Ecclesiastes 8:14-17
MAN CANNOT KNOW GOD'S WAYS - "There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun. When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one's eyes see sleep, then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out" (Ecclesiastes 8:14-17).
There is an infatuation within our culture today that manifests itself by the desire to KNOW.
Our flesh longs to have answers to all of life's questions and our culture is overwhelmingly flooded with desperate attempts to educate man with scientific and philosophical knowledge, opinions and perspectives, all the while distancing itself from the absolute truth of Scripture. Why?
Truth be told, discontent minds morph into restless hearts, creating a shift from a desire-to-know to a need-to-know. The danger with this pattern of thinking is that it undermines faith entirely. For what purpose does faith and trust exist if not to fill the void of knowledge in our lives?
But if we truly delve deeper, is our heart's desire simply to know the answers to life's infinite questions or to KNOW GOD personally?
Scripture reminds us, "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" (Psalm 42:1-2a); and similarly, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1).
In both instances, the writer recognizes that man desires to know his Creator intimately above all else. In other words, life is not complete without a personal relationship with God. Just knowing about God or the possible existence of God from the skeptic's point of view is emotionally, mentally and spiritually insufficient.
As Solomon alludes, man cannot know God's ways for the Lord is omniscient, sovereign and omnipresent. He knows all, reigns over all, and is present everywhere at the same time. Simply wrapping our minds around these aspects of God's identity is difficult enough, causing many people to disregard the notion that God exists altogether.
Disregarding truth because we don't understand it though does not justify unbelief that indeed absolute truth exists. We can view creation itself and understand that someone far greater than we can fathom brought everything into existence.
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse" (Romans 1:18-20).
What Paul conveys is that even those who have never been exposed to the truth of the Gospel message are held accountable on the day of judgment because creation itself points to the almighty Creator, leaving every human being without excuse as to why anyone would dare disbelieve in God.
Yet many boastfully presume that Creationism is simply a ridiculous theory comprised by man to satisfy some psychological need for purpose and significance, all the while holding firm to science alone as the source of proof for our entire existence and the creation of the world. How then do we reconcile the great debate between Creationism and Science?
Consider again Paul's words: "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough" (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
When we allow our minds to drift further away from the absolute truth of Scripture, we are tempted to place hope and trust in the things of this world. Theories and philosophies contrary to the Bible take root, post-modernistic thinking consumes the mind, and we begin to doubt whether God truly exists.
As Christians, we wholeheartedly embrace and trust in the validity of science, mathematics, anthropology, etc., but we cannot allow our desire for proof in all things to undermine our faith in God who created all things simply by speaking creation into existence.
“Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists.”
Considering the perspective of Blaise Pascal, French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher, if you believe in God and find out when you die that He doesn't exist, you ultimately lose nothing.
However, if you choose NOT to believe in God and find out when you die that He does exist, you lose everything! Therefore, from Pascal's reasoning, the gamble or wager is far too great to leave to chance by trusting in created things rather than the Creator Himself.
"Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:14-15).
It is sobering to embrace reality that man will never fully comprehend nor understand God's ways. But while God does not promise that our flesh will ever be fully satisfied, He does promise that He will satisfy the heart of every man, woman and child who places faith and trust in Him as their source of salvation.
"For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory" (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Through Christ the promises of God are made complete and proven true, reconciling us to God despite our pride, selfishness, and unrighteousness. Therefore, faith is a decision made possible by God to allow those of us who are born-again to one day spend eternity in His holy presence when we leave this world and reunite with the Lord in heaven, but we must be willing to let go of our fear of persecution and ridicule from those who mock our faith if we are to enter God's eternal kingdom.
That is why Jesus affirmed, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:10-12).
If we identify ourselves as Christians, then we share in His death AND resurrection. Therefore, the persecution He endured for His identity as Son of the living God is our identity as well, even unto death as many martyrs both past and present have come to know.
But the glory He revealed in His resurrection is theirs and ours as well to share in, for our inheritance is linked through Jesus to God the Father because of our faith in the atoning sacrifice Christ made on our behalf to pay the penalty for our sin.
What then is our response to those who ridicule our trust in the validity of Scripture and seek to destroy our foundation of faith in God?
"So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:26-33).
As Christians, we take no issue with the assertion that man cannot know God's ways because we know it to be true. What we can take issue of though is that billions of people across this world are destined to spend eternity apart from God because they refuse to reconcile their independence from Him and dependence on themselves. Therefore, we must embrace the Great Commission in spite of our comforts and in lieu of our fears because our Savior instructs us to do so...and that is reason enough!
"And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).
