The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
The sun rises in the east, sets in the west, and hastens back to rise again in its regular, continual daily course as generations come and pass. It speaks in the ordinary language of appearance as seen by an observer on earth, which needs no astronomical qualification and does not teach that the earth stands still while the sun moves around it. This wearisome repetition graphically shows the folly, nothingness, and utter uselessness of earthly pursuits and human life without hope in God. Its unceasing round pictures how quickly time passes and does not wait, while illustrating God's controlling power over nature and the conditions that produce rain. The only wise and blessed conclusion is that man's whole duty is to fear God and keep His commandments and trust Him.
Wording and Background
The wording speaks in ordinary language of appearance, describing as seen by an observer on earth how the sun rises in the east, sets in the west, and returns to rise again. This everyday way of speaking is readily understood and needs no astronomical qualification to be true. It is still used even by practical astronomers when they speak of sunrise, sunset, and the sun's moving. It does not attempt to correct astronomical ideas, and it does not conflict with later scientific discoveries.
It does not teach that the earth stands still while the sun moves around it or that the sun physically revolves around the earth. In reality the earth turns on its axis from west to east, which makes the sun appear to move from east to west while the earth seems still. Relatively, in their relation to each other, the sun stands still while the earth revolves around it. Both sun and earth with its attendant planets are moving on through space, a subject eternity will clarify where science still works with incomplete understanding, just as calling shaped dust man before it receives life does not make it a living being.
The verse belongs to the book of Ecclesiastes, written by Solomon the son of David when he was king in Jerusalem, about 977, in an earlier period and not in the second century B.C. It was written in his last days after tasting all pleasures and yielding to all desires of heart and flesh. Those included luxury, power, feasting, wine, women, wealth, glory, popularity, and idolatry when his many wives turned away his heart. From hearty repentance and actual experience he learned that all his wisdom, glory, wealth, and popularity could not bring rest of soul.
Meaning and Lessons
The sun follows a regular, continual daily course, rising and going down and hastening back to the place where it arose, as part of the repeated course of nature that continues while generations come and pass. That cycle illustrates God's controlling power over nature and the conditions that produce rain.
The sun's repeated rising and setting is placed within the description of life's vanity and wearisome repetition. It graphically shows the folly, nothingness, and utter uselessness of earthly pursuits and of human life without hope in God. It is part of the evidence that the world and its creatures were subjected to sorrow and vanity after human sin.
The regular movement pictures how quickly time passes and does not wait. The Preacher's sermon interweaves excellent practical instruction, including a missionary chapter in chapter eleven and a graphic description of the decay of man in the last chapter. It ends with the only wise and blessed conclusion that man's whole duty is to fear God and keep His commandments and trust Him.
The sun rises in the east, sets in the west, and hastens back to rise again in its regular, continual daily course as generations come and pass. It speaks in the ordinary language of appearance as seen by an observer on earth, which needs no astronomical qualification and does not teach that the earth stands still while the sun moves around it. This wearisome repetition graphically shows the folly, nothingness, and utter uselessness of earthly pursuits and human life without hope in God. Its unceasing round pictures how quickly time passes and does not wait, while illustrating God's controlling power over nature and the conditions that produce rain. The only wise and blessed conclusion is that man's whole duty is to fear God and keep His commandments and trust Him.
Wording and Background
The wording speaks in ordinary language of appearance, describing as seen by an observer on earth how the sun rises in the east, sets in the west, and returns to rise again. This everyday way of speaking is readily understood and needs no astronomical qualification to be true. It is still used even by practical astronomers when they speak of sunrise, sunset, and the sun's moving. It does not attempt to correct astronomical ideas, and it does not conflict with later scientific discoveries.
It does not teach that the earth stands still while the sun moves around it or that the sun physically revolves around the earth. In reality the earth turns on its axis from west to east, which makes the sun appear to move from east to west while the earth seems still. Relatively, in their relation to each other, the sun stands still while the earth revolves around it. Both sun and earth with its attendant planets are moving on through space, a subject eternity will clarify where science still works with incomplete understanding, just as calling shaped dust man before it receives life does not make it a living being.
The verse belongs to the book of Ecclesiastes, written by Solomon the son of David when he was king in Jerusalem, about 977, in an earlier period and not in the second century B.C. It was written in his last days after tasting all pleasures and yielding to all desires of heart and flesh. Those included luxury, power, feasting, wine, women, wealth, glory, popularity, and idolatry when his many wives turned away his heart. From hearty repentance and actual experience he learned that all his wisdom, glory, wealth, and popularity could not bring rest of soul.
Meaning and Lessons
The sun follows a regular, continual daily course, rising and going down and hastening back to the place where it arose, as part of the repeated course of nature that continues while generations come and pass.
That cycle illustrates God's controlling power over nature and the conditions that produce rain.
The sun's repeated rising and setting is placed within the description of life's vanity and wearisome repetition.
It graphically shows the folly, nothingness, and utter uselessness of earthly pursuits and of human life without hope in God.
It is part of the evidence that the world and its creatures were subjected to sorrow and vanity after human sin.
The regular movement pictures how quickly time passes and does not wait.
The Preacher's sermon interweaves excellent practical instruction, including a missionary chapter in chapter eleven and a graphic description of the decay of man in the last chapter.
It ends with the only wise and blessed conclusion that man's whole duty is to fear God and keep His commandments and trust Him.