Ecclesiastes 1 NLT
History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. (9-11)
These are some very depressing words from Solomon, someone purported to be one of the smartest people who ever lived. Yet, as much as we don’t like his tone, we have to admit that there is some truth in his words. Important people have accomplished important things and they have slipped into the long-forgotten annals of history. If you live long enough, you begin to see history repeat itself and those things that were once in style come back into fashion again. People are always touting the new thing, but even though the outward appearance might be new its often been seen before. Some of the most successful movies and songs are just remakes of old ones and only us “old folks” realize that it has already been done.
This can be very discouraging; to think that you live your life, do the very best you can and even make a difference for a time, only to know that eventually you and your work will be forgotten. Moses knows exactly how this feels. I read Deuteronomy 31 today, where God gives Moses the sobering news, “You are about to die and join your ancestors. After you are gone, these people will begin to worship foreign gods, the gods of the land where they are going. They will abandon me and break my covenant that I have made with them.” (16) How discouraging that must have been for Moses. Not only would he not make it into the promised land, but all the work he had poured into these people would seemingly be for nothing.
What’s the point then? What is the point of giving your life to something, only to discover that it has already been done and nobody will remember you anyway? What is the point of serving like Moses, only to realize that the current progress is temporary and all your work will be undone? The point is that it is not about us—it is about God. We don’t serve to be remembered by people; instead, we serve a God who never forgets. History might not remember your work and sacrifice but the One who truly matters will never forget. We are just a part of the story like Moses. We have a part to play in history and then others step in. Moses’ success was not based on the continued faithfulness of the Israelites—his success was based on his faithfulness to God. Solomon was correct, but his perspective was skewed. Like Moses, we serve an audience of one and thankfully He never forgets our sacrifice and faithfulness.
