In Ecclesiastes1:9-11, Solomon continues with his discourse on the "vanity" of life. He now focuses on how "there is nothing new under the sun." "Certainly there is happiness and satisfaction in new discoveries and inventions!" you say. Solomon differs. He plainly says, "Nope...there's nothing new." Others have had our experiences. Maybe not surrounded by the same circumstances, but the lessons, emotions, etc that accompany those circumstances are not new.
We pride ourselves on the newness and singularity of our experience. We derive our self-esteem from the fact that we are "different", our experience is CERTAINLY more involved, more painful, more exciting, more "you-name-it". But, if examined carefully, the lesson and emotions have all been experienced by others before us and will be experienced by others after us. So...why base our happiness and satisfaction on being "new" and "different"? when it will be shown that our strength, not only as a human race but particularly as the Body of Christ lies in our commonality of experience and our sharing together from it? We are NOT an "army of one"! In fact, I believe that our fleshly desire to "rise above the rest" puts us in a precarious position as it relates to temptation (I Pet. 5:9).
Since "there is nothing new under the sun," and since we "crave" newness amidst the routine, what shall we do? We are to look "above the sun" where God promises to "make all things new" (Rev. 21:5) It seems that God, who made us, understands us well. He has purposefully equipped us with a deep desire for "newness" that cannot be met here.
"What a cruel God!" you say. Oh no! "What a merciful God," I say. He who knows not only what is best for me, has also wired me in such a way that my continuously doomed search for satisfaction in the "new" here "under the sun," will eventually lead me to Him! Satisfied at last...
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