Ecclesiastes 9:-11 What Does It Mean ?

[musicworld]

I have seen something else under the sun
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned
but time and chance happen to them all.


It is mainly the last verse: but time and chance happen to them all. What is GOD saying in all of this ? that regardless of what you are it's about being in the right place at the right time ?

 

[WhiteKnuckle]

The verse immediately after says,, "For man also knows not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them."

Seems to me that it means that, Everyone takes a chance, and doesn't know exactly the outcome of the thing they're doing. Also, that you'd think wars are won for the strong, but it's sometimes given to the wise.

You gotta read all of the passages that are part of this, otherwise you'd misunderstand.

 

[Nomad]

It is mainly the last verse: but time and chance happen to them all. What is GOD saying in all of this?

The Teacher encourages men to labour with all their might while they still have life and breath. He adds that they must not be confident of their own strength, as if they were the cause of their own success. He tells them to look to God for his blessing, without which all their labors will be in vain. If we look back to the beginning of the chapter we can see that "time and chance happening to all" is just another example of God’s providence in the disposal of human affairs. In other words, our lives and everything we do under the sun is in the sovereign hands of God. See the bold type in 9:1.


Ecc 9:1 But 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.
Ecc 9:2 It 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.
Ecc 9:3 This 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.
Ecc 9:4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Ecc 9:5 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.
Ecc 9:6 Their 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.
Ecc 9:7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
Ecc 9:8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.
Ecc 9:9 Enjoy 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.
Ecc 9:10 Whatever 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.
Ecc 9:11 Again 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.
Ecc 9:12 For 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.

 

[Adstar]

I have seen something else under the sun
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned
but time and chance happen to them all.


It is mainly the last verse: but time and chance happen to them all. What is GOD saying in all of this ? that regardless of what you are it's about being in the right place at the right time ?

I see the scripture as saying that no matter how accomplished we are there is no guarantee our works will ensure us material or physical security.

In this fallen world we all are subject to events that can bring us low. The most athletic can be injured and end up in a wheel chair. The richest man can watch his investments melt before his eyes because of events out of his control. A knowledgeable farmer who is careful with his land can face a drought that lasts years that no amount of careful planning will stop ruining him.

It is best to have faith in God to give one the strength one needs to get through these events. It is best to have faith in God no matter what happens to us in this fallen world. It is best to have our minds on the over riding importance of the eternal than the temporary state of the times we live in.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[musicworld]

It is best to have our minds on the over riding importance of the eternal than the temporary state of the times we live in.

Agreed..

Thanks to everyone for responding, it's a little more clear now.

 

[TallMan]

Is it a coded message about 9/11?