Greetings, friends,
Today, let’s revisit the preacher in Ecclesiastes and learn from his perspective on the sovereign works of God.
“Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the work of God who works all things.”
Ecclesiastes 11:5
We know that Solomon was granted a lot of wisdom by God (1 Kings 3:12). With the great wisdom that King Solomon had, he would spend time critically thinking about many things, as we see in these wisdom books of Solomon.
In this passage in Ecclesiastes, Solomon contemplates the limited knowledge of man. He expresses that man does not truly know or fully understand how life is formed. Although we have advanced technology today that allows us to observe the process of conception, we can only speculate about how and why life unfolds as it does.
Solomon also uses the analogy of man not knowing the path of the wind, highlighting that even with the vast advances in science today, we cannot predict everything with absolute certainty.
The king then points to one who does have absolute knowledge, one who “works all things”: God. God knows everything, and He sovereignly ordains whatever comes to pass.
This is a profound truth that is challenging for us to comprehend as human beings with limited knowledge. In a previous section, the preacher makes an even more striking pronouncement:
“I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot find out the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not find it out; and though the wise man should say, ‘I know,’ he cannot find it out.”
Ecclesiastes 8:17
Solomon emphasizes not only that human knowledge is limited, but also that man is unable to know everything. He says, “even though man should seek laboriously, he will not find out.” This statement underscores that the work of God is infinitely greater than what man could ever fathom.
In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, he uses a similar analogy to explain to the Jewish teacher how God’s work in salvation is incomprehensible to man, yet we witness its effects:
“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”
John 3:8
Ultimately, we need to grasp that the work of God is wondrous and beyond anything we can imagine. This is the conclusion that the preacher reaches in Ecclesiastes, and it’s evident that we can share in that wonder.
Here are some observations we can draw from this passage:
- Thanksgiving: Let’s thank God for the amazing work that He does in His divine providence. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” — Romans 8:28
- Trust: Not being able to fully comprehend why everything happens the way it does can be overwhelming and may even cause anxiety. We need to understand that it’s okay not to know all the things God is doing, but we can trust in Him, knowing that “He works all things” to the praise of His glory.
- Truth: Let’s come to terms with this truth that it is God who works all things. Nothing happens by accident or by luck. Everything that comes to pass is ordained by God Himself.
I pray this Word speaks to you.
Your brother, Paul.
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