3/29/19

Ecclesiastes 3:14

¹⁴ I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.

From the first time I remember reading Ecclesiastes I have been fascinated with it.  The poetry, philosophy, and theology combine to make it both mysterious and wonderful.

You can find no higher theology in the Bible than that in our text for today.  And yet I have never been able to make any sense out of the verse that follows.  Let us look at verse 14.

1.       All God’s acts are eternal.  This has two consequences.  First there is no reaction with God.  Nothing can be added.  His acts are always both perfect and complete.  Second God is never dependent on future acts or consequences.  A simple consideration of this renders it foolish to make God’s election dependent on man’s will.  “Nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it”.

2.      There is a purpose to what God does.  In both Exodus and Romans it is stated that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh.  In Romans it is also stated that God raised him up, or put him there, for that particular purpose.  That may be very difficult to fit into your theology.  But you must admit that the Preacher who wrote our text for today has no problem with it.  “God has done so that men may fear before Him”.  A lost person who is not terrified by God knows nothing about Him.