◄ Ecclesiastes 9:1 ►
So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God's hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.
Study Bible
So I took all this to heart and concluded
The phrase indicates a deep reflection and personal conclusion by the author, traditionally believed to be Solomon. This introspective approach is consistent with the wisdom literature style, where personal experience and observation lead to broader truths. The phrase suggests a careful consideration of life's complexities and uncertainties, a theme prevalent throughout Ecclesiastes.

that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands.
This acknowledges God's sovereignty over human affairs, a central tenet in biblical theology. The righteous and wise are often seen as those who live according to God's commandments, yet their outcomes are ultimately determined by God. This reflects the biblical understanding that human efforts are subject to divine will, as seen in Proverbs 16:9, which states, "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." The phrase also implies a sense of security and trust in God's providence, despite life's unpredictability.

Man does not know what lies ahead,
This highlights human limitations in understanding the future, a recurring theme in Ecclesiastes. It echoes the sentiment found in James 4:14, which reminds believers of the uncertainty of life. The unpredictability of future events underscores the need for reliance on God, who alone knows the future. This acknowledgment of human ignorance serves as a call to humility and faith.

whether love or hate.
The mention of love and hate represents the spectrum of human experiences and emotions. In the cultural context of the ancient Near East, these terms could encompass a wide range of relational dynamics and outcomes. The uncertainty of experiencing love or hate in the future emphasizes the unpredictability of life and relationships. This duality also reflects the broader biblical narrative of human life being subject to both blessings and trials, as seen in the lives of biblical figures like Job, who experienced both divine favor and suffering.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Preacher (Qoheleth)
Traditionally identified as Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, who is considered the author of Ecclesiastes. He reflects on the meaning of life and the human condition.

2. The Righteous and the Wise
These are individuals who live according to God's commandments and seek wisdom. In the context of Ecclesiastes, they represent those who strive to live a life pleasing to God.

3. The Hand of God
A metaphorical expression indicating God's sovereign control and providence over human affairs and destinies.

4. Love and Hate
These represent the range of human experiences and emotions that are beyond human prediction or control, emphasizing the uncertainty of life.

5. The Works of Man
Refers to the actions and endeavors of individuals, which are ultimately under God's authority and judgment.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Human Limitations
Recognize that our lives and actions are ultimately under God's control. We must trust in His sovereignty, even when the future is uncertain.

The Uncertainty of Life
Accept that we cannot predict whether we will experience love or hate, success or failure. This should lead us to live with humility and dependence on God.

Living Righteously Amidst Uncertainty
Despite life's unpredictability, we are called to live righteously and wisely, trusting that God holds our future.

Trust in God's Providence
Embrace the comfort that comes from knowing our lives are in God's hands, which should lead to peace and confidence in His plans.

Reflecting on Life's Meaning
Regularly reflect on the purpose and direction of your life, seeking wisdom and understanding from God.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding that "the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God" influence your daily decisions and actions?

2. In what ways can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's sovereignty, especially when facing uncertainty about the future?

3. How do the themes of love and hate in Ecclesiastes 9:1 relate to your personal experiences, and how can you apply this understanding to your relationships?

4. Reflect on a time when you experienced unexpected outcomes in your life. How did this experience shape your view of God's providence?

5. How can you apply the teachings of Ecclesiastes 9:1 to encourage others who may be struggling with uncertainty or fear about their future?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Proverbs 16:9
This verse highlights the theme of God's sovereignty over human plans, similar to the idea that the works of the righteous and wise are in God's hands.

Romans 8:28
This passage speaks to God's providential care and purpose for those who love Him, aligning with the notion that the righteous are in God's hands.

James 4:13-15
These verses emphasize the uncertainty of life and the need to acknowledge God's will in our plans, echoing the unpredictability of what awaits us.
Sermons
In the Hand of GodJ. M. Gibson, D. D.Ecclesiastes 9:1
The Antidote to DespondencyD. Thomas Ecclesiastes 9:1-3
Inexorable DestinyJ. Willcock Ecclesiastes 9:1-6
People
Solomon
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Anything, Awaits, Clear, Concluded, Considered, Declare, Deeds, Doesn't, Either, Examining, Explain, Explore, God's, Hands, Hate, Hatred, Heart, Indeed, Investigate, Knoweth, Laid, Love, Purpose, Righteous, Upright, Vanity, Whether, Wise, Works
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ecclesiastes 9:1

     5890   insecurity
     8674   study

Ecclesiastes 9:1-2

     7150   righteous, the

Library
The Lapse of Time.
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."--Eccles. ix. 10. Solomon's advice that we should do whatever our hand findeth to do with our might, naturally directs our thoughts to that great work in which all others are included, which will outlive all other works, and for which alone we really are placed here below--the salvation of our souls. And the consideration of this great work, …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

A Home Mission Sermon
"What a dear Saviour we have found," and heralding the coming of our Master. We are here as the salt to preserve a world, which else would become putrid and destroyed. We are here as the very pillars of this world's happiness: for when God shall take away his saints, the universal moral fabric "shall tumble to its fall; and great shall be the crash, when the righteous shall be removed, and the foundations shall be shaken. Taking it therefore as granted that the people of God are here to do something …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

Three Youths Save Constantinople
Now there was found in that city a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no one remembered that same poor man. Eccl. ix. 15. After these events it really seems as if Gaïnas, to use a modern expression, had completely lost his head, or, to give the view of it taken by himself and his contemporaries, as if a demon had begun to trouble him; for his conduct became aimless and uncertain. Discontent, revenge, ambition, and evil counsels destroyed in him all capacity for wise …
Frederic William Farrar—Gathering Clouds: A Tale of the Days of St. Chrysostom

Annunciation to Joseph of the Birth of Jesus.
(at Nazareth, b.c. 5.) ^A Matt. I. 18-25. ^a 18 Now the birth [The birth of Jesus is to handled with reverential awe. We are not to probe into its mysteries with presumptuous curiosity. The birth of common persons is mysterious enough (Eccl. ix. 5; Ps. cxxxix. 13-16), and we do not well, therefore, if we seek to be wise above what is written as to the birth of the Son of God] of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed [The Jews were usually betrothed ten or twelve months …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Moral Depravity.
In discussing the subject of human depravity, I shall,-- I. Define the term depravity. The word is derived from the Latin de and pravus. Pravus means "crooked." De is intensive. Depravatus literally and primarily means "very crooked," not in the sense of original or constitutional crookedness, but in the sense of having become crooked. The term does not imply original mal-conformation, but lapsed, fallen, departed from right or straight. It always implies deterioration, or fall from a former state …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Epistle cxxvii. From S. Columbanus to Pope Gregory .
From S. Columbanus to Pope Gregory [89] . To the holy lord, and father in Christ, the Roman [pope], most fair ornament of the Church, a certain most august flower, as it were, of the whole of withering Europe, distinguished speculator, as enjoying a divine contemplation of purity (?) [90] . I, Bargoma [91] , poor dove in Christ, send greeting. Grace to thee and peace from God the Father [and] our [Lord] Jesus Christ. I am pleased to think, O holy pope, that it will seem to thee nothing extravagant …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Relation v. Observations on Certain Points of Spirituality.
1. "What is it that distresses thee, little sinner? Am I not thy God? Dost thou not see how ill I am treated here? If thou lovest Me, why art thou not sorry for Me? Daughter, light is very different from darkness. I am faithful; no one will be lost without knowing it. He must be deceiving himself who relies on spiritual sweetnesses; the true safety lies in the witness of a good conscience. [1] But let no one think that of himself he can abide in the light, any more than he can hinder the natural …
Teresa of Avila—The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus

Epistle xxxiv. To Venantius, Ex-Monk, Patrician of Syracuse .
To Venantius, Ex-Monk, Patrician of Syracuse [1331] . Gregory to Venantius, &c. Many foolish men have supposed that, if I were advanced to the rank of the episcopate, I should decline to address thee, or to keep up communication with thee by letter. But this is not so; since I am compelled by the very necessity of my position not to hold my peace. For it is written, Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet (Isai. lviii. 1). And again it is written, I have given thee for a watchman …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Jewish views on Trade, Tradesmen, and Trades' Guilds
We read in the Mishnah (Kidd. iv. 14) as follows: "Rabbi Meir said: Let a man always teach his son a cleanly and a light trade; and let him pray to Him whose are wealth and riches; for there is no trade which has not both poverty and riches, and neither does poverty come from the trade nor yet riches, but everything according to one's deserving (merit). Rabbi Simeon, the son of Eleazer, said: Hast thou all thy life long seen a beast or a bird which has a trade? Still they are nourished, and that …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Thoughts Upon Worldly-Riches. Sect. Ii.
TIMOTHY after his Conversion to the Christian Faith, being found to be a Man of great Parts, Learning, and Piety, and so every way qualified for the work of the Ministry, St. Paul who had planted a Church at Ephesus the Metropolis or chief City of all Asia, left him to dress and propagate it, after his departure from it, giving him Power to ordain Elders or Priests, and to visit and exercise Jurisdiction over them, to see they did not teach false Doctrines, 1 Tim. i. 3. That they be unblameable in …
William Beveridge—Private Thoughts Upon a Christian Life

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
or, Gospel Light Fetched out of the Temple at Jerusalem, to Let us More Easily into the Glory of New Testament Truths. 'Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Isreal;--shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out hereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof.'--Ezekiel 43:10, 11 London: Printed for, and sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans without Bishopgate, …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

"But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God," &C.
Matth. vi. 33.--"But seek ye first the kingdom of God," &c. II. The Christian's chief employment should be to seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof. "Seek first," &c. Upon this he should first and chiefly spend his thoughts, and affections, and pains. We comprehend it in three things. First, He should seek to be clothed upon with Christ's righteousness, and this ought to take up all his spirit. This is the first care and the chief concern. Did not this righteousness weigh much …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
Presented to the World in a Familiar Dialogue Between Mr. Wiseman and Mr. Attentive. By John Bunyan ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. The life of Badman is a very interesting description, a true and lively portraiture, of the demoralized classes of the trading community in the reign of King Charles II; a subject which naturally led the author to use expressions familiar among such persons, but which are now either obsolete or considered as vulgar. In fact it is the only work proceeding from the prolific …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Second Great Group of Parables.
(Probably in Peræa.) Subdivision D. Parable of the Lost Son. ^C Luke XV. 11-32. ^c 11 And he said, A certain man had two sons [These two sons represent the professedly religious (the elder) and the openly irreligious (the younger). They have special reference to the two parties found in the first two verses of this chapter --the Pharisees, the publicans and sinners]: 12 and the younger of them [the more childish and easily deceived] said to his father, Father, give me the portion of thy substance …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Original Sin
Q-16: DID ALL MANKIND FALL IN ADAM'S FIRST TRANSGRESSION? A: The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him, by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression. 'By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin,' &c. Rom 5:12. Adam being a representative person, while he stood, we stood; when he fell, we fell, We sinned in Adam; so it is in the text, In whom all have sinned.' Adam was the head …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Jesus' Feet Anointed in the House of a Pharisee.
(Galilee.) ^C Luke VII. 36-50. ^c 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. [We learn from verse 40 that the Pharisee's name was Simon. Because the feast at Bethany was given in the house of Simon the leper, and because Jesus was anointed there also, some have been led to think that Luke is here describing this supper. See Matt. xxvi. 6-13; Mark xiv. 3-9; John xii. 1-8. But Simon the leper was not Simon the Pharisee. The name Simon was one of the most common among the Jewish …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Ecclesiastes
It is not surprising that the book of Ecclesiastes had a struggle to maintain its place in the canon, and it was probably only its reputed Solomonic authorship and the last two verses of the book that permanently secured its position at the synod of Jamnia in 90 A.D. The Jewish scholars of the first century A.D. were struck by the manner in which it contradicted itself: e.g., "I praised the dead more than the living," iv. 2, "A living dog is better than a dead lion," ix. 4; but they were still more …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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