Time and Chance
Introduction:
How often in the news after a disaster has
struck have you heard someone say, “Why God? Why did You do this? Why
didn’t You stop this from happening?” Disasters like a tornado wiping put a
town or a flood destroying dozens of houses. Or it could be a drunk driver
killing a family of four or a child dying from cancer. Some ask why while
others blame God. The question is: “Did God cause these things to
happen?” The wise man Solomon answered this question in our text:
Ecclesiastes 9:1-12.
Text:
Ecclesiastes 9:1-12
Body:
I.
Death Ends Every Person’s Life
Ecclesiastes 9:1-10
·
Death is equally certain regardless of how good or bad someone is. All
share a common destiny.
Ecclesiastes 9:2
“All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the
wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and
him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes
an oath as he who fears an oath.”
NKJV
(Hebrews
9:27)
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”
NKJV
·
The righteous and the unrighteous both break bones, contract diseases, get
cancer. . . Good and bad happens to all people. You cannot tell the
difference between good and bad people based solely upon external
circumstances. Things may get better; things may get worse. Only God
knows.
Ecclesiastes 9:1
“For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all:
that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God.
People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them.”
NKJV
·
A person’s efforts do not insure success. Even though a man may have the
ability to succeed and puts forth great effort, he may still fail.
Ecclesiastes 9:3 “This is an evil in all that is done under the sun:
that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full
of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go
to the dead.”
NKJV
(Jeremiah
9:23)
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the
mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;”
NKJV
·
While you are living, you can prepare for death. There are certain
advantages and opportunities while you are alive that vanish when you die.
The dead have no more shares in what is done on earth. Recall the rich man
in
Luke 16:24-31.
Many fill their lives with countless insignificant things. Don’t be like
them!
Ecclesiastes 9: 4-6 “But for him who is joined to
all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
For 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. Also their love,
their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a
share In anything done under the sun.”
NKJV (Luke
16:24-31) “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and
send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my
tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember
that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus
evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all
this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want
to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ Then
he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my
father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them,
lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They
have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No,
father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither
will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”
NKJV
·
Instead of falling into despair over how short and unpredictable life is,
use that knowledge to live life to the fullest. Seize the day. Enjoy the
everyday aspects of life. Get out the fine china. Don’t let life go by
without experiencing joy and happiness. Instead of living in dread and
fear, do everything with energy and enthusiasm.
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 “Go, eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your
works. Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life
which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is
your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work
or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.”
NKJV
(Ecclesiastes
2:24)
“Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his
soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of
God.”
NKJV
II.
Chance Controls Every Person’s Life
Ecclesiastes 9:11-12
“I returned and saw under the sun that – The race is not to the swift, Nor
the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of
understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to
them all. For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a
cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an
evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.”
NKJV
·
Not everything turns out as you would expect. Life is unpredictable and
arbitrary at times. There are no guarantees in life.
·
Merit is not always rewarded. Life can be unfair. Sometimes the swift do
not win the race. Sometimes the strongest doesn’t win the fight. Why? Did
God cause this? No! Time and chance happen. God does not cause
everything to happen.
·
God has created a system and
order for this world. There are many factors in life. Outcomes are often
determined by factors outside a person’s understanding or control. God
doesn’t cause a drunk driver to kill a family of four! He doesn’t cause one
person to murder another. Recall
Luke 13:1-4.
“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered
and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners
than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you,
no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen
on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they
were worse sinners than all other men who dwell in Jerusalem?”
NKJV
·
Remember the error of Job’s three friends was thinking that God caused all
these bad things in Job’s life. Job’s description of the wicked.
(Job
21:22-26)
“Can anyone teach God knowledge, Since He judges those on high? One dies in
his full strength, Being wholly at ease and secure; His pails are full of
milk, And the marrow of his bones is moist, Another man dies in the
bitterness of his soul, Never having eaten with pleasure, They lie down
alike in the dust, And worms cover them.”
NKJV
God
allowed it, but He didn’t cause it. (Job
1:9-12)
“So Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing? Have
You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that
he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his
possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and
touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!’ And
the Lord said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do
not lay a hand on his person.’ So Satan went out from the presence of the
Lord.”
(Job
4:7-8)
“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright
ever cut off? Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble
reap the same.”
(Job
22:1-5)
“Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: “Can a man be profitable to
God, Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself? Is it any pleasure
to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to Him that you make
your ways blameless? Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects
you, And enters into judgment with you? Is not your wickedness great, And
your iniquity without end?”
(Job
21:23)
“One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and secure;”
NKJV
·
So what happens to people often depends more on things outside their control
than on their wisdom and diligence. Disappointments, setbacks, unforeseen
occurrences happen to the best of men.
Conclusion:
For the faithful of God, death is not the
end, but the beginning of a marvelous new existence.
Bobby Stafford April 14, 2019
