The writer continues to review the situation of mankind “under the sun”, or (as he says at the beginning of this chapter), “under heaven”. In verses 2-8 he seems to return to the inevitability that he began the book with (where he looked at the repeated cycles of the sun, the water and the wind). Here, though, he seems to come closer and look at specific but opposite events that are common in man's life, such as birth and death, killing and healing, weeping and laughing, loving and hating, being at war and being at peace. At the end of this review, he repeats the question in verses 9-10 that he had asked in chapter 1 in verses 3 and 13, which boils down to this, “What’s the point?”
And now we come to verse 11 above, which is where I think the writer introduces a hint of the reason for the pointlessness of life seen from this “under the sun” viewpoint. The writer reminds us that things were not this way from the beginning, when “God made everything beautiful in its time”. But now, instead, there is a time for things that are here only because of our sin against God: death, uprooting, killing, breaking down, weeping, mourning, losing, casting away, tearing, hating and making war (3:2-8). In addition, in the core of our beings we have an understanding, in the face of all these time-bound events that surround us, that there is an eternal being, and that we were made for greater things than these.
How many people who deny God’s existence are still trying to find a way back to the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, bypassing the cherubim and their flaming swords? Why do people spend so much time and money on trying to look younger than they are? Why is there such a focus in biological science in eradicating death? Why have wealthy people historically had themselves preserved in some way in the hope of cheating death and being brought back into the world when their lives can be extended? It’s because we have eternity in our hearts.
The trouble is that the eternity in our hearts effectively mocks us while we are “under the sun,” because it is not within our power to change the situation, nor to understand the purposes of God from beginning to end - life is a big, nonsensical question mark for us (verse 11). The writer can only suggest that we find joy in the situations where God has placed us, in the common grace that He generously bestows on all mankind, and that we seek to do good as long as we live. God is in control of all things and we cannot add to His plans or take away from them, and for those who are under the sun, there is nothing new. This is a bleak perspective, for sure!
It’s when we get into the shoes of those who live in this world without God and without hope that we appreciate the Gospel all the more. How different are our circumstances as children of the heavenly King!
While we are in this world, He dramatically overturns our experiences compared with those who are “under the sun,” because now for each of these things there is a glorious spiritual meaning. For example, if there is a time to be born, then for the believer there is a time to be born again. If there is a time to die, Christ has taken the sting out of death and it is now a gift to us and precious in His sight - our gateway to eternal bliss with Him. Take another look at Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 and think about how all of these events now have a glorious spiritual viewpoint for us In Christ! Now we have a felt experience of eternity in our hearts, as His Spirit dwells within us! It’s not a mocking emptiness but a new and living reality!
And while His providence in our lives is still often a mystery to us, the fact that we know Him and love Him as such a good and gracious Father, and the fact that He has promised us so many blessings in Christ, turn even the most difficult of times into opportunities for genuine joy and thankfulness, because He knows what He is doing, and what He is doing for us is nothing but the best!
I travel by plane quite a lot and I never tire of that moment when, after taking off in gray skies and heavy rain, you break up through the cloud layer into blue skies and dazzling sunshine. Spiritually speaking, that’s a bit like coming to the Lord after being “under the sun” in this world!
Whate'er my God ordains is right:
his holy will abideth;
I will be still, whate'er he doth,
and follow where he guideth.
He is my God; though dark my road,
he holds me that I shall not fall:
wherefore to him I leave it all.
Whate'er my God ordains is right:
he never will deceive me;
he leads me by the proper path;
I know he will not leave me.
I take, content, what he hath sent;
his hand can turn my griefs away,
and patiently I wait his day.
Whate'er my God ordains is right:
though now this cup, in drinking,
may bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew
sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
and pain and sorrow shall depart.
Whate'er my God ordains is right:
here shall my stand be taken;
though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
yet am I not forsaken.
My Father's care is round me there;
he holds me that I shall not fall:
and so to him I leave it all.
