For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath (Eccles. 9:1-2).
NOTE:
The theory of “common grace” proposes that the good
things of God’s providence that God showers upon all men (e.g. sunshine,
rainfall, prosperity, health, etc.) are “tokens
of His love for all men.” This text seems to contradict that idea,
however …
(I)
Brian Crossett
Now
it is clear to everyone that the sun and rain are “before” us. The sun and rain are part of God’s providence
to all men without exception. However,
the Scripture above (Eccles. 9:1-2) is clear that the disposition of God is not
revealed in things. God’s “love” and God’s “hatred” are
specifically mentioned. Nevertheless,
there are those who postulate the erroneous doctrine of common grace who have
decided differently. They need to realise
that when Scripture says we can’t know love or hatred by all that is before us,
we can’t.
The
big question is why do purveyors of “common grace” (so-called) wish to make the
grace of God “common”? The reason is
because they wish to find accommodation for Arminianism and a basis for the
Arminian well-meant offer. They are not
content with the presentation of the gospel according to the apostles and Jesus
Christ.
---------------------------------------------
(II)
Rev. Thomas C. Miersma
“no
man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them” (Eccl. 9:1).
The
love and hatred spoken of are the love and hatred of God. The scriptural idea
of God’s love embraces the truth of His grace, mercy, and goodness, while God’s
hatred includes His wrath, anger, and judgment. The point made is that you
cannot and may not, by looking at external circumstances and the affairs of
life that are before you (in front of your face), draw the conclusion that God
either loves or hates you, your neighbor, or someone else. What you see under
the sun does not itself reveal the attitude of God. To know that you must go to
His revealed Word.
God is
no respecter of persons. “He maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the
good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). Seeing this, you may not draw the
conclusion that all men are the objects of His grace, not even a “common”
grace, or find in it a general goodness of God toward men. God is good, all He
does is good, and His gifts are good gifts in the creation. But they are not a
revelation of a universal favor of God or an attitude of grace toward all.
Solomon here rejects such a conclusion as false, for it is based on a mistaken
inference from what is seen.
Similarly,
when calamities come as they did to Job, you may not draw the conclusion that
Job is a wicked man and God’s wrath has come upon him in judgment. The
prosperity of the wicked does not mean that God loves them. The poverty of
Lazarus, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, does not mean that God
hated Lazarus and loved the rich man. In the parable the opposite is true (Luke 16:19-31).
The
reality is, “All things come alike to all …” (Eccl. 9:2). God deals with men and the life of men
organically, so that in the daily course of life “all things come alike to
all.” Fruitful and barren years, riches and poverty, sickness and health are so
in the hand of God that they come upon men personally and corporately in such a
way that, in themselves, you may not draw from them the conclusion that God
loves or hates this person or that person, this nation or that nation.
Sin
manifestly has consequences, but all have sinned. All deserve the consequences
of sin. But from what can be seen, the wrong interpretation may not be drawn.
Jesus takes this up in its negative aspect when confronting the Jews,
There were present at that season some that told him
of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And
Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners
above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay:
but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon
whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners
above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you Nay: but, except ye repent,
ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:1-5).
The
Word of God guards us from the erroneous conclusion that we are inclined by
nature to draw from what we see. We would infer God’s love or hatred from
external circumstances or from things seen under the sun. But grace and wrath
are not in things. The point is important both in the practical circumstances
of our own life as well as for our doctrinal understanding. “No man knoweth
either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all …”
(Eccl. 9:1, 2). It is exactly our
natural tendency when things go well with us to feel that God loves us, and
when things go wrong or badly that God is against us. The knowledge of God’s
love, His chastening hand of correction for sin, the burden of a troubled
conscience, belong to the knowledge of faith by the Word. God may use the
circumstances of life or the consequences of our behavior to drive us to that
truth revealed in His Word and to repentance, but we may not make a false
inference from things in themselves. The same is true doctrinally for the
theories of some universal favor or goodness of God in rain and sunshine. Such
an inference is here repudiated by the text, so that it is well worth
repeating: “No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
All things come alike to all …” (Eccl. 9:1, 2).
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(III)
More to come! (DV)
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