(“The Hand Of God”)

Ecclesiastes 9:1-9 (NASU)

“For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.” (Ecclesiastes 9:1)

(A) THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

(1) Certain doctrines are never spoken of in Scripture by their theological names, even though the concepts to which they refer are clearly taught.

(a) One obvious example would be the doctrine of the Trinity. The word “trinity” is never used in Scripture. And yet, the idea there is one God (c.f. Deuteronomy 6:4) who exists in three Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (c.f. Matthew 3:16-17) – is taught throughout.

(b) Another example would be the doctrine of God’s sovereignty. The words “sovereign” and “sovereignty” don’t appear in some bible translations (like the NKJV), at least not in reference to God – and only rarely in others (like the NASV). And yet, Scripture contains literally hundreds of examples, declarations, and allusions reminding us that “the Lord does whatever He pleases in heaven and on the earth” (c.f. Psalm 135:6) – and that “no purpose of His can ever be thwarted” (c.f. Job 42:2).

(2) The doctrine of God’s “providence” falls into this category.

(a) The word “providence” appears just once in the NIV (c.f. Job 10:12) – and once in the NASV, albeit not in reference to God (c.f. Acts 24:2). It isn’t used at all in the NKJV. Even so, the idea – summed up so eloquently in the Westminster Confession of Faith – that God “doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence,”² (this doctrine) is illustrated and taught throughout both the Old and New Testaments.

(b) Indeed, the mystery of God’s providence appears to have been on Solomon’s mind³ in tonight’s text when he wrote that: “righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God” – and, that “no one knows whether God will bring “love or hatred” tomorrow; either one is possible” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1).

(3) One Bible Dictionary has defined “providence” as: “God’s faithful care and effective guidance of everything He has made toward the end He has chosen.”⁴ In other words, God is intimately involved in the affairs of men, families, and nations – or, to put it another way, He is a “hands on” God.

(a) Divine Providence is NOT Fatalism. Fatalism says all events are determined by the impersonal law of cause and effect – so that we are subject to the whims of “fate,”⁴ or chance. Hence, things happen for no particular reason – be they good or bad. No one is in control – no one is working all things together for our good – no one is “out there” directing history (and our lives) toward some meaningful conclusion.

(b) Divine Providence differs from Deism, which says God created the world and everything in it, but He has long-since withdrawn from any day-to-day control over what happens – that He has left the world (and us) to run by itself⁴ – kind of like a wind-up toy you set on the table and let it do whatever it’s going to do. To put it another way, deism says God is watching – but He’s not involved. God is observing events as they unfold – but He’s not influencing how they unfold, or even how they are resolved. He’s just an observer – and nothing more. He’s watching the game (as it were) – but He isn’t actually playing in it.

(c) Divine Providence also differs from pantheism, which identifies God with creation, rather than keeping Him separate and transcendent from it. In pantheism God is an impersonal energy that permeates the whole universe – much like “the force” spoken of in Star Wars movies. God (such as He is) is involved with what happens in the world, but not in a sovereign way – it’s more like He’s available to help out here and there – but He’s certainly not “directing or governing the actions of all creatures and things, from the greatest to the least, to ends He has chosen.”

(d) And finally, Divine Providence also differs from Dualism – which is the idea that God is locked in a cosmic battle with an opposing force of equal power – each vying for ultimate control of the universe.⁴ Hence, when good things happen it’s because God has momentarily gained the advantage (as it were) – and when bad things happen, it’s means the forces of evil have managed to take control. Hence, one might say there are two providential forces at work in the world (and in our lives) – and no one knows which one will be in control tomorrow – or even what the final outcome of this eternal struggle will be.

(4) Scripture indicates there IS an opposing force in the universe – (a) albeit not an independent one. Rather, it’s a force of God’s own making – in this sense, that it consists of beings He created, who subsequently rebelled against Him (c.f. Jude 1:6) (but even then, they did not do so apart from his sovereign plan and purpose – which is in itself a great mystery!). The Book of Ephesians describes these beings as the: “forces of … darkness … (and) the spiritual forces of wickedness in … heavenly places” (c.f. Ephesians 6:12). You and I know them as Satan, and his legions of demons.

(b) Compared to us, these “forces of wickedness” are extremely powerful. Compared to God, however, they are extremely puny – and thus, no match for His omnipotent power and wisdom. Indeed, they are little more than pawns in His sovereign plan to save the elect, while also glorifying Himself beyond imagination in the process. Hence, Scripture tells us these opposing forces of evil are unable to prevent our God from saving us – from “faithfully caring for us – and from effectually guiding everything that happens toward the ends He has chosen.”⁴ Nor can they keep God from “directing and disposing all the forces of nature, as well as all His creatures and their actions, from the greatest to the least, by His most wise and holy providence.”²

(B) OUR LIVES ARE IN GOD’S HANDS

(1) In tonight’s text, Solomon begins by saying: “I have taken all this to my heart …” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1a).

(a) One question that immediately comes to mind is: to what does the phrase “all this” refer? And the answer seems to be, it refers to what was said at the end of chapter eight – especially in verses fourteen through seventeen, where Solomon said (in part) that: 14“there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked … (and) evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous” – and again, that: 17“man cannot discover the work (God) has … done under the sun … even though (he) should seek (for it) laboriously” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 8:14-17).

(b) One writer said the phrase “all this” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1) refers to man’s ignorance regarding God’s providential disposition of adversity and prosperity⁵ – including the fact that: “God has made the one as well as the other” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 7:14) – but not so that man can know what will happen tomorrow (c.f. Ecclesiastes 8:7). In other words, no one can fully understand God’s ways (c.f. Isaiah 55:8-9), or always anticipate what He will do next – in part, because in a fallen world God doesn’t always give the righteous prosperity, or the wicked adversity (at least not immediately) – nor does He always give them their just reward in this life (c.f. Ecclesiastes 8:11a) – thus giving the illusion (and it IS only an illusion!) that there is no advantage in “fearing God and keeping His commands” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 12:13) – indeed, from a purely human perspective there appears to be some decided disadvantages in striving to do so (c.f. Psalm 73:2-5)!

(c) Still in the first part of verse one, Solomon said he had: “taken all this to … heart” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1a). In other words, even though he couldn’t fathom all of God’s ways – even though he couldn’t understand why God sometimes lets the wicked prosper, or why He often sends the righteous through times of adversity – nevertheless, he had learned some valuable lessons.⁶

(2) One of those lessons is that: “righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hands of God” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1b).

(a) Why did Solomon specifically refer to “righteous men” and “wise men” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1b)? Why didn’t he include “wicked men”, or “all men”? Aren’t all men (including the wicked) in His hands? Why, then, did he specifically say that “righteous men” and “wise men” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1b) are in the hands of God?

(b) Charles Bridges suggests Solomon did this in order to underscore the security of God’s people.⁶ In a fallen world, where it often happens to the righteous according to the deeds of the wicked, and vice versa (c.f. Ecclesiastes 8:14) – in an under the sun world, where no man knows whether “love or hatred … awaits him” tomorrow (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1c) – in a world reeling under the effects of the Fall, where (on the surface at least) “one fate” (namely, death) awaits both “the righteous (and) the wicked” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:2) – (in such a world) it’s comforting to know we are in God’s hands, which means (among other things) that we are in the safest place in all the universe! As Scripture says elsewhere (speaking of God): “All Your holy ones are in Your hand” (c.f. Deuteronomy 33:3b) – and again (David speaking): “You are my God. My times are in Your hand” (c.f. Psalm 31:14b-15a) – and once more (this time Jesus speaking of His sheep): “no one will snatch them out of My hand … (nor) is (anyone) able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (c.f. John 10:28b, 29b).

(c) Bridges put it like this: “We are spared no trial, however severe – we are spared no conflict, however painful – we are spared no furnace, however heated. BUT, nothing touches our foundation, because we are in God’s hands.”⁶

Are we Christians ever afflicted? Of course we are – but Scripture says we are “not crushed”. Why not? Because we are “in the hand of God”. Are we ever perplexed? You bet – but Scripture says we are “not despairing”. Why not? Because we are in God’s hands. Are we ever persecuted? Sometimes – but Scripture says we’re never “forsaken”. Why not? Because we are in our Savior’s hands. Are we ever struck down? Sometimes we are – but Scripture says we’re never “destroyed”. Why not? Because we are in the hands of the Lord (c.f. II Corinthians 4:8-9; Ecclesiastes 9:1b).

It’s meant to be a source of encouragement and comfort, then, to know we “are in the hand of God” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1b) – that He holds us in His hands in times of prosperity, AND times of adversity (c.f. Ecclesiastes 7:14) – that we are in His hands, even when evil men are prospering, and the righteous aren’t – that we are in His hands even when the just sentence against evil, or the reward of the righteous, is delayed (c.f. Ecclesiastes 8:11a) – that we are in His hands even though we have no idea what’s going to happen next, or whether tomorrow will bring good or evil (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:9c) – that we are in our Savior’s hands, even though the same “fate” awaits both the righteous and the wicked, namely, that both will eventually die (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:2).

(d) Notice, too, that our text says, not only are our persons “in the hand of God”, but so are our “deeds” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1b). Even our works, the things we do during our time on earth, are subject to and/or guided by God’s providence! He’s the One who makes our effort effective – He’s the One who preserves the work of our hands – so that Scripture says: “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands” (c.f. Psalm 90:17) – and again: “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (c.f. I Corinthians 15:58) – and once more (speaking of God): “You have … performed for us all our works” (c.f. Isaiah 26:12b).

It is God who providentially makes our “deeds” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1b) useful – who enables our efforts to prosper – who gives permanence to the work of our hands, albeit always and only those that fit into His sovereign plans and purposes, which includes glorifying Him (c.f. I Corinthians 10:31) – nor, when we think about it, would we want any other kind of works to survive.

(3) Continuing on (in the last part of our text), Solomon wrote that: “Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1c) – i.e. as far as day-to-day living is concerned, no one knows what God will providentially bring into our life tomorrow.

(a) Obviously we know the future in a general way, thanks in part to the reliability of the natural and spiritual laws God has put in place – plus biblical prophecies.

We know, for example, that the Lord will return – that a day of judgment and rewards is coming – and that one day there will be a new heavens and earth. We also know (if the Lord wills – c.f. James 4:13-15) that the sun is going to come up tomorrow – that winter will soon be here – and that we’re going to get older, and eventually die (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:2).

(b) These are all things we know will happen, with a reasonable amount of certainty. However, these are NOT the kind of things Solomon had in mind in verse one. He was referring to those things God providentially brings to pass, which no one can anticipate – and/or the timing of which no one could have predicted.

One wonders, for example, how Joseph could have ever anticipated that God would bring brotherly rejection, false accusations, imprisonment and slavery into his life – or, for that matter, raise him to a position of power in the land of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself!

One wonders how David could have ever predicted he would become a fugitive living in the wilderness, trying to stay one step ahead of those who wanted to have him killed – or (when he was a shepherd), that he would someday be a king.

How many of us ever thought we’d live in a place called Alamogordo? How many of the people living on Abbott and Scenic thought their homes would ever be flooded? I remember one elderly man in our congregation saying he never thought he’d be able to live in such a nice house as he now has when he retired (and he does have a very nice house!).

These, and countless other examples, simply serve to illustrate Solomon’s point – that when it comes to God’s providence in a fallen world: “man does not know whether (tomorrow) will (bring) love or hatred; anything awaits him” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1c).

(c) This thought might leave us discouraged and depressed if it weren’t for the larger context of the rest of Scripture. For example, Joseph testified that God brought good out of the evil that befell him (c.f. Genesis 50:20) – while Paul said much the same thing when he wrote that: “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love (Him), to those who are called according to His purpose” (c.f. Romans 8:28). Even one of the psalmists stated that the afflictions God brought into his life were good for him, because they taught him to obey the Lord’s commands (c.f. Psalm 119:67, 71).

Such hope in the goodness of God’s providence, especially so far as His redeemed people are concerned, led Job to say: “Though (God) slay me, I will (continue to) hope in Him” (c.f. Job 13:15). This same hope led Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to tell King Nebuchadnezzar: 17“our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire … 18But even if He does not … we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image … you have set up” (c.f. Daniel 3:17-18). This same hope, that his life was in the hands of God, enabled Stephen to confess Christ before the Jewish Sanhedrin, even though doing so meant certain death – it also enable Paul to endure everything from imprisonment, to physical beatings, to martyrdom, without succumbing to the temptation to deny Christ.

(d) For us Christians, there is a sense in which it doesn’t really matter what God’s providential hand sends our way. Our duty tomorrow (whether tomorrow brings “love or hatred” – c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:1) will be the same as our duty today – i.e. to glorify Him in all we do (c.f. I Corinthians 10:31) – to love Him and serve Him with our whole heart (c.f. Matthew 22:37) – or, as Solomon says at the end of the Book of Ecclesiastes, to “fear God and keep His commandments” (c.f. Ecclesiastes 12:13).

1Longman: The New International Commentary on the Old Testament; The Book of Ecclesiastes; p. 224.

2The Westminster Confession of Faith: Chapter V – Of Providence; paragraph 1.

3Bridges: Geneva Series; Ecclesiastes; p. 211.

4Holman Bible Dictionary.

5The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Old Testament; p. 998.

6Bridges: Ibid; p. 212.