I have seen the travail, which God has given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
Continuing: the above is Ecclesiastes 3:10, from a chapter that reveals the Divine purpose in the affliction that befalls man, now and through history. In the previous post, we looked at oppression (‘ashuwq) as described in the following chapter, thereby seeing it is overcome in joining with the LORD, who comforts us by leading us into all truth. We saw these events spoken of as if a snare man finds himself caught in, and therefore moved (advised by the Spirit) to avoid, and if caught, reason his way out of.
This reasoning is the objective, beginning with properly evaluating and then understanding the situation, and only by this finding the appropriate solution. The idea is what is described in the famous portion of Ecclesiastes 3 that says “to everything there is a time” which is earlier said to be “a season, and a time for every purpose.” It speaks of not only knowing the time once caught but realizing through it there is help: comfort. Solomon understood (verse 15) that there is nothing new, “and that which is to be has already been, and God requires (us to understand by) that which is past.”
As we have often discussed, the work of the Holy Spirit, the LORD among us not yet known, is to lead us into all truth, which to us reveals His presence (in this baptism of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). He tells us, in John 14:23, this manifestation comes to us (not to the world blinded to Him by their own taught ignorance) by loving and keeping His word. He, in verse 20, says that in this day, we will “know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
He is saying, His word is His wisdom, that when revealed, by His Spirit (Him and the Father) with us and then in us, leads us into the solutions, which is itself to realize it is Him. It is the son, in who the Father is, that lead us to the Father, therefore He, the son, says (John 14:6) of Himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.”
John 14
1 Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
4 And whither I go you know, and the way you know.
5 Thomas said unto him, LORD, we know not whither you go; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.
7 If you had known me, you should have known my Father also: and from henceforth you know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip said unto him, LORD, show us the Father, and it suffices us [seeing the Father is the expected end, the perfection].
9 Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known me, Philip? he that has seen me has seen the Father; and how say you then, Show us the Father?
10 Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he does the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 Truly, truly, I say unto you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If you love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither know him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me: because I live, you shall live also.
20 At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
21 He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas says unto him, not Iscariot, LORD, how is it that you will manifest yourself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loves me not keeps not my sayings: and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28 You have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, you might believe.
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in me.
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence [forward – see verse 2 above].
As we have, also many times, discussed, God’s written word is passed forward through time, documenting events past, to later be understood as patterns showing the way from death into life. It is the wheel within a wheel that Ezekiel understood, circuits of time and events, understood in one time, documented, and passed on as the wisdom of God, in which is life. This revelation only comes through the work of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as One), which is the apocalypse (meaning uncovering and revelation), the promised end we have expected and for which we have patiently waited.
Friends, as often discussed, we know the difference in our time is what is spoken of in ending Hebrews 11. There, when speaking of all those who have come before us, who are written of, saying, “39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”
These verses are speaking of the end we have reached, when all that is written, many parts by many writers and prophets, come together into one comprehensive message. It is the manifestation of the LORD to those who’ve loved Him and kept His word, and it can’t be anything other. He is here to raise us to raise others.
Daniel 12
1 And at that time shall Michael [who is Like God] stand up, the great prince which stand for the children of your people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 And they that be wise shall shine [their understanding] as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
4 But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro [to bring the many separated part together], and knowledge shall be increased.
5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. [This is the river Chebar, meaning it flows through time. It is God’s word flowing through eternity, from one time {bank of the river} to the other.]
6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters [the LORD above the waters] of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him that lives for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half [the word given in a time, sent through a times, to the other bank where it is rightly divided, meaning properly interpreted]; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my LORD, what shall be the end of these things?
9 And he said, Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Understanding the time is the point, in affliction realizing we are exercised of the causes of the oppression. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, once exercised, when all things come together, we see it the LORD making all things beautiful in His time. The idea is the same written of by John in Revelation 10:7, saying it is when “the mystery of God should be finished,” when the book is unsealed.
The word rendered “exercised,” in Ecclesiastes 3:10, is the Hebrew word ‘anah, which is from an identical word meaning to eye, or pay attention. It is speaking of the purpose of the “exercise” (‘anah – also meaning affliction and humbling), which is to remove from our minds the distractions that have closed our ears and blinded our eyes. These are the great gulf, the ever-wide-open mouths of the gods of this world who’ve kept us from paying attention to the voice of the LORD, and thereby kept us from seeing Him.
Ecclesiastes 3
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit has he that works in that wherein he labors?
10 I have seen the travail, which God has given to the sons of men to be exercised [‘anah] in it.
11 He has made every thing beautiful in his time: also he has set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end [the parts we now see as He brings them together].
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.
14 I know that, whatsoever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God does it, that men should fear before him.
15 That which has been is now; and that which is to be has already been; and God requires [us to see and understand] that which is past.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
19 For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?
22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
Deuteronomy 8
1 All the commandments which I command you this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers.
2 And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble [‘anah] you, and to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or no.
3 And he humbled [‘anah] you, and suffered you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you knew not [you knew not that this is the word of God, and the LORD, unknown to you, leading you out of oppression and into all truth], neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live.
4 Your raiment waxed not old upon you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years.
5 You shall also consider in your heart, that, as a man chastens [corrects] his son, so the LORD your God chastened [corrected] you.
6 Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
7 For the LORD your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
9 A land wherein you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig brass.
10 When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which he has given you. [And here we now are!]
11 Beware that you forget not the LORD your God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command you this day:
12 Lest when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;
14 Then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers knew not, that he might humble [‘anah] you, and that he might prove you, to do you good at your latter end;
17 And you say in your heart, My power and the might of mine hand has gotten me this wealth.
18 But you shall remember the LORD your God: for it is he that gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto your fathers, as it is this day.
19 And it shall be, if you do at all forget the LORD your God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.
20 As the nations which the LORD destroyed before your face, so shall you perish; because you would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.
Revelation 10
1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow [the light, understanding, rightly divided, as the sign in the cloud – See Genesis 9 below] was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
2 And he had in his hand a little book open [opening the word of God that has been sealed until now]: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars: and when he had cried, seven thunders [the sound of understanding, of the seven colors of the bow] uttered their voices.
4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not [because they’re sealed until this time, as Daniel was told in Daniel 12:9 above].
5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
6 And swore by him that live for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer [and the word of God is unsealed]:
7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he has declared to his servants the prophets.
8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spoke unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which stands upon the sea and upon the earth.
9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make your belly bitter, but it shall be in your mouth sweet as honey.
10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
11 And he said unto me, You must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
Genesis 9
12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
Psalms94
1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show yourself.
2 Lift up yourself, you judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.
3 LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
4 How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
5 They break in pieces your people, O LORD, and afflict [‘anah] your heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
7 Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.
8 Understand, you brutish among the people: and you fools, when will you be wise?
9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
10 He that chastises the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teaches man knowledge, shall not he know?
11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
12 Blessed is the man whom you chastens, O LORD, and teaches him out of your law;
13 That you may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.
14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
15 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
18 When I said, My foot slips; your mercy, O LORD, held me up.
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me your comforts delight my soul.
20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with you, which frame mischief by a law?
21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
22 But the LORD is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
23 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.
Psalms 95
1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if you will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
11 Unto whom I swore in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
Psalms 96
1 O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Give unto the LORD, O you kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.
9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigns: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof.
12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
13 Before the LORD: for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
