Ecc 2:26 | KingComments | STEP | After the acquiescence in the previous verses, the Preacher now even comes to enjoy the good ( ). He calls not for the pursuit of worldly pleasures (cf. ), or for an attitude of the rich fool ( ), but for contentment ( ). The best use that man can make of his labor is to enjoy it himself ( ). But he does not have that in his own hands either. The Preacher acknowledges that this too “is from the hand of God”. Enjoying the good in creation is a great gift, the greatest that creation can give under the sun. Not only that the blessing comes from the hand of God, but also the enjoyment of the blessing. Despite all the disappointment with regard to the desired lasting result of his work, Solomon enjoys its temporary blessing ( ). He, who has worked so hard for it, “eats and … has enjoyment” of what he has achieved. The real enjoyment, though limited to “under the sun”, can still be there if we accept it from the hand of God (cf. ). God has a special relationship with “a person who is good to His sight” ( ). He has given “wisdom and knowledge and joy” to such a person. This man is “good” in God’s sight because this man has acknowledged to God that there is nothing good in him. Because of this God has given him a new life and thereby the wisdom and knowledge to live to His glory. To such a life He attaches joy. But God treats the sinner differently. The sinner does not take life from the hand of God. He does not acknowledge that he is a sinner, but lives his own life, without taking into account the will of God. His life consists of gathering and collecting for himself. He is selfish. Although the sinner does not acknowledge this, it is God who enables him to perform these activities (cf. ). The sinner lives only for himself. However, God has determined it in such a way that what the sinner in his selfish collecting frenzy has destined for himself will end up in the hands of “the one who is good in God’s sight” ( ; cf. ; ). The sinner does not take this into account at all. The fact that his possessions end up with the righteous is a judgment God brings upon him. How God will work that out, remains hidden, but it will happen. An example we see when Israel leaves Egypt after years of slavery. God tells His people to ask the Egyptians for all kinds of objects and clothing, by which they rob the Egyptians ( ). Here Solomon speaks of “God’s sight”, which means that he now speaks of ‘above the sun’. But he speaks of God in no other way than the two times he spoke of ‘God’ ( ). Again, there is no living relationship between man and God. It is still, just like everywhere else in this book, about God as the Creator Who controls the whole universe. Solomon views life as a believer and not as an atheist, but as a believer who, in his view of life, considers everything only horizontally. This is also evident from the conclusion. It may be that what the sinner has gathered may come into the hands of the one who is good in God’s sight, but what’s the benefit of it in a man’s life? Does this arrangement of the government of God have lasting consequences for the life of man on earth? No, because he does not look over the edge of his existence on earth. This is why the conclusion is also here: “This too is vanity and striving after wind.”

‏ Ecclesiastes 2:26

Enjoy the Life That God Has Given

After the acquiescence in the previous verses, the Preacher now even comes to enjoy the good (Ecc 2:24). He calls not for the pursuit of worldly pleasures (cf. 1Cor 15:32), or for an attitude of the rich fool (Lk 12:16-21), but for contentment (1Tim 4:4 ; 1Tim 6:6-8). The best use that man can make of his labor is to enjoy it himself (Ecc 3:12 ; 22 ; Ecc 8:15). But he does not have that in his own hands either. The Preacher acknowledges that this too “is from the hand of God”.

Enjoying the good in creation is a great gift, the greatest that creation can give under the sun. Not only that the blessing comes from the hand of God, but also the enjoyment of the blessing.

Despite all the disappointment with regard to the desired lasting result of his work, Solomon enjoys its temporary blessing (Ecc 2:25). He, who has worked so hard for it, “eats and … has enjoyment” of what he has achieved. The real enjoyment, though limited to “under the sun”, can still be there if we accept it from the hand of God (cf. 1Tim 6:17-19).

God has a special relationship with “a person who is good to His sight” (Ecc 2:26). He has given “wisdom and knowledge and joy” to such a person. This man is “good” in God’s sight because this man has acknowledged to God that there is nothing good in him. Because of this God has given him a new life and thereby the wisdom and knowledge to live to His glory. To such a life He attaches joy.

But God treats the sinner differently. The sinner does not take life from the hand of God. He does not acknowledge that he is a sinner, but lives his own life, without taking into account the will of God. His life consists of gathering and collecting for himself. He is selfish. Although the sinner does not acknowledge this, it is God who enables him to perform these activities (cf. Dan 5:23 ).

The sinner lives only for himself. However, God has determined it in such a way that what the sinner in his selfish collecting frenzy has destined for himself will end up in the hands of “the one who is good in God’s sight” (Pro 13:22 ; Pro 28:8; cf. Mt 5:5; Lk 19:24). The sinner does not take this into account at all. The fact that his possessions end up with the righteous is a judgment God brings upon him.

How God will work that out, remains hidden, but it will happen. An example we see when Israel leaves Egypt after years of slavery. God tells His people to ask the Egyptians for all kinds of objects and clothing, by which they rob the Egyptians (Exo 3:21-22 ; Exo 12:36).

Here Solomon speaks of “God’s sight”, which means that he now speaks of ‘above the sun’. But he speaks of God in no other way than the two times he spoke of ‘God’ (Ecc 1:13 ; Ecc 2:24). Again, there is no living relationship between man and God. It is still, just like everywhere else in this book, about God as the Creator Who controls the whole universe. Solomon views life as a believer and not as an atheist, but as a believer who, in his view of life, considers everything only horizontally.

This is also evident from the conclusion. It may be that what the sinner has gathered may come into the hands of the one who is good in God’s sight, but what’s the benefit of it in a man’s life? Does this arrangement of the government of God have lasting consequences for the life of man on earth? No, because he does not look over the edge of his existence on earth. This is why the conclusion is also here: “This too is vanity and striving after wind.”