There Is No New Thing under the Sun

 

This word, “there is no new thing under the sun,” should rightly be understood not as speaking of new objects made through the development of human civilization, but as speaking of the repeated pattern of human life in every civilization. Ecclesiastes 3 explains this very specifically:

 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 “1For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: 2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”

 

When we read this passage carefully, we can truly see that human life repeats itself in this way in every civilization. Therefore, under the sun, that is, on this earth, human life continues to repeat according to seasons and times, with nothing truly new.

 

And the reason God caused Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, to preach to us in this way that “there is no new thing under the sun” is to teach us that this world is vanity of vanities, and that all our labor done in this world has no true profit.

 

Ecclesiastes 1:1-4 “1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. 3What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun? 4One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever.”

 

Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 “22For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun? 23For all his days are but sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.”

 

Ecclesiastes 5:15-16 “15As he came forth from his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. 16And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind?”

 

Amen. Truly, it is so. All labor under the sun is vanity and is like striving after wind, and there is nothing in it that truly profits a person.

 

However, this does not mean that these words are telling us simply to live in resignation in this world. Rather, these words lead us not to set our minds on vain labor, but to set our hearts on profitable labor. They also cause us, while living in this world of seasons and times, to long for what is eternal.

 

Ecclesiastes 3:9-11 “9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth? 10I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith. 11He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart...”

 

Psalm 39:6-7 “6Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. 7And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.”

 

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.”

 

In this passage, “the work of the Lord” means “believing in Jesus.”

 

John 6:27-29 “27Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed. 28They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

 

Since the One whom God sent is Jesus, believing in Jesus is the work of God. This work of God, believing in Jesus, is the only work under the sun that is truly profitable to us. Therefore, David confessed, “Surely every man is disquieted in vain, but my hope is in the Lord.” Therefore, we also must now, according to the word of Jesus, not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which abides unto eternal life. The food which abides unto eternal life refers to the gospel, that is, the words of Jesus.

 

1 Peter 1:23-25 “23having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. 24For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: 25But the word of the Lord abideth for ever. And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you.”

 

And this word alone gives us complete profit in this vain world.

 

2 Timothy 3:15-17 “15and that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: 17that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.”

 

Therefore, in order that we may not live unprofitable lives through vain labor in this vain world, we must read, hear, and keep the words of Jesus (Rev. 1:3). This is because this world and its lust will all pass away in the end, but the one who does the will of God will abide forever.

 

1 John 2:15-17 “15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

 

Truly, it is so. Those who are in Christ Jesus will be made free from the law of sin and death by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, and they will be richly supplied with entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore, to the end, we must live “firmly by the words of Jesus.”

 

Romans 8:1-2 “1There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.”

 

2 Peter 1:10-11 “10Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: 11for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

 

Amen.