"When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)" (Ecclesiastes 8:16 KJV)
"God's purpose was that we Jews who were first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believe in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him." (Ephesians 1:12-14 NLT)
There is more to this than meets the eye, so to speak: as Solomon was gifted by God with abundant wisdom, he ponders 'the business that is done upon the earth,' as if there is something that God is doing, whether we know it or not, that is all part of His plan. After all, God never sleeps!
Looking up that word, 'business', we will discover that is has an evil tone to it, as it suggests that all that goes on here on this earth is of little profit, for us. All that we toil and do, although it might be something we feel is special and of benefit to the human race; in God's eyes, it has no value or significance whatsoever!
Just think of the things we have designed and produced over these last hundred years; most of which, will be worth nothing without the power to use them, all of which will one day be useless and able to do nothing. Visit a junk yard and see for yourself; things which were once iconic and amazed the masses, are just piles of junk and ready to be recycled or turned into rubbish.
What matters more than anything else is God's design and purposes! We can enjoy our things in the moment, but when it's all said and done, even we get recycled and turned into rubbish...
"You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, "Don't handle! Don't taste! Don't touch!"? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person's evil desires. Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand." (Colossians 2:20-3:1 NLT)
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