Useful Bible Studies > Ecclesiastes Commentary > chapter 11

Can our work succeed?

Ecclesiastes 11:6

The author of Ecclesiastes has already urged people not to be lazy (Ecclesiastes 10:18). But now there is a special reason to be busy. The author believes that great troubles will happen soon in his country (Ecclesiastes 11:2).

So the author urges people to sow their seeds and to carry out their work now. They might not get another opportunity.

The author does not think that it is a good time to sow seeds (Ecclesiastes 11:4). The weather is not right. People may be wasting their effort. But the work is urgent and necessary. Only God can bring a successful harvest; that is God’s work. But people must do their proper work too, although their best efforts are so weak.

This seems to be a word-picture for our lives. Of course, we want good things to happen. But, by our human strength, we do not have the power to cause those things to happen. The success of our efforts depends entirely on God (Psalm 127:1-2). It is God’s work that matters. Our works are too weak to achieve anything worthwhile.

For that reason, nothing is more important for us than to do God’s work.

In John 6:28-29, people asked Jesus how they could do God’s work. Jesus told them to believe the person whom God had sent. Jesus meant that they should believe him. He, Jesus was the person whom God sent into this world (John 17:3). Jesus spoke God’s words, so it is essential to believe him (John 7:16). And God gives a wonderful promise to people who believe him. He promises them life that never ends (John 3:16).

Next part: The light of life and the days of darkness (Ecclesiastes 11:7-8)

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© 2019, Keith Simons.