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Some have come to the conclusion that Eccl 7:14 means that God brings prosperity and evil to His children. This is my attempt at showing why I do not belive that this scripture is saying that nor do I belive that God does that.
Eccl 7:14 (KJV) "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider; God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him."
(Amplified) "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider that God has made the one side by side with the other, so that man may not find out anything that shall be after him.
In my dictionary, the word "adversity" means: activly opposed; hostile - unfavorable, to turn toward with hostility. Hardship and misfortune.
Strong's concordance renders it as "evil".
So, are we to conclude that God brings "adversity" upon His own? Are we to think that God sets His Face against those who have been washed by the Blood of the Lamb? That He brings evil against them. The one's whom He calls righteous?
Let's look at some scriptures regarding God's ways.
Deut 32:4 "He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment : a God of truth and without iniquity (another word for evil), just and right is he"
PS 145:17 "The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works."
PS 145:20 "The Lord preserveth all them that love him; but all the wicked will he destroy."
Prov 10:29 "The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity."
Now let's look at scriptures where the word "adversity" is used.
David said the Lord redeemed his soul out of all adversity 2 Samuel 4:9
2 Chron 15:3-6 shows adversity coming as a result of leaving God out of their lives.
IS 30:9-20 shows adversity coming to those who are rebellious.
Through all these scriptures we see under what conditions that people are under adversity. We see in the last one that His children eat the bread of it because of their rebellion.
So, if your expereinceing "adversity", as defined above, you are either not a child of God or you're walking in rebellion. And this is really a very simple problem to remedy. Stop rebelling. Do what God says and the adversity will stop. It's His promise.
He said He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. He said He changes not. So guess who it is who has to change. US!
Now adversity is very different from trials and tribulations. Jesus said "in this world you will have many trials and tribulations". With the former, God's face is against you, the latter He's growing you up.
OK, so God causes the two to dwell together side by side. That very much agrees with the parable Jesus told in Matt 13:24-30 (KJV) "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field; But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in they field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye took up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn"
As you see, adversity is being allowed to stand beside prosperity. When it's time to gather, the way the adversity is pulled out is by pulling everything that is standing straight (tares stand straight up and rigid) and refusing to bow. On the other hand, wheat bows.
We must each look at our own self. Are we standing rigidly against what God says and refusing to bend to His ways? Or are we bowing in humility, ready for Him to change us and use us?
NOTE: to those first time readers: I have edited this post quite a bit from what I first posted. So don't wonder at some of the first comments made by others. I took their comments to heart and made changes I felt were needed. Not because I changed my opinion but because I wanted to make it better understood.
Eccl 7:14 (KJV) "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider; God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him."
(Amplified) "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider that God has made the one side by side with the other, so that man may not find out anything that shall be after him.
In my dictionary, the word "adversity" means: activly opposed; hostile - unfavorable, to turn toward with hostility. Hardship and misfortune.
Strong's concordance renders it as "evil".
So, are we to conclude that God brings "adversity" upon His own? Are we to think that God sets His Face against those who have been washed by the Blood of the Lamb? That He brings evil against them. The one's whom He calls righteous?
Let's look at some scriptures regarding God's ways.
Deut 32:4 "He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment : a God of truth and without iniquity (another word for evil), just and right is he"
PS 145:17 "The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works."
PS 145:20 "The Lord preserveth all them that love him; but all the wicked will he destroy."
Prov 10:29 "The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity."
Now let's look at scriptures where the word "adversity" is used.
David said the Lord redeemed his soul out of all adversity 2 Samuel 4:9
2 Chron 15:3-6 shows adversity coming as a result of leaving God out of their lives.
IS 30:9-20 shows adversity coming to those who are rebellious.
Through all these scriptures we see under what conditions that people are under adversity. We see in the last one that His children eat the bread of it because of their rebellion.
So, if your expereinceing "adversity", as defined above, you are either not a child of God or you're walking in rebellion. And this is really a very simple problem to remedy. Stop rebelling. Do what God says and the adversity will stop. It's His promise.
He said He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. He said He changes not. So guess who it is who has to change. US!
Now adversity is very different from trials and tribulations. Jesus said "in this world you will have many trials and tribulations". With the former, God's face is against you, the latter He's growing you up.
OK, so God causes the two to dwell together side by side. That very much agrees with the parable Jesus told in Matt 13:24-30 (KJV) "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field; But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in they field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye took up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn"
As you see, adversity is being allowed to stand beside prosperity. When it's time to gather, the way the adversity is pulled out is by pulling everything that is standing straight (tares stand straight up and rigid) and refusing to bow. On the other hand, wheat bows.
We must each look at our own self. Are we standing rigidly against what God says and refusing to bend to His ways? Or are we bowing in humility, ready for Him to change us and use us?
NOTE: to those first time readers: I have edited this post quite a bit from what I first posted. So don't wonder at some of the first comments made by others. I took their comments to heart and made changes I felt were needed. Not because I changed my opinion but because I wanted to make it better understood.