ECCLESIASTES 9:11-12 – Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.”
THEME OF THE DAY: AT ANY MOMENT. The Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes is included in the section of our Bibles known as “the wisdom books” and for good reason. If we find ourselves “losing touch with eternity” and our spiritual life being choked by worldliness, even finding ourselves pursuing and attaching ourselves to the desires of the world, Ecclesiastes is our book to get us back on track! King Solomon knows by painful experience the folly of worldliness and gives us strong warnings to avoid.
But there is something else Ecclesiastes offers us – the reality of death and God’s judgment. Toward death, Solomon writes – No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death (Ecclesiastes 8:8a). He would close his book with this serious, thought-provoking, and should be life-shaping truth – The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). And that brings us to the theme of the day.
In today’s scripture, there are seven words that pack a lot of punch – for man does not know his time. This truth has multiple applications. We may apply it to each day of our lives. These words remind us of something we easily fall into – the self-deceiving trap of thinking we control our lives. The evidence is all the plans we make for the future, and often do so without regards to the New Testament truth revealed by James – Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:13-15). Wise planning is good but make sure we live aware our plans may not be the Lord’s and as they change, which in some fashion they will, don’t rebel or complain. Remember Solomon’s words – for man does not know his time.
The second application of the words for man does not know his time applies to our day of death. We know we are going to die – And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27). We don’t know the time. That begs the question, “Are we ready right now?” Obviously, the issue of salvation is paramount, but what about living the Christian life? If we were to die in the next minute, would we be found with lives lived abiding in the Lord – And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming (1 John 2:28)? Or would we be caught “spiritually off guard” and not prepared?
Remember these words – for man does not know his time – for they really mean at any moment the Lord may alter our plans or call us by death to Himself. Be ready. We just don’t know.
PRAYER: “Father, help me live for You one moment at a time for I know not the time of my death.”
QUOTE: “At any time God may call us to Himself so we should live ready at any time for His summons.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim