Ecc 3:10 | KingComments | STEP | Because of the alternation of time periods with their events as described in the previous verses, the profit from the work in which he toils is not visible ( ). Everything happens to him, he has no influence on anything. All his efforts do not change the changing nature of things. He thinks that a time to plant has come, but soon it appears that what he has planted has to be uprooted. That is how it goes with all the different times in his life. A person unexpectedly passes from one situation to another situation. In , the Preacher includes God in his observations. He looks beyond the sun for a moment. Not that his observations change in any way. He points to God as the origin of all the different times and thus confirms that nothing can influence God’s unchanging counsel with regard to times and events. If that has become clear, there is at least some explanation to be given to the existence, although that explanation is not directly something to be happy about. The activity God has given is wearying. This pessimism is made undone by the Preacher in . He points out the beauty of all that God has made. The beauty of what God has made has become visible in the time that suits that beauty. It does not happen sooner or later than it should be, because every element is connected to the whole of God’s work. Evidence of this can be found in the report of creation in Genesis 1. Each new day adds something to the previous one, and when creation is complete, it can be said: “And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good” ( ). God has given meaning and purpose to everything. Everything fits perfectly into the whole of His plan. We realize that, but without seeing even approximately the scope of it. Man can never see the whole of what God has made. He can never take enough distance to see at a glance “from the beginning even to the end” what God’s purpose is with His creation. This should humble us, it should not make us arrogant, and therefore we should not judge anything before the appointed time. We have to wait patiently for the complete unfolding of what still seems complicated and mysterious to us today. The fact that He has set “eternity” in our hearts means that we are aware of the length of a certain period of time and of the characteristics of that particular period of time. We have the ability to learn to see that in the light of eternity. We can think about the course of events and look for their meaning. This will allow us to make sure that things should serve us and that we are not to start to serve things. The Christian knows that all things belong to him, for “all things belong to you” ( ). He does not yet have actual control over it, but he is connected to Christ Who has.

‏ Ecclesiastes 3:10

God Gives Men a Task

Because of the alternation of time periods with their events as described in the previous verses, the profit from the work in which he toils is not visible (Ecc 3:9). Everything happens to him, he has no influence on anything. All his efforts do not change the changing nature of things. He thinks that a time to plant has come, but soon it appears that what he has planted has to be uprooted. That is how it goes with all the different times in his life. A person unexpectedly passes from one situation to another situation.

In Ecc 3:10, the Preacher includes God in his observations. He looks beyond the sun for a moment. Not that his observations change in any way. He points to God as the origin of all the different times and thus confirms that nothing can influence God’s unchanging counsel with regard to times and events. If that has become clear, there is at least some explanation to be given to the existence, although that explanation is not directly something to be happy about. The activity God has given is wearying.

This pessimism is made undone by the Preacher in Ecc 3:11. He points out the beauty of all that God has made. The beauty of what God has made has become visible in the time that suits that beauty. It does not happen sooner or later than it should be, because every element is connected to the whole of God’s work.

Evidence of this can be found in the report of creation in Genesis 1. Each new day adds something to the previous one, and when creation is complete, it can be said: “And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Gen 1:31a). God has given meaning and purpose to everything. Everything fits perfectly into the whole of His plan. We realize that, but without seeing even approximately the scope of it.

Man can never see the whole of what God has made. He can never take enough distance to see at a glance “from the beginning even to the end” what God’s purpose is with His creation. This should humble us, it should not make us arrogant, and therefore we should not judge anything before the appointed time. We have to wait patiently for the complete unfolding of what still seems complicated and mysterious to us today.

The fact that He has set “eternity” in our hearts means that we are aware of the length of a certain period of time and of the characteristics of that particular period of time. We have the ability to learn to see that in the light of eternity. We can think about the course of events and look for their meaning. This will allow us to make sure that things should serve us and that we are not to start to serve things.

The Christian knows that all things belong to him, for “all things belong to you” (1Cor 3:22-23). He does not yet have actual control over it, but he is connected to Christ Who has.