Useful Bible Studies > Ecclesiastes Commentary > chapter 9

Are God’s people different from other people?

Ecclesiastes 9:1

There is a group of people whom God loves in a special manner. Ecclesiastes 9:1 describes them as righteous (good) and wise. They are called ‘righteous’ because God forgives their evil deeds. They are called ‘wise’ because they respect God (Job 28:28).

But these people are not better or more clever than everyone else. They belong to this group because they have chosen to obey God. They have invited him into their lives. And they have accepted the invitation to learn God’s wisdom (Proverbs 9:1-12).

And in this world, their lives seem like everyone else’s lives. The same good and bad events happen during their lives as happen in other people’s lives. They have to deal with success, trouble, illness, accidents and death like everyone else. You would not be able to tell from the events in their lives that they belong to God’s special people (Ecclesiastes 8:14).

But they are ‘in God’s hands’. That is, God protects them with his special, personal care. Through all these events and troubles, God is looking after them. So, really, they are different from other people. The events in their lives may seem to be a matter of luck or chance. But it is God, and not luck or chance, who rules their lives.

Success in a person’s life is not the result of God’s love for that person. Troubles do not show that God hates that person. God wants to show his kindness to everyone (John 3:16). God allows everyone, including his own people, to suffer troubles in this world. But during their troubles, God looks after his people in a special manner.

Next part: Can religion save people from their troubles? (Ecclesiastes 9:2)

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