The Divine Name
The book of Ecclesiastes portrays God as a distant and far-off Creator and Judge, rather than a covenant-keeping God of redemption.
W.J. Erdman delves into the absence of the name Jehovah in the book, emphasizing the distant portrayal of God as a judge and man's unredeemed state, seeking what is best under the sun but not seeking God Himself. The book lacks a display of redeeming mercy from God and saving faith in man, contrasting with the Psalmist's perspective. Despite the mysterious relation between man and God's purpose, the fear of God and belief in divine judgment are evident, revealing God's involvement in every aspect of man's life.
Text
Another Proof that this book and its noblest saying is of man not born again, lies in the fact that the only Name of God in it, except Creator (and that is also a proof), is what may be called His natural name, Elohim.
Not once is spoken the name Jehovah, the name of the everlasting covenant of redemption; "I am the Lord." God seems distant, far away, up in heaven, a judge, and sinful man on earth, whose words should be few. And so man, from the first sigh over all vanities, to the last conclusion, is seen and heard as unredeemed, unrenewed, out of covenant relations, seeking what is best under the sun, but not seeking God Himself; and at the end of all his weary searchings, speaking not in believing Hebrew phrase of " the fear of the Lord," but of the fear of God, and not even then of "thy God." In the book of Proverbs, Wisdom is speaking to those who fear Jehovah; in Ecclesiastes, it is not so.
It is never denied that there is one living and true God, holy and righteous, and that man is fallen and sinful; but in this book, no redeeming mercy is seen in God, nor saving faith in man. Herein " the Preacher " differs wholly from the Psalmist. Men are told to fear God, but never to trust Him; it is not Jehovah Who is in mind.
Man is in a mysterious relation to God and His purpose and work. This unintelligible mystery affects all the labor and travail of man under the sun, so that man's perplexities and ignorance continually tend to a fatalistic view of life; but this view is not actually held, as is proved by the fear of God and the belief in a day of divine judgment.
God has to do with every step in the strange and serious investigation that is going on. The search is before God; He gives it, but He assigns the task to exercise and humble man; He gives the days of life; He gives good, and bestows the power of enjoyment or withholds it; He made man upright and will judge him; but throughout all, it is not Jehovah, the covenant-keeping God of an everlasting redemption, but Elohim the Creator, the Allotter, the Mysterious Worker, the Far-off Righteous One, the Final Judge.
Sermon Outline
- I. Introduction to the Divine Name
- A. The Name Elohim in Ecclesiastes
- B. The Absence of Jehovah in Ecclesiastes
- II. The Character of God in Ecclesiastes
- A. God as Creator and Judge
- B. God's Distance from Man
- III. The Nature of Man in Ecclesiastes
- A. Man's Search for Meaning
- B. Man's Fear of God
- IV. The Relationship Between God and Man
- A. God's Sovereignty and Man's Ignorance
- B. The Mysterious Nature of God's Work
Key Quotes
“It is never denied that there is one living and true God, holy and righteous, and that man is fallen and sinful; but in this book, no redeeming mercy is seen in God, nor saving faith in man.” — W.J. Erdman
“The search is before God; He gives it, but He assigns the task to exercise and humble man;” — W.J. Erdman
“God has to do with every step in the strange and serious investigation that is going on.” — W.J. Erdman
Application Points
- We must recognize the distance between God and man, and seek to understand God's purpose and work in our lives.
- We must fear God and acknowledge His authority, but also seek to trust in His redeeming mercy.
- Our search for meaning and understanding must be before God, and we must seek to exercise and humble ourselves in the process.