Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Ecclesiastes
Book: Ecclesiastes
Chapter: 3
Overview:
The changes of human affairs.
(1-10) The Divine counsels
unchangeable.
(11-15) The vanity of worldly power.
(16-22)
1-10 To expect unchanging happiness in a changing world, must
End in disappointment. To bring ourselves to our state in
Life,
is our duty and
Wisdom in this world.
God's whole plan for the
government of the world will be found altogether
Wise, just, and
good. Then let us seize the favourable opportunity for every
good purpose and work. The time to die is
Fast approaching. Thus
labour and sorrow fill the world. This is given us, that we may
always have something to do; none were sent into the world to be
idle.
11-15 Every thing is as
God made it; not as it appears to us.
We have the world
So much in our hearts, are
So taken up with
thoughts and cares of worldly things, that we have neither time
nor
Spirit to see
God's
Hand in them. The world has not only
gained possession of the
Heart, but has formed thoughts against
the beauty of
God's
Works. We mistake if we think we were born
for ourselves;
No, it is our business to do good in this
Life,
which is short and uncertain; we have but little time to be
doing good, therefore we should redeem time. Satisfaction with
Divine
Providence, is having
Faith that all things work together
for good to them that
Love him.
God doeth all, that men should
fear before him. The world, as it has been, is, and will be.
There has
No change befallen us, nor has any
Temptation By it
taken us, but such as is common to men.
16-22 Without the fear of the
Lord,
Man is but vanity; set that
aside, and
Judges will not use their power
Well. And there is
another
Judge that stands before the door. With
God there is a
time for the redressing of grievances, though as yet we see it
not.
Solomon seems to express his wish that men might perceive,
that
By choosing this world as their portion, they brought
themselves to a level with the beasts, without being free, as
they are, from present vexations and a future account. Both
return to the
Dust from whence they were taken. What little
reason have we to be proud of our bodies, or bodily
accomplishments! But as none can fully comprehend,
So few
consider properly, the difference between the rational soul of
Man, and the
Spirit or
Life of the
Beast. The
Spirit of
Man goes
upward, to be judged, and is then fixed in an unchangeable state
of happiness or misery. It is as certain that the
Spirit of the
Beast goes downward to the
Earth; it perishes at
Death. Surely
their case is lamentable, the height of whose hopes and wishes
is, that they may die like beasts. Let our inquiry be, how an
eternity of existence may be to us an eternity of enjoyment? To
answer this, is the grand design of
Revelation.
Jesus is
revealed as the
Son of God, and the
Hope of sinners.