Ecclesiastes 7 (8)

Pray 30.1-3.
I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O LORD my God, I cried out to You,
And You healed me.
O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave;
You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Read Ecclesiastes 7.14.

Prepare.
1. Over what is God sovereign?

2. How does Solomon express the limits of man’s experience?

Meditate.
Rehoboam, anticipating his rise to power, was doubtless focusing on all the perks of royalty. He envisioned a life of wealth, power, and ease, and indeed, this is what awaited him, at least in part.

What he could not foresee, and probably wasn’t willing to consider, were the many trials and adversities that come with being ruler of a great nation. How shall a man keep a steady outlook and demeanor amid the vicissitudes of life?

By rejoicing, come what may. For, since whatever comes to us comes from the hand of God, we can rejoice in Him, in His sovereignty and wisdom, and in the knowledge that He causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8.28).

Don’t seek happiness and a sense of wellbeing in the blessings of each day. Failure to realize those blessings will bring despair. Look not to the blessings for your joy, but to the Source of both blessings and trials. In Him is joy that never ceases nor fails (Ps. 16.11). None of us can know what’s going to happen next. But look to God, and trust in Him, and you can know unfailing joy at all times.

The second half of Ecclesiastes 7 begins an inclusio. This means that the passage begins and ends in the same place, and everything in between is related to this keystone idea. Note the phrase, “God has appointed” in verse 14 and compare that with “God made” in 29 (in the Hebrew both words are the same). This is the key idea: God is sovereign. Solomon begins the passage with the prospect of hope: We can know joy if we look to God in all things. He ends it with a sigh of disappointment: When we trust in our own schemes, turning away from the way God has made us, we make life a shambles.

Here in a nutshell is the conflict of worldviews that confronts every generation. Those who try to live apart from God, trapped in the snares of sin, will not be able to know the consistent joy of those who look steadfastly to the Lord through Jesus Christ. Good and bad, blessing and adversity will come to both; but only the believer can know consistency of joy in life, unfailing joy, come what may.

Reflect.
1. Why is it possible to know joy in every situation? How?

2. What is joy? Why is joy more important than happiness? How would you explain the difference between joy and happiness to an unbelieving friend?  

3. We can’t know what tomorrow might bring, except that we can. Explain.

If mortals do not come to know God and His plan, they will not be able to discern anything about life (3:11) or about what will happen after they are gone. Earl Radmacher (1931-2014), NKJV Study Bible Notes for Ecclesiastes 7.14

I know, Lord, that whatever may come to me today, I can know Your joy; so help me to…

Pray Psalm 30.1-5.
Seek the joy of the Lord that comes from knowing Him, abiding in Him, and resting in Him at all times. Commit the day ahead to the Lord for joy.

Sing Psalm 30.1-5.
Psalm 30.1-5 (Madrid: Come Christians, Join to Sing)
We will extol Your Name!
            You have lifted us, O Lord!
Our foes retreat in shame –
            You have lifted us, O Lord!
You healed us when we cried; safe shall our souls abide;
Hell’s claim have You denied –
            You have lifted us, O Lord!

Lord, we extol Your Name!
            You have lifted us, O Lord!
Thanks we with joy proclaim –
            You have lifted us, O Lord!
Anger shall not prevail; grace will for us avail;
Day frees us from travail –
            You have lifted us, O Lord!

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).