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Ecclesiastes: The Enigma of Life Under the Sun | The Question of Life

February 23, 2025
Ecclesiastes 9:1-16

¹But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. ²It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. ³This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. ⁴But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. ⁵For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. ⁶Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.

⁷Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

⁸Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.

⁹Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. ¹⁰Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

¹¹Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. ¹²For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.

¹³I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. ¹⁴There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. ¹⁵But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. ¹⁶But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.

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Purpose

To discover and experience Jesus Christ in our midst

To cultivate mutually encouraging relationships

To participate in God’s mission to the world 

Opening Prayer

Almighty God, creator of all things and giver of every good and perfect gift, hear with favor the prayers of your people, that we who are justly punished for our offenses may mercifully be delivered by your goodness, for the glory of your name; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Responsive Prayer — Psalm 34

I will bless the Lord at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

And let us exalt his name together!

I sought the Lord, and he answered me

And delivered me from all my fears.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Blessed is the one who takes refuge in him!

Summary and Connection

In the book of Ecclesiastes, the author Qoheleth (often translated as “Preacher” or “Teacher”) explains how everything under the sun is hevel — “vanity” or “meaningless.” In our passage today, the author makes more observations on life. Across all cultures, people agree on two realities: life is uncertain, and death is inevitable. However, disagreement arises concerning aspects of life such as purpose, happiness, work, justice, wisdom, wealth, and so on. As Derek Kidner observes, the question of life confronts us with how little we truly know and how much is beyond our control — unpredictable circumstances, fleeting human approval, and of course, death. But above all else, it forces us to ask: Are we in the hands of a friend or a foe? We’re in a sermon series called Ecclesiastes: The Enigma of Life Under the Sun, and today we’ll look at the topic of life.

Discussion Questions

1. Looking at the Bible

Observation: Read the passage privately. What does the text say? What is the theme of this passage? Do you notice any keywords?

• How does the prospect of death shape how we live and enjoy life?
  

2. Looking at Jesus

At Central we believe that all of Scripture points to Jesus. In other words, Jesus is the theological center of the Bible. Every passage not only points to Jesus, but the grand narrative of the Bible also finds its fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus.

• How does the certainty of death for both the righteous and the wicked challenge the idea that external circumstances reveal God’s favor?

3. Looking at Our Hearts

• In what ways do we try to avoid thinking about death? How does this avoidance shape our priorities and decisions? 

4. Looking at Our World

• In Ecclesiastes 9:7-9, in what ways does the author advise us to live in light of the fact that death, evil, and suffering are a reality (vv. 1-6)?
• How does sharing the gospel of Jesus offer a fuller, more meaningful life in a world that says, “In light of death, just live your life and make the best of a bad situation”?

Sending

• View Study Guide Notes

  Question 1: Ecclesiastes 9:7-12 is not the first time Qoheleth has presented pleasure as if it were the chief aim of life (see Ecclesiastes 2:1; 5:18). Here, he urges us to go and enjoy life — to seize the day by eating and drinking with gladness, for these are God’s gifts: “... for God has already approved what you do.” This suggests that God delights in our enjoyment of his blessings. However, the pursuit of pleasure is not meant to be our ultimate goal. Rather, the certainty of death and the deeper question of whether God is our friend or foe should shape how we use his gifts. John Calvin insightfully warns against the misuse of these blessings, stating,

  All the things which make for the enriching of this present life are sacred gifts of God, but we spoil them by our misuse of them. If we want to know the reason why, it is because we are always entertaining the delusion that we will go on forever in this world. 

  Even Qoheleth knows that life’s pleasures are fleeting, and without a proper understanding of our mortality and our standing before God, even the best gifts can become meaningless pursuits. True enjoyment comes not from indulgence but from a right relationship with the one who gives good gifts as a reflection of his grace. God’s gifts are meant to be received with gratitude and should be wisely used in light of the prospect of eternity with him.

  Question 2: The author lists contrasting pairs — righteous and wicked, good and bad, clean and unclean, etc. (polar opposites in Israel’s faith) — but none of them makes a difference. They all have the same ending: death. The level of pleasantness or difficulty a person will face during their life on earth is completely uncertain, regardless of whether the person is righteous or wicked. Nevertheless, in spite of this apparent randomness, one can be assured that the godly person is in the hand of God. The dilemma, as Christopher Wright points out, is that no one knows for certain. “As far as the eye can see,” he observes, “it’s the same for everybody. Death is our common destiny, and what lies beyond it remains a mystery.”

  Qoheleth wrestles with the limitations of human knowledge; without divine revelation, death appears to be the ultimate end, rendering all distinctions meaningless. Yet, for those who trust in Christ, the question of what awaits beyond death is not left unanswered. Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). While Ecclesiastes acknowledges the uncertainty of death, the gospel reveals the certainty of eternal life in Christ. For the believer, death is not the end but the beginning of a greater hope: life in the presence of God, where righteousness, justice, and love endure forever.

  Question 3: Qoheleth observes that “time and chance happen to them all” (v. 11), reminding us that we are not in control. However, Jesus teaches that all things are in his hands (John 6:37-40), and in Colossians we see that Jesus is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17). In his commentary, Derek Kidner observes that the phrase “time and chance” does not imply randomness but rather the unpredictability of life from a human perspective. Yet Scripture affirms that God is sovereign over both. 

  At Central, the men’s and women’s Bible studies have been studying the book of Romans, and when you come to quite a pessimistic passage like our passage today, it can be encouraging to consider Romans 8. There we see that trusting in Jesus frees us from the anxiety of an uncertain future because, while life may appear unpredictable, Scripture affirms that God is sovereign over all things. Even though verse 11 highlights the limits of human control, the Scriptures encourage that all who trust in Jesus are securely held in his hands. Though we may not understand why events unfold as they do, we can live with confidence, knowing that trials serve a purpose, our future is secure in Christ, and his faithfulness sustains us through every challenge. Instead of being paralyzed by fear or frustration over what we cannot control, we are called to walk in faith, resting in the assurance that God’s sovereign hand guides our lives, and that nothing — whether suffering, uncertainty, or even death — can separate us from his love (Romans 8:28-39).

  Question 4: In this life under the sun, Qoheleth acknowledges that wisdom is often overlooked and underappreciated (Ecclesiastes 9:13-16). At the same time, he highlights a deeper reality: the far-reaching consequences of sin, which have brought corruption, decay, and ultimately, death. This is nothing new. Throughout Scripture, we see how the actions of one person can impact an entire community: Adam’s sin brought death to all (Romans 5:12), Achan’s disobedience led to Israel’s defeat (Joshua 7:11-12), and Rehoboam’s folly divided the kingdom (1 Kings 12:16). The effects of sin are pervasive, touching every aspect of life, bringing suffering, injustice, and mortality. Regarding this portion of Ecclesiates, Christopher Wright notes,

  This little story seems to be told merely to reinforce the point that even an example of good wisdom working well gets forgotten and despised... And somehow, after a chapter like this, we could be forgiven for thinking, “Well, what else would you expect? That’s this world for you.”

  Yet, unlike the forgotten poor man in today’s text (verses 15-16), God does not forget his people (2 Timothy 2:19). In contrast to the fleeting and often disregarded wisdom of this world, Jesus Christ — the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24) — brings true and lasting salvation. His wisdom is not temporary or overlooked but is the power of God for all who believe. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Christ restores what sin has broken and offers eternal life to those who trust in Him (John 11:25-26). While the world resigns itself to making the best of a bad situation, the gospel offers something far greater: a hope that transcends the fleeting nature of life. In Christ, we are not merely surviving; we are being renewed and prepared for an eternal Kingdom where sin and death will be no more. Despite the uncertainty of life and the inevitability of death, God does not forget his people; he has their names written in the book of life and will bring them into his presence to dwell with him forever.