their hatred, their envy, is now perished. Neither
have they any more a portion forever in the thing that is
done under the sun." Now the title of the message is the comfort
of God's providence, or a fundamental truth of comfort, which is the
providence of God. Now, here the wise man Solomon
sets out to declare something. He declares, He says, for this
I considered in my heart even to declare all of this, all of
this that He had learned, all of this that He had considered
under the sun, that He had found out even in the previous chapter. Look at verse 16, the previous
chapter, and see what He found out. He said, When I applied
mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that was
done in the earth, For also there is that neither day nor night
see asleep with his eyes. 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 he know it, yet he shall not be able to find it. As he beheld the business under
the sun, business done on the earth, he could not help but
see the work of God. He set his heart to know the
wisdom among the business, and he said in verse 17, Then I beheld
the work of God. As he noticed all things in providence,
he could not help but see God's hand in all things. Matter of
fact, in verse 4 of this chapter, he talks about the King. He says,
where the word of the King is, there is power. Friend, God is
King over all His creation. He is sovereign over all the
works of time and providence. He does all things after the
counsel of His own will. This thought, if this thought
of God, this thought of God's absolutely sovereign hand, this
should move men to awe. This should move every one of
us to consider His greatness and power, His omnipotence. That
God, when Solomon looked upon all the things of the earth,
he could not help but behold the power of God working in all
things, in all things done under the sun. This should move men
to awe. To know that the Word of the
King has brought forth the universe, and to know that His Word alone
comes life and death. Verse 8, There is no man that
hath power over the Spirit to retain his spirit, neither power
of the day of his death. There is no discharge in that
war. You realize who controls life and death? God does. You
realize you cannot dismiss your own spirit, that God must do
it? God has power over all life and
death. He said, see now that I am He
and there is no God with me. I kill and I make alive. I wound
and I heal. Neither can any deliver out of
my hand. Now seeing this truth of God,
we must then understand that all that happens in time In providence and eternity is
by the decree of God Almighty from eternity." Friend, God doesn't
make up things as He goes along. You do. God doesn't. Everything that has happened
and is happening is determined before of God. He does not nor He cannot change
His eternal decree because they are perfect. God says, I am God
and there is none else. Declaring the end, when? From
the beginning. From ancient times of things
that were not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand and I
will do all My pleasure. All My pleasure. We know that God is divine and
controls all things in time and providence, but we as believers
understand this and find great comfort in this. This especially
is true concerning the salvation of our souls. In Ephesians chapter 1, in verse
11, it says, "...in whom Christ also We, the elect, have obtained
an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of Him
who worketh," listen, "...all things after the counsel of His
own will." This is Solomon's wisdom. As
he looked among the things of the earth, he could not help
but see the hand of God in everything. The hand of God working in divine
providence. Now, the election of God's people,
as in all things that happen in time, is according to His
purpose. And He is right now, through the actions of His elect,
as well as the actions of the lost, moving all things after
the counsel of His own will. That's what God is doing, friend.
He is moving all things after His own will. His own will. Everything. This purpose of God
is moving in perfect harmony. Does your life feel like it's
in harmony? Well, don't worry, it is. It's just not your harmony. It's God's. All history. All things present and all things
that are to come are moving exactly as God determined before that
they should move. They don't move faster and they
don't move slower. They move exactly as God decreed. Everything is moving like God. And Solomon looked in the business
under the sun and knowing that the hand of the king And the
Word of His power is moving all things. He says this in verse
17, look at this, "...I beheld the work of God, that a man cannot
find out that work under the sun." Man cannot, by searching, by
his finite wisdom, understand the providences of God. We who
are the children of God, like Solomon, cannot help but see
God's... Can you not help but see that in God's hand in everything? Can you not see it? It's like
the book of Esther. The book of Esther is a wonderful
lesson in providence. You realize in that book, God's
name is not mentioned once. And yet you cannot help but see
God's hand in saving His people, both in Mordecai, in Esther,
and Haman, and the king. You cannot help but see God bringing
to mind the king, Mordecai's deeds. You cannot help but God
allowing Haman's pride to swell up and build that It was a noose. It was something.
They were going to kill Mordecai. And yet God killed Haman on it. You can't help but see God's
work in that, in saving Israel. We look at the circumstances
of time, and what do we see? We see chaos. We see confusion. We see random events, unexplained
tragedies, unexplained victories. Some men are born rich and die
poor. Some men are born poor and die
rich. Who knew? Who knew? Mighty kings are overthrown by
weak ones. Look at this nation. Friends, this nation is being
run by idiots. And that is being very kind. They're complete and absolutely
ideologues. That's all they want is their
ideals. They care nothing for truth. They care nothing for
factual information. This country is dying because
of idiots. Who would have knew? Who would
have thought? 20 years ago, these people would
have been laughed at. And now what? They're ruling
this place. Who's doing this? God is. God is. This nation is under
the judgment of God. I don't care what people think
or feel or whatever. This nation is under the judgment
of God. Some children are born with illnesses.
Some children even die. While the wicked men live long
lives. We can look at this and try to
reason it out. But what does Solomon say? You
won't find it out. And even if you think you're
wise and say you understand, you don't. I can't make it any clearer.
I know this, God is ruling all things. One thing I don't know
is I can't find out what He's doing. I just can't do it. I can't connect the dots. I can't
connect the dots to God's promises and providence. I just can't.
I can't figure it out. God says that He's going to work
all things together for our good. Now then, how this providence
works directly for us, I can't tell. Neither can you. Neither
can you. So then, let us learn what God
would teach us concerning His providence. Again, I want you to see the comfort
of this. You know, that's God's purpose
in this is to comfort you. First of all, stop trying to
figure everything out. Trust God's word. Trust God's
word. In spite of what you see and
think and feel in this world, trust God's word. And here's
the comforts, that this comfort God intended to teach us concerning
His providence, and that we should find comforts And he should comfort
the righteous and how he should move sinners to repentance and
faith. That's what he's doing. I know
that. Don't you? I know that Jesus Christ is working
all things for the salvation of his people. He said, Thou
hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal
life to as many as Thou hast given. Now, I know he's doing
that. Other than that, I'm pretty much clueless. Solomon in these
verses now would desire to declare, to consider. He said, after I
considered all this, I desired to declare all this. Here it
is, the comfort, comfort, that the righteous and the wise and
their works are in the hand of God. Here's our comfort. This
principle of comfort. Now this principle of comfort
is directed not to all people, but to certain people. Who? The righteous and the wise. The righteous and the wise. If
you're going to be comforted in concerning the providence
of God, you must be righteous and wise, because that's who
Solomon's directing this to. The comfort of this, that we
are in the hands of God. Who? The righteous and the wise.
Now, first of all, the righteous. Who among us is absolutely righteous
and free of sin? Because that's what righteousness
is, isn't it? Free of all sin. Free of all guilt. In thought,
in word, in deed. Who among us is righteous? Who
is righteous? Who among us can approach unto
God and stand before Him? Who shall ascend into the holy
place? Who shall stand before the Almighty,
He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, and hath not lifted
up his soul to vanity? Now then, raise your hand. You,
righteous, raise your hand. Is there any here righteous?
In thought, word, and deed, can any of us by nature say we have
kept the law in every precept? No, by no means. By no means can we say this by
nature. The Scripture expressly tells
us there is none righteous, no, not one. But this is speaking, a principle
of comfort is speaking to not those who are righteous in their
nature or by their works, but those who are made righteous
by the blood of Jesus Christ. Paul says this, even the righteousness
of God is revealed from heaven by the law and the prophets,
even the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus
Christ. We're talking about imputed righteousness. He, being the eternal Son of
God, did not need righteousness. He was Himself righteousness
personified. Yet He came into the world so
as to provide, so as to accomplish righteousness for those that
He became surety for, those He represented as a high priest.
He came and merited the righteousness of God as a representative man. And therefore, all who believe
on Him, who come to Him by faith have His righteousness then imputed
to them, charged to them, and not only charged to them, imparted
to them in a new nature by the Holy Spirit of God. That which is created in us is
created after holiness, Paul says, in true holiness after
God. So then they that are said to
have the righteousness of God, these are the ones that Solomon
is speaking to. But this would not be complete
except the Son put away our sin. Not only was He come to provide
righteousness, but also redemption. To also pay the debt of sin that
we owe. It would do us no good to have
the robe of His righteousness had He not put away our sin. Had He not satisfied the justice
of God in our place as our substitute, as the sacrifice. He Himself
offered Himself as a sacrifice to God. For what? Our sin. And He put away our sin. How? By the sacrifice of Himself. Put it away. He purged our sins. He dealt with them. He bore them
in His own body on the tree. And God says of His sacrifice,
I am well pleased. I am well pleased. My justice
is well satisfied for the offering He made. That's why I only did
it once. That's why I only did it once.
Because it was enough. It was sufficient for God. Therefore, by Him, God might
be just and justify the ungodly and make us righteous. Now then,
who is righteous? Who is righteous? In Christ, I am righteous. I
am righteous before God. So this, this is to me. This
comfort of providence is directed to me and you who believe in
the Son of God because He has made you righteous. Made you
righteous. Secondly, it is to the wise.
Anyone wise? Anyone? I'm not talking about
worldly wisdom. That's just foolishness. spiritual
wisdom, anyone wise. This is like the righteous. He's
not speaking to those who are wise in the things of the world,
but wise unto salvation. Have you been made wise unto
salvation? In other words, this comfort
is to those who have experienced the saving grace of God, to all
who are made wise to believe on the Son of God and trust the
gospel of God's grace. Now what he says concerning the
Scriptures when he talks to Timothy, he said, you've heard the Scriptures
that were able to make you wise unto salvation. Wise. Listen, it's one thing to know
in your head the Gospel. It is absolutely another thing
to know it in your soul, in your heart. How many people know all of the
doctrines of grace in their head, but have no power of grace in
their hearts? When God the Holy Spirit moves
in power on the soul, He gives life. And these doctrines that
were cold and dead, that were only head knowledge, they become
effectual to us. They're meaningful to me. When men speak against the gospel,
are you not upset? Why is that? Because those things mean something
to me. They're very effectual to our
hearts. And it is then we come by faith
to the person of Christ. And there His person, His work
is made effectual on our hearts. In my own experience, I knew
the gospel long before I knew the gospel. I knew it in my head
long before God planted it in my heart. I knew this. When he did, everything
changed. It was not something that I could
do without. First, it was something I could
do without. Take it or leave it. Okay. Well, if I had to go,
I'd go. If I find time, I'd go. If it
wasn't anything more important to do, I'd be there. Now, I have
to. Why? It's effectual to me. It's
real to me. The gospel is the power of God
unto salvation to everyone that believe it. This was not my wisdom. I was
not wise to salvation above my peers, but by the power of God
I was made wise. How is it that you know these
things, and so many others have no idea? concerning God made
you wise unto salvation. And so what then is the comfort
to the righteous and to the wise? Here it is. I'll give you a text.
It says, know this, that the righteous and the wise, listen,
and their works are in the hand of God. Notice the works of the
righteous and the wise. Not only their persons of righteousness
are spoken of, but their works. These are our works. worship, praise, thanksgiving,
all those good works that follow us. Everyone who is saved by grace
is not saved by our works. Let me ask you this, where do
good works come in? Because they do, don't they?
It's said that we are created after God... His workmanship
created, better not misquote it, Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2 and verse
10. For we are His workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, listen, which God before ordained
that we should walk in them. These works, these good works
that God has given to His people to do, we walk In them, as God
has ordained. We are walking, we are to walk
worthy of our calling, Paul says. Listen, the tenor of a believer's
life is centered around faith in Christ. Faith in Christ. This
is the tenor of our life. And from this, all of our works,
good works, come from this. Faith in Christ. faith in Christ. Because we are saved by grace
through faith in Christ, therefore we desire to do those things
that are pleasing to God. Worship is pleasing to God. Praise,
adoration, thanksgiving. This is the will of God in Christ
Jesus concerning you. Isn't that right? Thanksgiving,
prayer. These things are the things that believers are concerned
with. Our love for one another, our love for Christ. Is this
you? Is this text speaking of you?
Are you righteous? Have you been enlightened in
your soul to know and believe on Christ? Is He the center and
sum of all your affection and love? So then in this text, if you
were to have comfort concerning the providence of God, we cannot
see or understand God's providence by searching. But we and our works, listen,
are in the hand of God. All our life, all our soul, and
all we do is in the hand of God. Is in the hand of God. Isn't that where Jesus said His
sheep are? He said, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me, and I give unto them eternal life, and no
man shall pluck them out of My hand. And the Father which gave them
Me is greater than all. No man shall pluck them out of
My Father's hand. Where are you, righteous and
wise, and where are your works? They are in the hand of God.
They are in the hand of God. Now this phrase, hand of God,
I want you to know this. I know I illustrated it like
this, that we're being kept by God, but this has more a reference
to an open hand. to an open hand. You are in the
open hands of God. It has to do with acceptance.
When your child is running towards you, what do you do? Hands are
open. You receive them, don't you?
You're ready to receive them. This is the picture here. He
said, you're righteous and you're wise. Don't you know that you
are accepted and all your works are accepted before God? Accepted
with an open hand. Believer in Christ, we have been
washed in the blood of Christ, imputed the righteousness of
Christ. We, by faith and obedience, receive Christ and believe His
Word. We worship Him. We love Him.
We take heart that we are fully, perfectly, wholly, righteously,
and immutably accepted by God. Now, this should be your comfort.
I'm accepted. This worship that you're performing
this morning as a good work unto God is accepted. Received. When you sing praises
unto God, do you understand He receives them? I know you don't see it. And
by searching, you won't find it out. You won't be able to
see it. Your worship this morning, you
confess, is mixed with all kinds of sin. And yet God says, accept it. Accept it. Why? Because the sin
has already been removed. God said you were already righteous,
and you were already wise, and your works are already accepted.
Why would you not perform them? I know by faith that our faith
is weak. I know that our love, as much
as I desire to love, is weak. But I may be comforted in this,
even now that I am accepted in the Beloved." And this also tells
us that all our life is in His hand. Solomon says in this, verse
1, he says this, No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is
before him." Now he redirects those who are wise and righteous
and those whose works are accepted. Now he's redirecting us back
to providence. How does this relate to providence?
He says this, you're not going to know love or hatred by what
you see. You will never know God loves you or if God hates
you by what you see. I know it's what you're looking
for, isn't it? You're looking for things in providence to affirm
God's love for you or your love for Him. You're looking for that. Does God hate me? What do you
look at? How do you determine that? You begin to look at providence.
And Solomon says, stop looking at providence. You're not going
to be able to determine that by what you see. It is our nature to think that
if all is well, God loves us. I don't know. Am I alone on that one? The birds
are singing. The sun is in the sky. My children
are not in trouble. My wife loves me, and the house
is clean, and everything is well. God loves me! The next thing, I know the children
are in detention, and the wife is mad, and the house is dirty,
and I'm feeling low. God must hate me." No, you will
never determine God's love or God's hatred by what you see. By circumstances. Are experiences
and circumstances in this life good or bad? For the things do
not always work for the physical appearance of good to those that
love God and are called according to His purpose, and the things
do not always turn out for the appearance of bad to those who
are evil." The observance of Asaph clarifies
that. You remember, he felt as though
God had left him because of his sin, because of the outward circumstances. The righteous suffer and the
wicked prosper. How can this be? Question God's providence and
felt as though God cast him off. But isn't this usually the way
it works in providence? Yes. So, believers, we're not
to trust what we see, but rather trust the infallible, immutable
Word of God. It is the Word of God that liveth
and abideth... How long? Forever. The Word of God abideth forever.
Romans 8, 28, all things, sickness, pain, joy, sorrow, suffering,
health, Poverty, wealth, whatever, all things work together. Not individually, but together. For the good. For good. Not the appearance of good, but
real good. Because the appearance of good
isn't always good, is it? A few years back, Brother Cody
Groover, a man used of God, missionary, at the very height of his ministry,
God took him home. David Brainerd, a man of God
used among the Indians, The man snatched out in the prime of
his life. Now, the Tommy Robbins, a man
faithful to God, found out he had cancer, was taking medicine
that healed many people, and yet it did not heal him. He died. We cannot tell that God loved
these men by the providence that he gave them. We cannot tell that by providence. Neither can we see the hatred
of God for the false prophets who live long lives and have
outward successful ministries. How can we know the love of God
for us? Listen, only by the Word of God. only by the Word of God, only
by the person and work of Jesus Christ. Behold, what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God. Do you desire to know your acceptance
of God? Well, here it is. Are you born
again of the Spirit of God? Have you come by faith to Christ? I'm not talking about having
faith in your faith. You realize that's what people
say when they come up and they'll say, well, when were you saved? Well,
I made my decision. They have faith in their faith.
They have faith in that decision or that event, that circumstance. They have faith in something
else. I have faith in Christ. Faith in Christ alone. That's
one who is born again of the Spirit of God. And if so, God
loves you. God's love for you has not changed
or diminished one bit from the... I can't even say from the moment
God began. There was never a time He did
not love you. He says, I have loved you with an
everlasting love. What's the evidence, Lord? Therefore
with loving kindness have I drawn thee. There's the evidence of
God's love. Stop looking at providence. You're
not going to know God's love or God's hatred by what is done
in this world under the sun. You're going to know this only
by believing on the Son of God. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ
can you know God's love for you. Don't look at the tragedies or
the joys of life to see God's love. Look at the cross. Look
at the cross. Look at Christ. Look at His eternal
purpose to save His elect. Look at His Word. God says this, ìI shall do all
My pleasure.î What is His pleasure? Psalm 149, verse 4 says, ìFor
the Lord taketh pleasure in His people.î He will beautify the
meek with salvation. with salvation. You remember Ezekiel chapter
10. Probably one of the best prophecies in scripture concerning
God's providence. The wheel within the wheel. Wheel
within the wheel. They're always spinning. They're
always turning. They're always going straight
forward. They neither go to the right nor to the left. That is
God's providence. That's what God is doing. Whatever
God determined to do, that's exactly what He's doing. That's
exactly what He's going to do. And He doesn't move. He doesn't
sway. We get confused when we begin
to look at certain events of providence and try to trace them
back to God. Remember as a kid when I've told
you this before spinning that bicycle wheel in my garage I'd
spin the wheel spin the wheel and I'd try to look at a spoke
Try to find one and just my head would go around and round and
round and I'd get dizzy That's exactly what we do and begin
to look at Providence's one single Providence we're trying to figure
it out and we get dizzy You know how to stop getting dizzy is
to look at the thing that doesn't move. I God doesn't move. He's the hub of the wheel of
providence. All things go out from Him. And if you keep your eye on Him,
you won't be confused as to God's love for you. Keep your eye on
His Word. Therefore, praise God, for we
are accepted in Christ, and this should give us great comfort
in looking at His purpose and providence to bring us to Himself,
and not to question His great wisdom as to how He will do it. Oh, for the grace to trust in
His gracious and kind providence." You know, we love that hymn.
God moves in a mysterious way. His wonders do perform. He plants
His footsteps in the sea and rides on the storm. deep and
unfathomable minds of never-failing skill. He treasures up His bright
designs and does what? Works His sovereign will, you
fearful saints. Fresh courage take. The clouds
you so much dread are rich with mercy and shall break in blessings
on your heads. Judge not the Lord by feeble
sense, but trust him for his grace. Behind a frowning providence
he hides a smiling face. His purposes shall ripen fast,
unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste,
but sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err
and scan his work in vain. God is his own interpreter. He shall make it plain. He shall make it plain." Now, friends, this comfort is
for God's people, for the righteous and for the wise. To know this,
all their works are accepted in Christ. And they're not going
to find out by looking at Providence whether God loves them or hates
them, but only by looking to Jesus Christ, only by looking
to Him. I pray that God would give us
such comfort, such peace, as to keep our eyes fixed on Him. Listen, even in death. That's
what He goes on to say. He says, one thing's going to
happen to everybody, death, death. But you know what's best under
the sun? A living dog. You know this, all dogs go to
heaven? That woman in Canaan, she said,
truth Lord, but the dogs eat the crumbs from the master's
table. She took her place, didn't she? The dog. Mephibosheth took his place,
what is thy servant but a dead dog, that you should look on
a dead dog as I am. He took their place. You know
why? They were righteous and they
were wise. Oh, it's better. And I tell you what, providence
is good to us, isn't it? I dare you to count your blessings
as opposed to those evil providences. You'll find you have more blessings
than you have evil providences. Especially for the righteous.
I pray that God give us comfort in our providences and let us
know that all things are in His hands. And for us, the righteous
and the wise, though we can't see it, we can trust God's Word
that all His providences are working for our real and eternal
good. Real and eternal good. Let's
stand and be dismissed in prayer.