Deliberate Divine Frustration
Reflective Reading: Ecclesiastes 3
Today, we are going to conclude our study of Ecclesiastes chapter three. In part 1 of our study, we looked at Ecclesiastes 3:1–11. There, we learned that God makes everything beautiful in His time, especially when facing unexpected adversity.
In part 2, covering verses 12–15, we learned that God has given us the pleasure of eating and working as gifts. With these gifts, God expects to have a pleasurable and profitable return on His investment in us. This now brings us to Ecclesiastes 3:16–22.
In the first sentence below, note the phrase “under the sun.” This phrase is found nowhere else in the Bible and is repeated 29 times in Ecclesiastes. Its repetition reminds us of what it is like to live life purely from an earthly perspective. From an earthly perspective, void of a relationship with God, “all is vanity.”
“Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?” (Eccles. 3:16–22)
These verses have been misinterpreted and misunderstood throughout history. The text has been used by atheists and agnostics to prove that since life is temporary, we must live it up and enjoy whatever pleases us the most. When one lives with a temporary view of existence, morals become relative and reason becomes evolutionary—“survival of the fittest.” Worse, this misunderstanding can cause one to place the value of an animal higher than the value of human life, especially babies and the elderly. If there is no proof of life after the grave, then “Who cares and why bother?!”
When my dad was in the hospital in intensive care, I heard about a doctor on the floor who held this temporary view of life. He was known as Dr. Death. He believed that it was his right to help elderly patients die, if they had reached a certain level of sickness. When he was on duty for his two-week rotation, he would refuse to give some patients medicine if he thought they were not worthy of his care. A temporary view of life leads a person down a slippery slope of immoral and unethical behavior.
God has given us these truths to show us where wrong thinking about the goodness of God, injustice, and suffering leads. Wrong thinking about God and eternity leads to an existence that is joyless, purposeless, and no better than an animal. Animals can’t express joy. Animals can’t reason beyond the instincts that God has given them. Animals can’t express pleasure! Animals kill one another!
If an animal could reason, then our neighbor’s pit bull wouldn’t have bitten one of our staff in the face yesterday! If you haven’t learned the lesson of not petting a pit bull, beware! Pit bulls, unless you are the owner, may wag their tails when you pet them, but if you are within striking distance, you’re probably going to get bitten in the face. They can’t reason or understand that you are trying to be friendly when you’re petting them, no matter how much you smile!
Facing injustice can be more harmful than facing a pit bull:
“…in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.”
This world is filled with injustice, where evil prospers and the righteous incur loss. Without believing that “…God will judge the righteous and the wicked,” our response may be hopeless, fretful, or vengeful. These are animal instincts. If there is no God and no eternal life after death, then our responses to injustice and wickedness may be just like an animal’s vengeful, “dog-eat-dog” behavior. This is why the next sentence reads:
“God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.”
Wow! God allows injustice to test us! He allows the wicked to prosper to see how we react. How do you respond when you experience injustice and the prosperity of wickedness affects you personally? This test is an essential part of our Christian experience. Without it, we will not grow and be deeply rooted. Walking in the Spirit, or being controlled by the Spirit of God, is exactly what the Preacher is trying to communicate. Notice the repetition of the word “spirit” in the text below:
“For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?”
The words “breath” and “spirit” are the same Hebrew word. If we don’t believe or understand that God is in complete control of our lives, for our good, even when facing unwanted and unexpected trials, then we will lose our eternal perspective and act no differently than an animal. In the book of James, we read:
“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual [animal-like], devilish” (James 3:13–15).
The word “sensual” is the word for animal-like behavior. This Greek word, ψυχικός (psoo-khee-kos’), carries the idea of a person who reacts according to their senses or a person who is highly sensitive. Reacting to everything that touches a nerve is a clear sign that you are acting without the Spirit, much like an animal.
Adam Clarke writes that the idea of “sensual” in James 3 is like living as “brute beasts, guided simply by one’s own lusts and passions and covetousness; for they have not the Spirit—they are not spiritually minded; and have no Holy Ghost, no inspiration from God.”
In the book of Jude, we read, “But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally [purely physical], as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves” (v. 10). In verse 19, Jude uses the same word that James uses for sensual and then adds that this type of person is without the Spirit of God:
“But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit” (Jude 1:17–19).
Do you remember the connection between acting like an animal and living life without the influence of the Spirit? The connection is where we began:
“I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts” (Eccles. 3:18).
God is testing us to help us understand that when we act like an animal, it is time to turn back to God in repentance, surrendering to the control of the Spirit of God in our lives. Outside the Spirit’s help, when poked, we will respond like an animal. And if we remain in this state of hypersensitivity to adversity, then our view of God will be formed by what we read in verse 21:
“Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?”
Living by one’s senses and sensitivity to adversity will eventually erode belief and trust in a loving and sovereign God. Those who turn back to God in repentance with a humble spirit, can look forward to the surprise ending of this chapter:
“Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?”
What an amazing ending! God is helping us to see what our lives should look like—meaningful work and a lot of joy! Since we don’t know what the future holds (who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?), work with the greatest amount of purpose and joy in the present! Don’t allow injustice and the prosperity of the wicked to rob you of your eternal focus and your present joy. Rejoice in your work; for there is nothing better!
Sincerely,
Mark Hamby
M.S., M. Div., Th. M., D. Min.
Recommended Books and Audio Dramas:
• The Runner (Ages 9+)
• Lighthouse Hero (Ages 9+)
• The Mountain Musicians (Ages 9+)
• The French Fugitive Book/Audio Drama (Ages 12+)
• The Mansion (Ages 12+)
