What is the meaning of Ecclesiastes 7:10? Do not say The verse opens with a straightforward prohibition, “Do not say….” God’s Word is not offering a mild suggestion; it issues a clear command that shapes the believer’s speech and attitude. Obedience to that command recognizes the Lord’s ownership of every moment (Proverbs 3:5-6). Just as James warns against presuming on tomorrow—“You ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills’ ” (James 4:15)—Solomon forbids careless words that question God’s wisdom in arranging the times and seasons of life. “Why were the old days better than these?” • Nostalgia can feel comforting, but unchecked it rewrites history and overlooks God’s present mercies. • Israel fell into this trap: “We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt…and now our strength is gone” (Numbers 11:5-6). They forgot Egypt’s chains because memory filtered out the hardship. • Paul turns us forward: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (Philippians 3:13). • Jesus adds, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Dwelling on “better” yesterdays blinds the heart to today’s grace and tomorrow’s promise. For it is unwise of you Wisdom literature contrasts the wise, who fear the Lord, with the fool, who trusts his own perceptions (Proverbs 1:7). Calling the question “unwise” exposes it as more than harmless nostalgia—it is functional unbelief. Wisdom receives each day as assigned by a sovereign God (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11); folly imagines it could allocate times more effectively. “Teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12) redirects the focus from bygone days to purposeful living now. To ask about this The issue lies not in remembering the past but in questioning God’s goodness in the present. A wise response includes: • Gratitude: “Give thanks in every circumstance” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). • Stewardship: “Look carefully then how you walk…redeeming the time” (Ephesians 5:15-16). • Trust: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). • Hope: “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34); the Lord already occupies every future moment. By embracing these truths, the believer stops pining for a golden past and starts investing in God’s present assignment. summary Ecclesiastes 7:10 declares, “Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is unwise of you to ask about this.” The verse forbids nostalgic grumbling because it questions God’s sovereign distribution of time. Remembering the past is fine; yearning for it as superior undermines gratitude, cripples present obedience, and ignores the unchanging goodness of God. Wisdom rests in the Lord’s perfect timing, receives today as a gift, and presses forward in faith. |
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