Why do we worry so much about Earthly Work?
What will we do, will we make enough money, what's coming in the future?...
The words in Ecclesiastes 8:17 seem strange, but they connect with what people feel. The verse says: “Then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.”
At first look, this might seem like a simple note about the limits of human knowledge. But it talks about a deeper truth: no matter how much we try, there are puzzles that will always escape our understanding.
It is easy to get sucked into something, obsess over it, hyper focus on it, then realize it will be meaningless, it is meaningless.
So how do we live above the sun vs. under the sun?
"Under the sun" means the world we live in—our earthly life, limited by time and space. And yet, the work of God inside it cannot be fully discovered by human effort, no matter how hard. The uselessness of searching for knowledge beyond our reach is part of this verse and the more we try to attain that the harder it becomes to attain. People may work hard and struggle, gather information, seek wisdom, but the fullness of God's plan stays hidden.
What is God’s Plan for my life?
The paradox here is striking: the more one seeks to understand the world, the more they come face-to-face with their own limits. Even the wise, those who say they have understanding, are finally left with the same conclusion: there are things that simply cannot be known. It’s a humbling reminder that, even the smartest people on earth will never figure this out because no one knows this by 1.
The trick here is to understand that Faith plays a crucial role. If we choose to believe then we can eventually know the answers but not before. the Bible tells us all we need to know and it is more then enough but faith is the key + Jesus in your heart to eternity with Christ.
Hyper information
In today’s world, where information is at our fingertips and scientific advancements seem to break through barriers once thought insurmountable, we might feel that the mysteries of the universe are within reach. Yet, Ecclesiastes reminds us that even in our most enlightened moments, there will always be gaps in our knowledge. Wisdom and knowledge will never fully unveil all the answers. Think of all the inventions that make the world better or the Billionaires with huge companies, tech corporations, and the rapid growth of civilization. All of these things are great worldly accomplishments but meaningless in eternity unless they are done with the guidance of Christ.
Our theories, no matter how smart, can only take us so far. There will always be that which remains beyond our understanding.
How do you approach wisdom?
This view offers a deep change in how we approach wisdom. It’s not that knowledge isn’t valuable—it is. But true wisdom lies not in having all the answers, but in seeing the limits of our knowledge. We all have limitations and no matter who you are under Heaven we know nothing but what Scripture tells us.
The balance here is to live in the world but not of the world but… enjoy your life on Earth because God wanted you to be here for a reason. Worship, praise, and live a Christ centered life and the rest will make sense and fall into place.
The wise person is not one who claims to know it all, but one who understands that some things are just not meant to be fully understood. The pursuit of understanding, then, becomes a humble journey, not one of mastery, but of acceptance.
In the end, Ecclesiastes 8:17 is not about the uselessness of knowledge but about the wisdom found in seeing our limits. The pursuit of wisdom should never be an attempt to control or master the unknown, but rather a humble journey that sees its vastness. The greatest wisdom, perhaps, is not in the answers we find, but in our ability to live with the questions, to embrace the unknowable, and to trust in a greater intelligence at work in the world. And in that surrender, we find a deeper peace.