I. INTRODUCTION TO CHAOS FACTORS AND COMMON SOLUTIONS
A. Lots of movies and fantasy stories 幻想故事show people facing very difficult problems, usually a powerful evil empire that threatens to take over the world or the universe and make all people into slaves. What people need are super human powers 超級人力to solve chaos problems in life
Lord of the Rings: one ring gives great power to disappear, (so it is coveted by most people who think it will help them fix the world’s problems) but it is a ring that controls its wearer to do the evil will of its maker. The ring must be destroyed to protect good people.
基地全系列套書7本 (科幻小說)（紀念書衣版）（電子試讀本） (電子書) 作者： 以撒．艾西莫夫(Isaac Asimov) 出版社：奇幻基地 Isaac Asimov wrote the intriguing 7 volume Foundation Series of science fiction novels set in the distant future when men inhabit the outer galaxies and have hyperspace travel. In his series he weaves his main theme around a man named Hari Seldon, 哈里‧謝頓 a mathematician who develops the theory of psychohistory, 心理史學 which is a mathematical formula for predicting 靈視/預測 the future. Seldon wants to use psychohistory to prevent the destruction of the universe and the loss of all knowledge. Eventually, Seldon calls the formula “The Prime Radiant”. During the course of his research, one of the members of his research team develops a major breakthrough to the formula: they needed an achaotic section in the formula to try to account for the chaos in the world and bring it under manageable control. Isaac Asimov (the series’ author) is an atheist. His seven novel series never mentions the influence of religion or Christianity on the galaxies. Instead, man or the human-like robots man creates, they alone must use “the prime radiant” formula to not only predict the future, but manipulate key people with “mentalics” the science of mind control 精神控制 , to do what the people with mentalic powers decide is best for the universe. We later learn (a seven book series) that Hari Seldon is a robot, who observes that since man is the cause of the chaos, then the robots need to take over the universe to prevent future destruction. That is the worldview of the atheist about how to face and control life’s chaos factors.
B. What are some of the chaos factors people are experiencing these days from the news?
1. Virus (health) social distancing creating problems with schedule, employment, income, travel, important events (weddings, graduations, church meetings) limited availability of goods and services, stress on health care workers
2. Politics: racism against Chinese? Unrest in Hong Kong, Taiwan-China relations, US-China Relations
3. Personal relationships: family & marriage difficulties, schooling problems, problems with children
C. What do people hope for to face these kinds of chaos factors in daily life? Usually the answers have to do with various definitions of the CAUSE of the CHAOS FACTORS:
COVID-19 Political virus problem: who started the virus and what responsibility should they take for fixing it? Practical Virus problem: what causes it to spread and how should they take responsibility to fix it? So governments are tracing the spreaders and using limiting travel and large groups, requiring social distancing and quarantining to limit the spread. Economic virus problem: the social distancing will cause big economic problems, so how can we fix those causes before an economic collapse?
Political Causes of Chaos: What is the source of the unrest in Hong Kong and how can it be fixed? (depends on who you ask): gov’t says it the disobedient citizens causing trouble; citizens says it’s the bad government not keeping its promises and doing its duties)
What is the source of tension between Taiwan and China? (depends on who you ask): China says its independence factions trying to split the true Chinese nation and people. Taiwan says its China dominating Taiwan and demanding that whole world agree with its one China policy.
Causes for Relationship Chaos: depends on who you ask: Psychologist: different personality types, personality disorders and mental illnesses
D. SOLUTIONS TO CHAOS FACTORS OFTEN RELATED TO SPECIAL POWERS:
For example, become famous, influential, powerful and wealthy so you can control many chaos factors yourself.
Most of us are not powerful or wealthy, so we ask for help from (Folk religion) the ancestor spirits (movie Mulan 花木蘭) or go to temple to seek answers or fix feng-shwei problems; family (share resources, give money, help); doctors (use your skill to heal me); citizens (unite and protest, labor strike 勞工罷工); government (give medical insurance to all citizens, stop the virus, give money to the poor, fix the injustice, let people have good protection of human rights); scientists and researchers (find a cure, vaccine); alliances with other countries (treaties 條約 nations’ alliance 國際聯盟 make peace, protect rights, stop war and injustice); psychiatry (give me medication for my personality disorder, or mental illness)
Some of the above may be useful, but notice how all of the analysis looks outside of ourselves, blaming chaos on the most obvious reasons, but forgetting some other important reasons for chaos, its causes and solutions. The Christian approach to chaos factors in Ecclesiastes will surprise 使吃驚 many listeners.
II. What about Ecclesiastes? What is his worldview? How does the author teach us to face life’s chaos factors? READ ECCLESIASTES 9:1-12; 12:13-14
A. Basic worldview from emphasizing some Old Testament promises (Deut. 28-30), while neglecting to notice other promises (Gen. 3:15-19):
One true righteous God should reward the righteous with blessings and punish the wicked with curses. Expected to avoid many chaos factors by being righteous.
B. What is righteousness?
Defined as keeping God’s commandments, his moral law
敬拜獨一真主
以主定義的方式敬拜真主
敬畏真主的名
尊重六日勞碌聖日安息敬拜的模式
尊重你角色的關係
尊重人類生活
尊重婚姻
尊重財產權
尊重名譽
要感恩和滿足
不可有別的主
不可拜偶像
不可妄稱主你神的名
不可擾亂六日勞碌聖日安息崇拜的模式
不可羞辱你角色的關係
不可殺人
不可姦淫
不可偷盜
不可作假見證
不可貪戀
C. What is the author’s basic frustration in this chaotic world? That those with the best of moral RIGHTEOUSNESS = skills (speed and strength) wisdom, intelligence, knowledge (9:11) is Frustrated by Chaos Factors
8:14 “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.” (also 7:15) 世上有一件虛空的事，就是義人所遭遇的，反照惡人所行的；又有惡人所遭遇的，反照義人所行的。我說，這也是虛空。
X AMOUNT OF WORK DOES NOT EQUAL Y AMOUNT OF FRUIT. THERE IS A” CHAOS FACTOR” PRODUCED BY MAN’S SIN AND GOD’S CURSE ON SIN.
Formula for life gets more complicated:
Y (my disobedience) + X (my obedience) + chaos factors of sin & death = uncertain earthly results+ final judgment (7:15; 11:9)
Some wicked men get rich and live a long life (7:15)
X (my imperfect obedience) + chaos factors of sin & death = less than expected blessings under the sun + final rewards
There are no fail-safe formulas for getting the most earthly blessings. God gives promises about general patterns, of blessings for obedience, but these promises are all looking forward to the final fulfillment in heaven.
D. What are the specific chaos factors that cause frustration, as identified by Ecclesiastes, that even the righteous will face (of course, all people since fall of Adam)? *Christians do not expect to be exempt from these problems.
1. Eccles. 9:11-12 the best of RIGHTEOUSNESS = skills (speed and strength) wisdom, intelligence, knowledge are Frustrated by Chaos Factor of TIME/OPPORTUNITY, when to act for the best results, is uncertain. Our deeds are in the hands of God (9:1). The best skills (speed and strength) wisdom, intelligence, knowledge do not means we will succeed in races, win battles, have enough food, get wealthy, or find honor. Chaotic “times”, unexpected “evil” times (“evil net” meaning circumstances caused by evil men whose hearts are full of evil 9:3, against the commandments), blocked opportunities, happen to everyone. Men do not know which business venture will succeed 11:1-6. Eternity is in our hearts but temporality is evident in our work, thus the source of great frustration, crying out “meaningless, utterly meaningless 3:11; 1:2 etc.)
9:11 我又轉念：見日光之下，快跑的未必能贏；力戰的未必得勝；智慧的未必得糧食；明哲的未必得資財；靈巧的未必得喜悅。所臨到眾人的是在乎當時的機會。 原來人也不知道自己的定期。魚被惡網圈住，鳥被網羅捉住，禍患忽然臨到的時候，世人陷在其中也是如此。
2. the best of RIGHTEOUSNESS = skills (speed and strength), wisdom, intelligence, knowledge are Frustrated by Chaos of DEATH
all will lose their earthly benefits (“no more reward” 9:5 such as authority, life, marriage, wealth, reputation); all will die and be forgotten from this world (9:5-6). Some death comes from evil times, the results of the plots of evil men, like fish taken in evil net, birds caught in a snare (9:12). After I die, my labors could be ruined by the next generation fools (2:18-19)
Ecc 9:5-6 活著的人知道必死；死了的人毫無所知，也不再得賞賜；他們的名無人記念。 他們的愛，他們的恨，他們的嫉妒，早都消滅了。在日光之下所行的一切事上，他們永不再有分了
Ecc 9:12 原來人也不知道自己的定期。魚被惡網圈住，鳥被網羅捉住，禍患忽然臨到的時候，世人陷在其中也是如此。
Ecc 2:18-19 我恨惡一切的勞碌，就是我在日光之下的勞碌，因為我得來的必留給我以後的人。 那人是智慧是愚昧，誰能知道？他竟要管理我勞碌所得的，就是我在日光之下用智慧所得的。這也是虛空。
3. the best of RIGHTEOUSNESS = skills (speed and strength), wisdom, intelligence, knowledge are Frustrated by Chaos of SIN: my own sins, others sin against the moral law defining righteousness in ways that hurt me
Notice that sin is both passively experienced and actively committed. ACTIVE: You sin against God by lying, anger, stealing, complaining, and you get certain consequences (see Galatians 6:7-8). PASSIVE: Others sin against you or you have to deal with the GENERAL effects of sin and death and the curses on work in our world: sickness, disease, wars, starvation, disasters
“whether it is love of hate” 9:1 或是愛，或是恨 “hearts full of evil” 9:3 世人的心充滿了惡
4th 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th C’s Ecc 4:1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. Ecc 4:1 我又轉念，見日光之下所行的一切欺壓。看哪，受欺壓的流淚，且無人安慰；欺壓他們的有勢力，也無人安慰他們。
10th C: Ecc 4:4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. 我又見人為一切的勞碌和各樣靈巧的工作就被鄰舍嫉妒。這也是虛空，也是捕風。
Contrast 6:1-2 have wealth, possession and honor, but cannot enjoy them, not satisfied with life’s good things (6:3), wandering of the appetite (6:9) envy of his neighbor (4:4) no fear of God (8:13) Ecc 6:1 我見日光之下有一宗禍患重壓在人身上， Ecc 6:2 就是人蒙神賜他資財、豐富、尊榮，以致他心裡所願的一樣都不缺，只是神使他不能吃用，反有外人來吃用。這是虛空，也是禍患。
And because there was no swift justice for evil men, (also a time/opportunity problem) so evil men keep doing evil 8:11 Ecc 8:11 因為斷定罪名不立刻施刑，所以世人滿心作惡。
E. How did the world get to be this way? Was there ever a world without chaos?
Ecc 7:29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. Ecc 7:29 我所找到的只有一件，就是神造人原是正直，但他們尋出許多巧計。
GOD DOES SIX DAYS OF RIGHTEOUS WORK & ONE DAY OF REST 1:29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. (6th creating world, universe, environment with food for life) Gen 1:29 神說：「看哪，我將遍地上一切結種子的菜蔬和一切樹上所結有核的果子全賜給你們作食物。
CREATED IN GOD”S RIGHTEOUS IMAGE Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; (7th C) male and female he created them. (TO LOVE AND WORSHIP GOD AND HONOR HIS NAME 1st -3rd C’s) Gen 1:27 神就照著自己的形像造人，乃是照著他的形像造男造女。
GIVEN RIGHTEOUS WORK & REST 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, (6th C) "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and (4th, 5th, 8th) subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Gen 1:28 神就賜福給他們，又對他們說：「要生養眾多，遍滿地面，治理這地，也要管理海裡的魚、空中的鳥，和地上各樣行動的活物。」
GIVEN MARRIAGE AS PART OF THE WORK-METHOD Gen 2:20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. Gen 2:21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. Gen 2:22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Gen 2:23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Gen 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Gen 2:25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Gen 2:20 那人便給一切牲畜和空中飛鳥、野地走獸都起了名；只是那人沒有遇見配偶幫助他。 Gen 2:21 耶和華 神使他沉睡，他就睡了；於是取下他的一條肋骨，又把肉合起來。 Gen 2:22 耶和華 神就用那人身上所取的肋骨造成一個女人，領他到那人跟前。 Gen 2:23 那人說：這是我骨中的骨，肉中的肉，可以稱他為「女人」，因為他是從「男人」身上取出來的。 Gen 2:24 因此，人要離開父母，與妻子連合，二人成為一體。 Gen 2:25 當時夫妻二人赤身露體，並不羞恥。
MANKIND GIVEN BEAUTIFUL GARDEN TO SATISFY THEIR SOULS, CONTENTMENT, JOYFUL (10th C)
Gen 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. Gen 2:9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. Gen 2:8 耶和華 神在東方的伊甸立了一個園子，把所造的人安置在那裡。 Gen 2:9 耶和華 神使各樣的樹從地裡長出來，可以悅人的眼目，其上的果子好作食物。園子當中又有生命樹和分別善惡的樹。
6. ALL PEOPLE UNDER THIS SAME CURSE FROM GOD, ADAM REPRESENTED US ALL
Gen 3:14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
SPIRITUAL WARFARE WITH SATAN: Gen 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 我又要叫你和女人彼此為仇；你的後裔和女人的後裔也彼此為仇。女人的後裔要傷你的頭；你要傷他的腳跟。
PAIN IN FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS: Gen 3:16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” 又對女人說：我必多多加增你懷胎的苦楚；你生產兒女必多受苦楚。你必戀慕你丈夫；你丈夫必管轄你。
PAIN IN WORK : Gen 3:17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; Gen 3:18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. Gen 3:19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 又對亞當說：你既聽從妻子的話，吃了我所吩咐你不可吃的那樹上的果子，地必為你的緣故受咒詛；你必終身勞苦才能從地裡得吃的。 地必給你長出荊棘和蒺藜來；你也要吃田間的菜蔬。 你必汗流滿面才得糊口，直到你歸了土，因為你是從土而出的。你本是塵土，仍要歸於塵土。
F. What are some of the basic GOD-GIVEN SUPER POWERS that help us face the chaos factors of life? (SOLUTIONS TO THE DEEPER CAUSE OF ALL PROBLEMS) Faith to know true God, learning the fear of God as the foundation of a RIGHTEOUS commandment-keeping life, hope for the future that God will judge all public and secret deeds by righteous standard of the moral law
1. GET FAITH and the Fear of God
1st -3rd commandments: Knowing God’s mysterious sovereign control over our lives in time/history and in the future teaches us to fear him, worship him by the new covenant, honor his name
Ecc 3:14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. Ecc 3:14 我知道神一切所做的都必永存；無所增添，無所減少。神這樣行，是要人在他面前存敬畏的心。
Ecc 12:13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God Ecc 12:13 這些事都已聽見了，總意就是：敬畏神，
2. Live a Righteous life
Eccles. 12:13 and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 謹守他的誡命，這是人所當盡的本分（或作：這是眾人的本分）。
Christian View of Work: defined as anything you do to productively use and manage the resources of the earth, gather and prepare food, maintain your own property, serve people, care for family members, marry and parent children, which you do as service to Christ to bring him glory. (Gen 1:27-29; Matt 25:34-40; Col 3:23-5; 1 Cor 10:31; Matt 5:16)
Sovereign Lord rules, judges and rewards: Righteous and wise and their deeds are in God’s hands (9:1), 他們的作為都在神手中 reward is finding pleasure in the work (10th) and enjoying the fruits of one’s labors, the sight of the eyes (6:9) (4th, 6th, 8th), generally experienced in marriage (7th) & nuclear families (5th) (2:10; 4:9; 9:7-9)
Ecc 5:18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Ecc 5:19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. Ecc 5:20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. Ecc 5:18 我所見為善為美的，就是人在神賜他一生的日子吃喝，享受日光之下勞碌得來的好處，因為這是他的分。 Ecc 5:19 神賜人資財豐富，使他能以吃用，能取自己的分，在他勞碌中喜樂，這乃是神的恩賜。 Ecc 5:20 他不多思念自己一生的年日，因為神應他的心使他喜樂。
Ecc 9:7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Ecc 9:8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. Ecc 9:9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Ecc 9:7 你只管去歡歡喜喜吃你的飯，心中快樂喝你的酒，因為神已經悅納你的作為。 Ecc 9:8 你的衣服當時常潔白，你頭上也不要缺少膏油。 Ecc 9:9 在你一生虛空的年日，就是神賜你在日光之下虛空的年日，當同你所愛的妻，快活度日，因為那是你生前在日光之下勞碌的事上所得的分。
Text clearly explains a difference between righteous (good, clean, sacrifices, vows carefully 9:2; 5:4; obey moral law in all circumstances without immediate benefit due to fear of the Lord (1st) (3:14; 5:7; 8:12; 12:13) and future judgment; ‘work with all their might, using thought, knowledge and wisdom’ 9:10) and wicked (selectively obey according to their own perceived short-term advantage or suffering) Ecc 8:12 罪人雖然作惡百次，倒享長久的年日；然而我準知道，敬畏神的，就是在他面前敬畏的人，終久必得福樂。Ecc 9:10 凡你手所當做的事要盡力去做；因為在你所必去的陰間沒有工作，沒有謀算，沒有知識，也沒有智慧。
Yet commandment-keepers will have some clarity for wise decisions at the proper time in just ways (8:5)
3. GET HOPE to believe God will judge all injustice and evil and prepare a new heaven and new earth without sin, sickness, pain or death
Eccles. 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecc 12:14 因為人所做的事，連一切隱藏的事，無論是善是惡，神都必審問。He is omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient
4. Express your frustrations in faith, fear and righteousness. How does Ecclesiastes express his frustration with these chaos factors?
Repeats over and over: Ecc 1:2-3 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? SO WE CAN TOO. Ecc 1:2 傳道者說：虛空的虛空，虛空的虛空，凡事都是虛空。 Ecc 1:3 人一切的勞碌，就是他在日光之下的勞碌，有什麼益處呢？
NO-FAITH, NO-FEAR, NO-RIGHTEOUS, NO HOPE EXPRESSIONS:
Are you looking at the world, reading the news and concluding that there is no righteousness, and there will be no fairness unless you use any methods necessary to get it? Will you disobey the moral law to get what you think you deserve? God will judge all secret things, live a righteous commandment-keeping life while waiting for his justice to show. 12:13-14
Have you ever felt that the curse words you utter in frustrating moments are just another form of Ecclesiastes way of saying “Meaningless, utterly meaningless”? What you experience these chaos factors, don’t you feel its right to curse angrily saying, “xxxx!” or “xxxx xx!”? Is that what Ecclesiastes is taking about here?
In most cases swearing is a self-righteous, proud spirit shouting, “I didn’t deserve this!” “This is unfair.” Further, Scripture does not condone swearing as a regular practice, because it offends most people’s sensibilities and does not generally build up the hearers into the image of Jesus Christ (Rom 14:19-15:2; Eph 4:29; 5:3-7). Further James 3 warns us about cursing people, who are made in God’s image, as evidence that our hearts are full of the devil’s wisdom: selfish ambition and envy. Finally, an attitude of faith, fear of God and righteous speaking is the furthest attitude from your common cursing.
Have you been cursing in rebellion against God’s “chaos factors” in the world, justly ordained by God as the curse on sinners? Humble yourself before him now and say with Ecclesiastes 9:1 “What I do is in God’s hands!” 他們的作為都在神手中 “Whatever I can accomplish in my work is in God’s hands!” “I deserve this curse, but praise you that by my faith in Jesus, you have redeemed me from the curse and now turn the meaninglessness of the curse into something beautiful in your time!” WE CANNOT PROUDLY BLAME GOD FOR THE CHAOS FACTORS OF TIME/OPPORTUNITY, SIN & DEATH, since this would not be acting in faith, fear, of righteous living under the commandments.
You are allowed to shout “Frustration, frustration, totally frustrating!” only as an expression of your humble submission to God’s curse against sin and death, not as a fist-shaking in God’s face saying you deserve better. You are allowed to shout “Meaningless, utterly meaningless!” but in the next breath you must humbly confess, “I deserve this meaninglessness because of Adam’s sin and because of my own sin and rebellion against God.” Only if you say it with an attitude of fearing God would you be imitating the attitude expressed in Ecclesiastes.
Normally the experience of these chaos factors will turn people away from God or to blaming God for these difficulties. Isn’t that how you feel at times? You feel God owes you more. You have a religious moralist mentality that reasons “I did this much for God. Now he owes me a better life” Actually he owes you nothing. Everything is from his grace. You need to learn to turn towards God when you experience the effects of sin & death.
Story of young mother whose child was born with Down’s syndrome (birth of special-needs child will feel much of the frustration of unique medical and physical needs to care for child, fallen world where disability is normal part of life, but awaiting renewal of all things).
You are allowed to hate your work, or be depressed at the endless cycles of household chores that get even more complicated when the clothes washer breaks down, the car gets rusty and breaks down, the computer hard drive crashes with a virus. The created world has a “chaos factor” due to human sin--the curse of God on man who would not keep the command in the garden, man who would not fear God in the garden. You are allowed to shout “Meaningless, utterly meaningless!” about the relationship hassles, envy, gossip, favoritism, bribes and kickbacks. You are allowed to shout “Meaningless, utterly meaningless!” about promotions that go to the women who sleep with their bosses rather than the ones who fear God and keep his commandments. You are allowed to shout “Meaningless, utterly meaningless!” about the favoritism and face that slow down effective teamwork on the job and keep relationships cold and distant at home.
BUT WITH FEARING GOD--MEANS HE IS GOD IN CONTROL AND WE ARE HIS CREATURES WITH WHOM HE CAN DO AS HE PLEASES
G. How do we get these super powers? How can we humbly and submissively shout “Meaningless, utterly meaningless” in faith, fear, righteousness and hope?
Trust Christ who believed, feared God, lived a righteous life, and had hope for you:
Christ came into this world to deal with these chaos factors of sin & death. He came into the world to conquer sin & death for us. Christ did it without cursing God, but he did face the full frustration for the curse.
Notice the cry of the suffering servant: Isaiah 49:4 “I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing.” 我卻說：我勞碌是徒然；我盡力是虛無虛空。然而，我當得的理必在耶和華那裡；我的賞賜必在我神那裡。 (He labored over Judas for no purpose, and wept over hard-hearted Jerusalem, who refused to listen (Luke 19:41-44). These were not his chosen people, but he still felt the futility of fruitless labor in his humanity.
According to Deuteronomy, obedience leads to blessings; disobedience leads to curses. You can see how amazing it was that Jesus came into this world as a righteous man to take our deserved curse of sin and death, so we sinners could experience the blessings of his righteousness. Jesus could rightfully cry, “meaningless, totally meaningless” in light of this contradiction. But he did it for us as sinners.
God takes and uses “Meaningless, utterly meaningless!” to turn you towards Christ, and see his great love, compassion and grace. He was made man, subject to this world’s curse of sin & death. He reached the climax of true meaninglessness on the cross, under the full weight of the curse. HE FACED HELL’S FURY--ETERNAL MEANINGLESSNESS IN SEPARATION FROM GOD. LIFE SEPARATED FROM GOD IS MEANINGLESS. CHRIST SHOUTED, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” Rather than swearing, Jesus used a Bible verse to express his frustration at the curse of sin and death (Psalm 22:1). 我的神，我的神！為什麼離棄我？為什麼遠離不救我？不聽我唉哼的言語？ At his most naked moment, he still framed his utter frustration in terms of Scripture. And by this method, he showed that he feared God the Father and kept his commandments until the very end of his earthly life. He did not shake his fist at the Father and listen to the counsel of Job’s wife who told Job to “curse God and die” 你棄掉神，死了吧！in his time of suffering under the meaninglessness of the curse (Job 2:9-10).
ALL Christ’s WORK LED TO taking the curse of SEPARATION FROM THE ONE WHO ALONE GIVES MEANING TO LIFE AND DEATH IN FELLOWSHIP WITH HIMSELF. IN THAT SUFFERING ON THE CROSS, THAT SEPARATION FROM THE FATHER, CHRIST TOOK THE CURSE OF ECCLESIASTES ON HIMSELF AND CONQUERED IT, TURNING ALL YOUR TOILSOME WORK INTO SOMETHING ETERNALLY USEFUL. HE MAKES ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME! (3:11) He takes your toil and says, “all things work together for the good of those that love me and are called according to my purpose” (Rom 8:28). 我們曉得萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，就是按他旨意被召的人。 “HE MAKES MY MEANINGLESSNESS BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME” Ecc 3:11 神造萬物，各按其時成為美好，又將永生（原文作永遠）安置在世人心裡。然而神從始至終的作為，人不能參透。
the effects of time & opportunity, sin & death are reversed by Christ: Christ takes the curse-caused meaninglessness and began to reverse its effects while keeping its reality and painfulness. Apart from faith in Christ, sin and death separate us from God both spiritually and bodily. By faith in God’s promises sin becomes an opportunity to draw near to God through the forgiveness and mercy we receive from Christ. Death for the Christian becomes the entrance into eternal fellowship with God (Phil 1:23) so we do not fear death. Sin & death become ways to love and fear God and teach us to keep his commands more carefully.
Romans 8:20 says the creation was subjected to frustration and goes on to show how God works all things together for the good of those who love him 8:28, how God is for us so who can be against us 8:31-4.
Rom 8:20 因為受造之物服在虛空之下，不是自己願意，乃是因那叫他如此的。 Rom 8:21 但受造之物仍然指望脫離敗壞的轄制，得享（享：原文作入）神兒女自由的榮耀。 Rom 8:22 我們知道一切受造之物一同歎息、勞苦，直到如今。 Rom 8:23 不但如此，就是我們這有聖靈初結果子的，也是自己心裡歎息，等候得著兒子的名分，乃是我們的身體得贖。 Rom 8:28 我們曉得萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，就是按他旨意被召的人。 Rom 8:29 因為他預先所知道的人，就預先定下效法他兒子的模樣，使他兒子在許多弟兄中作長子。 Rom 8:30 預先所定下的人又召他們來；所召來的人又稱他們為義；所稱為義的人又叫他們得榮耀。 Rom 8:31 既是這樣，還有什麼說的呢？神若幫助我們，誰能敵擋我們呢？ Rom 8:32 神既不愛惜自己的兒子，為我們眾人捨了，豈不也把萬物和他一同白白的賜給我們嗎？ Rom 8:33 誰能控告神所揀選的人呢？有神稱他們為義了（或作：是稱他們為義的神嗎）。 Rom 8:34 誰能定他們的罪呢？有基督耶穌已經死了，而且從死裡復活，現今在神的右邊，也替我們祈求（有基督云云或作是已經死了，而且從死裡復活，現今在神的右邊，也替我們祈求的基督耶穌嗎）
You can say “I hate this work under the curse of sin and death, but it points me to the work of heaven, where all my work will produce eternal effects.” Praise God if you can see glimpses of the heavenly joy reflected now in your work.
ECCLESIASTES IDENTIFIES WITH THE FRUSTRATIONS ALL PEOPLE FEEL since the sins of Adam and Eve in Eden. THERE ARE NO SUCCESS FORMULAS FOR LIFE. WE ALL FACE SUFFERINGS caused by time/opportunity, SIN AND DEATH. But though faith in Jesus Christ, we can face chaos factor in faith, fear of God, righteous commandment keeping life and hope for a future new heaven and earth where all the chaos factors are removed.