Doing God’s work: How will faith wisely use capital?
Context: Those who heard of God’s work in ‘the house of God’ and put their confidence in Him as their redeemer are instructed in godly wisdom to persevere in the faith (Eccl 7), also in sufferings (Eccl 8). A ‘handful of tranquility’ will make them more productive rather than less (Eccl 9), to overcome evil with good (Eccl 10). One of the metaphors for such overcoming in ch10 is to not abandon ship when attacked, but to stay calm and ‘charm the serpent’ in time before it bites. In ch11, godly wisdom now instructs faith how to wisely invest capital.
Outline for discussion leader:
vv1-5: Faith diversifies the portfolio, knowing that it has no privileged information when rainstorms strike, or of the mechanics of how God works: As you do not know the way the spirit [comes to] the bones in the womb of a woman with child, [even] so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. Kohelet does not retract what he affirmed we must learn about the work of God, what it is and what it accomplishes. Instead, v5 defines what we cannot know about it, not even as believers:
- Although we can and must hear of God and his work (5:1) and that redemption is by faith alone in what He does, it remains hidden and beyond man’s comprehension to fathom how this is possible, and where this life originates. Jesus pointed to this verse when explaining the work of God of the new birth to the Jewish teacher Nicodemus (Jn 3:8): The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
- In like manner, after 11 chapters of explaining the work of God and what we can and must know about it, also Paul drew a line of what remains hidden and unsearchable about God’s way of doing it (cf Ro 11:33-36)
v6 similarly highlights our limits to explain: Whatever God did not reveal about his will, man cannot know. Faith is not a crystal ball: What will befall us or our business tomorrow remains hidden. Faith must act accordingly by diversifying its portfolio and sowing seed all day long. Faith trusts that God will make some seed grow, no matter what may befall us, and even if we cannot know how (Mk 4:37).
vv7-10: Faith also prepares for giving an account. Therefore, the joy caused by faith in the redemptive work of God will neither fold hands in resignation nor exhaust itself mindlessly with two hands full of toil. Instead, treasuring God above material wealth (v8), and with a sense of purpose and direction rooted in accountability (v9), faith goes to work and pursues practical holiness (v10).
Recommended: Take a break between chapters 10 and 11 to first study the dangers and opportunities of wealth (Q1), or else directly start ch11 with Q2.
1) Ecc 10 was about ‘overcoming evil with good’, whereas Ecc 11 is about prosperity. What do these themes have to do with each other?
- Does Ecc 10:19 commend wealth or rather warn of it? cf 1 Tim 6:9-10
- Read Ecc 6:1-2. Why is prosperity alone unable to satisfy? cf Ecc 11:8
- What is the danger of wealth? How can it deceive? cf Lk 8:14; Rev 3:17-18
- Read Lk 16:9-11 what good can wealth do? What are the ‘true riches’ given as incentive there?
Read Ecclesiastes 11
2) What guidance does godly wisdom give in this chapter to believers as entrepreneurs?
- As an entrepreneur, researcher, or farmer, what information is critical for you to decide when, where and how you invest capital?
- How does God guide your decisions in such matters?
- Should Christians expect special knowledge from God how to invest?
- v3-4: Or should godly farmers and investors expect to be exempt from disasters (floods, falling trees, bad weather etc) thanks to their faith? Why not?
- This chapter makes at least 5 statements what even believers cannot know: What are those?
- Why is it important to know what we cannot know, also as believers?
- How does this compare the ignorance of fools who “do not know the way into the city”, Eccl 10:15?
- vv1-4: Since we cannot “know what disaster may happen”, what are believers expected to do? =>
- What does it mean to ‘cast your bread upon the waters’ and to ‘give to seven or eight’, v2? [Trade; international diversification; not one miracle-share]
3) v6: In what regard does the work of believers resemble the activity of farmers who seed sow?
- In times without machines, how did a farmer sow: Can you picture his hands?
- How many hands “should he not withhold”, v6? [One handful of tranquility again?!]
- How may sowing ‘in the morning and in the evening’ apply to your balance of ‘active duty’ with resting?
- How does faith in God’s work change the manner how you conduct your tasks throughout the day? cf Ps 55:17; Lev 6:20; Acts 28:23
- Since the whole point of chapter 4-10 (and now 11) was to proclaim what the work of God is, how likely is it that Kohelet now would say: “Sorry, but you actually still cannot know anything about it!”?
- 3:11 concluded that man can neither please God nor find out the ‘work of God’ on his own. What then could be the difference between 11:5 and 3:11?
- Hint: After hearing in seven chapters what God’s work is all about, why is it tempting to think that we now know everything? => What will we never know? v5 =>
- What did Jesus say about this when he explained the work of God of the new birth to the Jewish teacher Nicodemus, Jn 3:8? … you hear, ….but you do not know …. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” =>
- How did Jesus describe those who come to believe in God’s work? => What does this mean to ‘hear the wind/Spirit’ (gr. pneuma)?
- What remains unknown even to believers?
- Read Ro 11:33-36. After explaining the work of God in 11 chapters, Paul drew a line what must remain hidden and unsearchable. Where is that line? […how unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways]
- v6: If we can only know of God’s work what He revealed, but not what he decided to keep hidden, how does this translate into how you do business in good faith? cf Mk 4:26-29 [Faith diversifies its portfolio and sows seed all day long, ‘morning and evening’].
- Why do vv7-9 warn of many future (!) days of darkness? =>
- What are these, v9? =>
- In v9, ‘darkness’ stands for a judgment that takes ‘many days’: When could this be? Gal 6:7-8; Col 3:23-25 [Principle: All must harvest what they sow, also in business dealings, because with God there is no impartiality]
6) vv9-10: Whom does Kohelet specifically address at the end of this chapter and how?
- v9: Rejoice, O young man, in your youth… => What do you hear in these words? A grumpy old man, or one whose advice you would want to take to heart? Why? What is his take home message? [rejoice – but how?]
- v10: Remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your body, for childhood and youth [lit. the dawn of life] are vanity. How would you translate to your kids what Kohelet is talking about here?
- Read 1 Cor 13:11. How do these words define exemplary manhood?
- What childish ways are singled out by v10? Why would anyone be reluctant to give up either of these to become a man?
- ‘Sorrow of heart’ and ‘evil in your body’: What are these, and why are they universal battle fields on the road to practical holiness?
7) Personal and application
- What treasures of wisdom and counseling in Ecc 11 do you find particularly inspiring?
- How does this counsel compare to how you were raised ?
- What encouragements do you find here to emulate?
- How do you show your kids whether or not you trust them that their affections (the heart) will do good?
- What do we learn here about shepherding young hearts and consciences (e.g. awareness of reality, of vanity, and judgment/justice…)?
- Do you look for and use opportunities to follow Kohelet’s example to invest into young people (e.g. as a personal example, mentor, friend, teacher, author…?
- Do you recognize in your group any untapped potential to serve the Lord in your sphere of influence?
- Pray for your faith to be guided by wisdom that no one will have to be ashamed when we have to give an account.
Bibletogetherblog 