Nothing New Under the Sun

[Nathan]

I would like to propose a bit of a challenge to all on the passage that this doesn't necessarily pertain to what we've always thought it does.  For me, it's a state of positioning.  To live "under" the sun is to be and earth-dweller  . . . not a spirit walker.

I'm not under the sun . . .I'm "in" it/him.  And "in" him, there is a newness every morning . . Great is thy faithfulness.  I'm not doing the best job at explaining my heart . .but in me there is a contrast from what is projected in this one famous passage.

So let me put it this way . . .I've done a word search for that one phrase and there are 25 occurances in Scripture . . .every one of them is in Eccleesiastes . . .and when you read them . . .for me, a pattern seems to emerge as to what exactly "under the sun" is implying.

Ecclesiastes 1:3
What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?
Ecclesiastes 1:9
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:14
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Ecclesiastes 2:11
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 2:17
[ Toil Is Meaningless ] So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Ecclesiastes 2:18
I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.
Ecclesiastes 2:19
And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.

Ecclesiastes 2:20
So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:22
What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 3:16
And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

Ecclesiastes 4:1
[ Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness ] Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.
Ecclesiastes 4:3
But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:7
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

Ecclesiastes 4:15
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor.

Ecclesiastes 5:13
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,

Ecclesiastes 5:18
Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot.

Ecclesiastes 6:1
I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men:

Ecclesiastes 6:12
For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?

Ecclesiastes 8:9
All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt.

Ecclesiastes 8:15
So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 8:17
then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.

Ecclesiastes 9:3
This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.

Ecclesiastes 9:6
Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 9:9
Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 9:11
I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.


Lamentations 3
22It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

)

[onlytruth]

hi nathan... before the flood wasn't there a canopy thoery,where the sun was covered ,so when the sun was revealed everyone started getting sunburned(so to speak)
blessings :icon_king:

[Nathan]

Yeah, kind of like a greenhouse . . .the outer boundaries of the natural earth were encompassed within a layer of ice . . .kind of like the earth being at the core of a crystal ball.

It appears that "under the sun" is the same as "flesh and blood" of the New Testament.  To say that God doesn't reveal anything new is really tough to swallow.

Dealing with the nature of man?  Yeah, I can see how that can totally relate.  But with the things of God?  Not so much.  But I've found those that embrace tradition, that's a favorite Scripture of theirs.  They are quick to throw it out when you're attempting to share a kingdom principle. 

on a side note . . .this topic came from another thread and I don't want this to appear like I am using this thread to countradict the person that coined this phrase on that thread.  It just reminded me of this other way to look at it is all.

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: I've always looked at that as meaning, there is nothing new under the sun (the place of flesh/carnal mind) because all anyone can do is mimic what God has already done in the Spirit, same as Jesus saying, ye can do NOTHING without Me/Spirit. Under the sun then, is ALL corrupted Word. Blessings....

[Nathan]

:cloud9: I've always looked at that as meaning, there is nothing new under the sun (the place of flesh/carnal mind) because all anyone can do is mimic what God has already done in the Spirit, same as Jesus saying, ye can do NOTHING without Me/Spirit. Under the sun then, is ALL corrupted Word. Blessings....

Yeah, that's how I see it as well . . . the first half of it . . .the second half for me is, we're no longer living "under" the natural sun, but we are living "in" the spiritual Son which there is no power of the law over us.

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: Yes, that's the way I see it too. We have to appropriate that which was appropriated for us. ALL have it "positionally" by what He did, but not all have got it experientially. Blessings....