Ecclesiastes 1:9 states, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun" (NIV).
Lately I have been obsessed with the Pyramids, ruins of ancient civilizations, aliens, alien technology, Nazi and our own government's obsession with the occult, mythology and ancient religious artifacts. I have read books about Area 51, DARPA, MK Ultra, secret bases, remote viewing, the Matrix, time travel, hypnosis and everything paranormal.
I understand how you can get overwhelmed and confused by all of this. The secrecy of governments, conspiracy pimps and scholars educated far beyond their intelligence raise many questions. Some of these smart people are convinced their theories prove the God of the Bible is a myth to entertain small minded naive people. They do this to a point of ridicule and make any belief in God a punch line to a late night talk show joke.
There are countless alternative theories about man's origin and plenty of ancient writings, legends and myths. They are as numerous as weight loss and erectile disfunction cures.
My favorite "deep question" is the Bible shows no proof of how he does things. Perhaps God doesn't see a need to tell us how he does them. He simply tells us what he did and what he will do.
Years ago I taught Sunday school to middle schoolers. I could not just teach about old guys in robes and sandals, I had to make it interesting to bored teenagers. I'm a big science fiction fan especially Star Trek and anything to do with time travel or dimensions, so I view the Bible through a science fiction lens.
I personally love Ecclesiastes because of the logic and bluntness. It is an acquired taste because it can be dark and depressing. It asks the haunting questions we are not willing to ask but think about more than we will admit. The phrase everything is meaningless would not make a good Ted Talk title.
This post I want to focus on the phrase "there is nothing new under the sun." I was born in 1951 and have lived through one of the most technological booms in history. Note I said "one of......". I do not believe this was the first time we have had the ability to fly, navigate the sea both on it or under it, built cities, used electricity and more.
By more I mean split the atom, computers, AI, space travel and technology we have not yet imagined. Perhaps they traveled to other planets, time traveled, explored other dimensions and cured all illness. Solomon just said "There is nothing new under the sun", I take what he said literally.
Every politician, scientist and scam artist brags about how everything they do is the first time and unprecedented. Humans have short memories and usually believe them because the world is changing faster and faster.
I want to take a moment to stop and think about this phrase. Yes there are many things we can't understand, I will admit this fact about myself. However there are countless historians, scientists, physicists and theologians who will not even consider this statement because it is from the Bible.
Their attempts to put all of the mystery pieces together to fit their narrative is humorous. I'm not saying I know what happened before I just know we aren't the first to know these things. I also assume we only know a fraction of what has been before.
My faith is not based on whether God exists, my faith is based on what he says. I trust that his ways are beyond my understanding. Some may call it blind faith but I call it trust. I have no idea how God does what he does, it is far beyond my pay grade.
I do enjoy hearing the smart people explain how God does things especially when they point out his missteps. I have enough to do taking care of the small world around me. Operating the universe is God's job, loving my neighbor and returning my shopping cart are mine.
I begin my day with a prayer of thanks and a recognition of who is in charge then I enjoy my coffee and ponder the sunrise. At night I say thank you and look at the stars and ponder his words ".. and He made the stars also". (Genesis1:16)
Ecclesiastes is a book filled with unanswerable and frustrating questions. There is no explanation as to why or how he does things. All I know God is God and we are his creation, it is that simple and I'm good with that.
You can search every rabbit hole to find what is true. Many have earnestly tried to disprove God but have found him. My journey was and still is filled with questions because I know the truth of God will hold up to scrutiny.
I have many years of knowing his faithfulness. My shameful proof is the years I squandered ignoring him and disobeying him after I entered into a covenant with him. I finally came back broken and he did not abandoned me, in fact he changed my life, that is how I know.
This proof is as real as any discovered scroll or manuscript, it is something I have experienced personally. You may want to begin your own search through the maze of information or find a quiet place, open your mind and heart and be willing to listen, God will find you.
Beautiful!
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