Judge Not the Lord by Feeble Sense [Family Worship lesson in Ecclesiastes 9:1–6]

How should we live, since we are subject to the providence of God? Ecclesiastes 9:1–6 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, under the providence of God, we should live as those who remember that we must be right with Him before we die. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: the devotional draws from Ecclesiastes 9:1–6 to emphasize that, in God’s sovereign providence, all people—righteous and wicked alike—face the same ultimate fate: death. It warns against judging others’ spiritual standing based on their circumstances, whether prosperity or suffering, as such judgments misread God’s purposes, and reflect human folly. The central truth is that, while the living know they will die, and thus must live with urgent purpose, the dead know nothing and have no further opportunity for repentance or reward. Therefore, believers are called to live with constant awareness of mortality, not in despair, but in faithful service to God through Christ, Who alone provides righteousness and hope beyond death. The living, even in their weakness, are to be esteemed above the dead, because they still have the chance to turn to God, making every moment an opportunity for grace and repentance.