Joy (or happiness) is something that causes us great struggle in life. Countless biographies could be written about the tragic lives of men who ruined their lives and others in pursuit of the secret to happiness, whether that pursuit led them toward riches, fame, or pleasure. Therefore, is joy or happiness some kind of illusion, like a mirage in the desert that keeps you pressing forward in life when really there is nothing there to be gained? And for us who are believers, is happiness and joy something we should give much thought to, or is it simply an idea that makes dealing with the real and difficult issues of life more challenging?

In Ecclesiastes 3-5, Solomon deals with what could be rightly called the secret of joy. However, before he unfolds this wisdom to us, he takes us alongside of him through his journey in thinking about life. But whereas last week we saw little reference to God or eternity as he focused merely on what is “under the sun,” this week he starts with a premise about God and his ways and then moves from there. You could say, he starts with the assumption of God and his work, moves to the view of one who does not believe, and then returns to considering God and his ways in order to instruct us in joy. Therefore, this morning, I want us to walk through the text alongside Solomon and take up piece by piece until we see that we have what is necessary to have great joy throughout our lives.

With that said, let’s begin where Solomon does, in 3:1-15 where he unfolds his foundation for joy in our lives. In these verses Solomon makes clear:

God has a purpose and plan that encompasses all of life (3:1-15)

Solomon begins by declaring, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (3:1). That is to say, God has a purpose and plan that encompasses everything in life. Nothing that happens is outside of God’s ultimate plan. And lest we question whether Solomon really means everything, he gives us a list of fourteen things that make up life, clearly showing he means that everything is included in God’s plan and managed by him. This list includes our births and deaths, mourning and dancing, loving and hating, war and peace, breaking down and building up, among many other things. God is one who is in control of all of life and there is nothing that happens which God has not ultimately appointed and allowed. Nothing occurs in life outside of God’s knowledge, power, and control.

This thought may not tempt us to be joyful, however, as much as it tempts us to despair. After all, as Solomon asks, “What gain has the worker from his toil?” (3:9). Solomon declares that man is obviously busy in this life with his toil (3:10), and if God’s plan is already laid out and he is controlling this world, then what do we really gain from our toil? After posing the question, however, Solomon does not immediately give us an answer. Instead, he continues to elaborate on this all-encompassing plan of God.

He declares in verse 11, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” In saying this, Solomon is exposing two truths that comfort and trouble mankind. The first is that everything that happens in life us used for good. That is, nothing thwarts God’s perfect and right plan but is used to the end up upholding it. Thus, he writes that God makes everything beautiful in its time. We may not see it in our lifetime or ever be able to comprehend it, but it is true. And the other truth is that God has made man so that we cannot avoid thinking of eternity. He has put it in our hearts to ponder eternity and figure out God’s plan, but we cannot find it out on our own, apart from him.

So, what then does Solomon advise us to do? Sure, it is nice that we know God has a perfect plan that encompasses everything in life. And, it is nice to know that all things will contribute toward that beautiful plan. And we can probably even acknowledge that we do long to understand God’s plan, longing to put all the pieces of life together and can’t. But what does all of this do for us? What should it lead us to do?

Solomon holds that answer for a bit, but he does give us a hint at the answer, writing in verses 12-13, “I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. His advice in verse 13 is the same advice we saw in 2:24-26 from last week. Namely, we should eat and drink and take pleasure in what we do. And we saw last week that this is only possible to allow these events to bring joy when it is a gift from God. But in verse 12 he adds an additional element of advice encouraging us to be joyful and do good. And to this we might ask, “Why and how are we to be joyful and do good?” How does acknowledging that God is in control of all things and has a perfect plan encourage and enable us to be joyful and to do good?

Yet, Solomon does not answer this question for us. He is simply giving us a foundation, not the full picture at once. Therefore, he returns again to making sure his reader understands what he has said. He ends the section writing in verses 14-15, “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. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away,” reminding us that God’s plan cannot be changed or thwarted by our efforts and that he uses all things: past, present and future, for his perfect plan. And God has made it this way so that we might know his greatness and fear him. He wants us to see clearly that he is greater than us and should lead us to a humbling sense of reverence and fear.

I would argue, as well, that this reality does humble us and cause us to fear God. Realizing that God is in control and has a perfect plan leads us not to have a lot of answers, necessarily, but to have a lot of questions that we can’t answer. It makes us realize that we are not at the center of life and in control of our lives. It humbles us and yet leads us to want to know what God is dong. This is a good thing, for it should lead us to see our need for God.

Therefore, we begin this morning, answering this question of how we have true joy where Solomon begins, by acknowledging that God is in control of this world and everything that happens fits within God’s perfect plan and is being used by him. Yet Solomon moves us forward as he points out in 3:16-4:16:

Things in life will make you want to doubt that God’s plan, but they should lead you to see your need for him (3:16-4:16)

Specifically, as Solomon looks at the world around him, he sees six areas that could lead one to doubt that God really has a perfect plan that is being worked out in history. The first of these is that in the courts, in the places where we should find the upholding of justice and righteousness, there is wickedness. He writes, “Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness” (3:16).

Solomon cannot be accused of some rosy theology that ignores the issues in life. Yes, he begins by acknowledging that God has a perfect plan which encompasses all events in this life, but he quickly turns to tell us that he hasn’t overlooked wickedness. Rather, he points out that this is one thing that he saw that might lead us to question that there’s really a god, and specifically the God of the Bible who claims to have all control and to be good.

When we look around and see great wickedness being committed, even by men who are to be upholding justice, then shouldn’t this lead us to forget about God and look only to what is under the sun to find meaning? Solomon answer, however, in showing us that the only comfort for us in light of the reality of great wickedness is that this God exists. He writes, “I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.” The only comfort for all the injustice in the world is knowing that there is a God who will one day judge the righteous and the wicked. So, far from pushing us from a God who is in control, this reality of wickedness should lead us to long for him.

Second, Solomon points out the reality that man and animals both die (3:18-22). He writes in verse 19, “For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other.” And, if you simply look “under the sun” and attempt to dismiss God, then how do you have any assurance that anything different happens with us as compared to animals? Solomon asks, “Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?” (v. 21). You don’t know because there is no apparent difference without considering God and what he has revealed to us.

Therefore, what’s Solomon’s advice to one who looks simply “under the sun” ignoring God and his Word as he realizes he really doesn’t know what the future holds, whether there is any different between himself and animals after this life?

Solomon concludes 3:18-22 by telling you that you should simply enjoy your present work. Enjoy what you do. Find joy in your present toil, your present activities. After all, you don’t know what the future holds, so just delight in the present. “But how?” we ask, don’t we? Every one of us asks that, “But how?” And we ask it because our hearts long to know more, don’t they? Eternity has been put into our hearts. We are concerned with what’s after this life.

Imagine if you were put into a room with a video game system, dominoes, a number of good books, or whatever else you might find enjoyable, and then someone told you, “Just enjoy yourself here for a bit and then something huge is going to happen in about thirty minutes.” However, when you asked, “What will happen then?” you got no answer. Would you enjoy your time there thinking about the dominoes or book you were reading? No. Even if you picked up a book or the video game or whatever, the ability to find joy in the present would escape you, wouldn’t it? You could not truly enjoy the present because your heart and mind would be caught up in wondering about the future. You would constantly be trying to figure out what will happen in thirty minutes. Your heart would long to know more.

In the same way, Solomon tells us from the perspective of viewing life simply in regards to what’s under the sun, “There is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work” (3:22). He tells us just to enjoy the present since we don’t know the future. But he’s given us an impossible task, hasn’t he?

This is the situation of all men without Christ. They do not want to bow their knee to the Lord that they might have their eyes opened to see and their hearts opened to embrace the meaning God gives to this life, but their hearts trouble them because they keep asking about eternity. And unless their hearts receive a satisfying answer they will never truly be able to enjoy the present. Such enjoyment can only come from God. Therefore, yet again, seeing no obvious difference between man and animals apart from what God has said should lead us not to dismiss God but to seek him so that we might know value and meaning.

The third thing that Solomon sees that could lead us to doubt God’s plan is that men are oppressed. He points out in 4:1-3 that men are oppressed, and there’s not much to be done to stop it. So, Solomon concludes that it’s better to be dead than alive and living through this. And better yet, it is ideal for one never to be born. It’s best not to be alive.

“But,” we will say, “this is no conclusion.” We are alive. But doesn’t this then simply push us to our need for a God whose plan and purpose encompasses this, who will judge, who works everything out beautifully in its own time? Indeed it does.

Next, Solomon looks at man’s unappeasable desire for gain. He looks at the envy of man. He writes, “Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind” (4:4). Man’s envy drives him to work and work and never be pleased. And the alternative isn’t good, for the lazy man simply guarantees his own ruin and destruction (4:5). Thus, Solomon encourages us in 4:6 to rest and work, in an appropriate balance, achieving and gaining what you can (4:6). But isn’t this a miserable existence if this is all there is? So, surely, this should lead us to want to deny that there’s a God carrying out his purpose and plans. Rather, however, this should lead us to seek meaning in a God who governs this world.

Then Solomon considers the fact that men are isolated and alone. He writes in 4:7-8, “Again, I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, \"For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?\" This also is vanity and an unhappy business.”

So, what’s Solomon’s conclusion to the fact that there are so many who are alone and yet continue to labor? Again, shouldn’t this lead us to deny that God is in control and carrying out his plan? Shouldn’t this lead us to ignore the idea of God? No. Rather, Solomon points us to the need of our fellow man. In verses 9-12 he points us to community. The answer to our isolation is to invest ourselves in a people with whom we are in a tight bond. We need community. But how can we have this if there is much that isolates us from one another? Again, the answer is to look to God who has made a way for us not only to be reconciled to him but to one another as be brings us together as his people in the church.

Finally, Solomon considers the fact that power and prestige are temporary. Again, wouldn’t this lead us to question God’s plan. Solomon notes that the wise and poor youth is greater than the old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. And the young could be able to become king. However, there will be another group come after him who will ultimately not rejoice in him and will rejoice in another. Popularity is temporary, as is your position of power and prestige. Thus, instead of driving us to deny God, this should lead us to cry out to him in looking for true meaning and value and purpose.

Therefore, Solomon considers what might challenge his assertion that God has a plan that he is perfectly carrying out in this world and has shown how these things should not push us from God but should affirm his existence and our need for him. What should then be our response? He answers in 5:1-17.

Therefore, we should turn humbly to God and stop pursuing meaning and purpose under the sun (5:1-17)

When you finally see you need God you should indeed turn to him, but do not do it carelessly. Solomon writes in 5:1-7, “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words. When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no plea sure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.”

Solomon tells us, “Yes, turn to God, but remember the one whom you’re turning to.” Go and let God tell you what he is like. And when you speak to him, don’t make flippant promises and vows. Rather, learn what God is like so that you might see and tremble before him. Yes, you need God, but he is not a crutch so you can get through life. He is God, he is judge, he is creator, and he is king. It is a privilege to know him and serve him. Therefore, once you stop judging God for the events of life, turn to be judged by him, and throw yourself at his mercy.

And don’t be surprised at the fact that evil continues even by the king (5:8-9) and don’t be surprised that man continues to pursue money, which profits us nothing (5:10-17). Rather, realize the pursuits of riches will never bring satisfaction (10), will produce greater need (11), will lead to greater anxiety (12), cannot guarantee you will hold it (13-15), and can do nothing to stop death (16-17). Instead, bow to God and serve him.

So, what then is this key to happiness? We’ve seen that God has a perfect plan that encompasses all of life, that the mysteries in life should lead us not to deny him but to turn to him, and that we should realize just who he is when we turn to him. But what then is the secret to great joy? After all, how can we find joy in a world we often can’t understand and can’t change.

Solomon answers in 5:18-20, writing, “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. 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. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.”

Here, Solomon has put the pieces together and gives us our answer:

If you will accept your lot in life as a gift from God within his divine plan, then you will know fully the joy God has given you (5:18-20)

There are so many things that thwart this joy or happiness Solomon talks about. And now another appears to be God’s plan so that you do not change the course of the world, necessarily. However, this is actually our source for happiness. If you realize that God has a perfect plan to fulfill his perfect purposes and that you have been apportioned to play a role in that, then when you see the mysteries in life you can trust him, when others accuse God you can rest in his wisdom, and when others fight against their lot, you can rejoice that God is allowing you to play a part in his purpose for this world and that he is making your life a beautiful contribution to his perfect plan.

If you will rest in that reality, then there is a ground for constant joy. This truth will form the foundation upon which you can stand in obedience to Paul’s charge to rejoice in the Lord always.

So, what then is the secret to joy in a world that seems full of wickedness and confusion? It begins where Solomon begins. It begins with realizing that God has a perfect plan, in humbly turning to him, and in rejoicing in every event that God is working it together beautifully and is allowing your life to abound to his glory. Only in that worldview is there true happiness, and that is the worldview we must adopt. So, will you? I pray that our answer today is, “Yes.” May we show it as we come to the table. May his grace be with us. Amen.

DELIGHTING IN OUR PLACE IN GOD's PLAN

Listen to Audio