Ecclesiastes 9:1-18
"All things come alike to all," states v. 2. In each person’s life God allows a series of events (which we call happy or sad according to what they are) in order to see if one of them will make the heart of His creature turn to Him. Moreover, the Lord has never promised that the believer will not have to undergo testing after his conversion. But the different circumstances of life, whether they affect our health, our work or our family, are opportunities for us to show how the Christian life changes the way in which we go through them. After failing an examination, for instance, where a young unconverted person will speak of bad luck or of unfairness, the child of God will recognize the wise and sure hand of his heavenly Father in it. "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong" (v. 11; cf. Romans 9:16). It is the man of God who wins them. 2 Timothy 4:7 presents to us a poor old prisoner who has finished the course and fought the good fight.
The parable of the poor wise man (vv. 13-45) fixes our eyes upon the Lord Jesus. He has delivered us from our powerful Enemy (cf. Hebrews 2:14-15). We should make sure that we are not ungrateful or forgetful like the inhabitants of the little city and we should listen to His words (vv. 15, 16; 1 Corinthians 11:24).