Time for Everything and Man's Limitations (Ecc 8: 6-9)

TIME FOR EVERYTHING AND MAN’S LIMITATIONS (Ecc 8: 6-9):

After writing that the wise man’s heart discerns time and judgment, the author writes that there is time and judgment for every purpose, because misery of man is great upon him. Everyone in the world has certain things in common and it is the time and the judgment, as the author states. Time is essential to have progression in anything whether good or bad and Judgment is essential to discern whether something is good or bad.  Time exists for various other purposes such as utilizing opportunity, measuring things, growing, etc. and likewise, Judgment exists for other purposes such as establishing truth, proclaiming righteousness, removing partiality, etc. The author also writes that human beings suffer a lot. Because of the wrong choices in life, misery is great upon human beings.  

There is no man in the entire world, who could be very certain about what is to be and neither could a person tell another, how things would be. Humans have their own limits and they couldn’t tell anything about the future for sure, though certain things could be predicted. The author also says that no man has the power to retain the spirit or have power against the day of death. Day of death is never known by anyone, though it could be predicted. God only knew a person's end and the beginning. A person has no way to escape from the war when he is captivated by the opposing soldiers and it is compared to the wickedness, which will not deliver those who practice it deeper, without control.

The author after looking at the limitations of human beings, he further reflects on certain things and writes about the things that he observed while applying his heart to all that is done under the sun. The author is more emotional than intellectual when thinking about one person dominating the other. The author is the son of the King of Jerusalem who had every authority and dominion, still, he takes some time to empathize with the other person who was hurt by a superior. It would be heartbreaking when someone dominates another by hurting without a proper reason.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.    What is there for everything? Why?

2.    How there are time and way for everything?

3.    What a person doesn’t know? Why?

4.    What power the man doesn’t have? Why?

5.    How there is no discharge from war? What it is compared to?

6.    What did the author observe after applying his heart?

7.    Why someone dominates another?

8.    How can we handle difficult situations?

9.    How can we avoid wickedness?

10. How can we utilize our power over another?