Ecclesiastes: 'No new thing under the sun'

[faroukfarouk]

This is a strong message in Ecclesiastes: there is 'no new thing under the sun'.

It seems that the Preacher is stating the case of how things are apart from the grace of God. For those who love and trust the Lord Jesus, we have been 'surprised by joy' and 'where sin abounded, grace did much more abound'.

The world and its ways, however, have not changed.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I have a commentary on Ecclesiastes by Charles Bridges. Although he seems to regard the church and Israel as the same (which dispensationally I do not), it is supposed to be a classic commentary on the book; it's issued by Banner of Truth.

 

[Pilgrim]

This is a strong message in Ecclesiastes: there is 'no new thing under the sun'.

It seems that the Preacher is stating the case of how things are apart from the grace of God. For those who love and trust the Lord Jesus, we have been 'surprised by joy' and 'where sin abounded, grace did much more abound'.

The world and its ways, however, have not changed.

Amen. There is nothing at all.

6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. —Numbers 11:6​

There is no new source of joy—apart from God. In the world there are only re-runs of endless petty pleasures, business, war...

 

[faroukfarouk]

Amen. There is nothing at all.

6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. —Numbers 11:6​

There is no new source of joy—apart from God. In the world there are only re-runs of endless petty pleasures, business, war...

This is why I so love Philippians, the Epistle of Joy.

 

[Uber Genius]

I have a commentary on Ecclesiastes by Charles Bridges. Although he seems to regard the church and Israel as the same (which dispensationally I do not), it is supposed to be a classic commentary on the book; it's issued by Banner of Truth.

Typical of something called "replacement theology."

There are other approaches that would affirm that while God inspires authors to write, they do so freely and without future knowledge of God's church (some exceptions apply in prophetic/apocalyptic genres).

It could be taken at face value it seems without anachronistic metaphors or belabored analogies without losing any value in the message of the folly of self-reliance and hedonism.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Typical of something called "replacement theology."

There are other approaches that would affirm that while God inspires authors to write, they do so freely and without future knowledge of God's church (some exceptions apply in prophetic/apocalyptic genres).

It could be taken at face value it seems without anachronistic metaphors or belabored analogies without losing any value in the message of the folly of self-reliance and hedonism.

A little off topic?

I really aspired for the thread to be for what Ecclesiastes positively is about.

 

[Uber Genius]

A little off topic?

I really aspired for the thread to be for what Ecclesiastes positively is about.

And yet I responded to your post where you drilled down on the particular commentary and their philosophy of interpretation.

I respond to that post and you just accused me of taking us off topic.

You might want to delete post #2 above, regarding the method of the commentary if your desire is to not have those discussions here.

 

[faroukfarouk]

And yet I responded to your post where you drilled down on the particular commentary and their philosophy of interpretation.

I respond to that post and you just accused me of taking us off topic.

You might want to delete post #2 above, regarding the method of the commentary if your desire is to not have those discussions here.

Okay! I don't mind your comment.

The thrust of the thread is hopefully about Ecclesiastes.

To my mind anyway, the dispensational distinctives play an important part in understanding Ecclesiastes. It was written without clear references to the revelation that is in the New Testament. It seems to describe the ways of the world and the nature of things where the grace of God in Christ is absent.

 

[com7fy8]

Farouk, I think your first post, above, is great and possibly gives the best of what the scripture can mean. And so, now maybe you would like to get into lesser aspects of this

One thing I think it can include is that what this evil world is doing is nothing really so new.

Also, we will be on the new earth which will be in "the glorious liberty of the children of God" > Romans 8:20-21. To me, this means the earth, like us, will be in resurrectional glory. So, what we see, now, in this world, is not new like the new earth will be, in quality.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Farouk, I think your first post, above, is great and possibly gives the best of what the scripture can mean. And so, now maybe you would like to get into lesser aspects of this

One thing I think it can include is that what this evil world is doing is nothing really so new.

Also, we will be on the new earth which will be in "the glorious liberty of the children of God" > Romans 8:20-21. To me, this means the earth, like us, will be in resurrectional glory. So, what we see, now, in this world, is not new like the new earth will be, in quality.

A helpful consideration there; thanks!

 

[toLiJC]

This is a strong message in Ecclesiastes: there is 'no new thing under the sun'.

It seems that the Preacher is stating the case of how things are apart from the grace of God. For those who love and trust the Lord Jesus, we have been 'surprised by joy' and 'where sin abounded, grace did much more abound'.

The world and its ways, however, have not changed.

the matter at hand in Ecclesiastes is repetition of events, because eternity is a circle of existence, positions of and events with the souls, the doctrine about which is the explanation of why souls should (as soon as possible) be saved from the threatening manifestation of the "darkness" and provided with abundant and eternal life

Blessings

 

[faroukfarouk]

the matter at hand in Ecclesiastes is repetition of events, because eternity is a circle of existence, positions of and events with the souls, the doctrine about which is the explanation of why souls should (as soon as possible) be saved from the threatening manifestation of the "darkness" and provided with abundant and eternal life

Blessings

There is indeed an emptiness about the events of life without being filled with God in Christ!

 

[toLiJC]

There is indeed an emptiness about the events of life without being filled with God in Christ!

yes, and yet not exactly

Blessings