What's New?

That’s an interesting question. I think the answer is “not much.” I’m basing that on words by wise King Solomon in his Book of Ecclesiastes, which is dated close to his death in 931 B.C.

Have you ever heard “There’s nothing new under the sun?” Did you know that was written by Solomon? I find Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 quite interesting (BSB):

What has been will be again,

And what has been done will be done again;

There is nothing new under the sun.

Is there a case where one can say,

“Look, this is new?”

It has already existed in the ages before us.

Mankind has certainly created, or invented, some marvelous things since Solomon’s time. But when you think of people and their basic human characteristics, not much has changed.

That’s why, to me, the Ten Commandments make so much sense. Can you believe living out only ten good things can create a desirable society? Review the ten for yourself in Exodus 20.

It doesn’t take much Bible reading to discover man’s historic tendency toward evil. The flood in Noah’s day came about for that very reason (Genesis 6:5-7). And, according to Matthew 15:18-19, mankind hadn’t changed much in Jesus’ time.

But this week I came across a scripture that could have been written for today’s news. I Peter 3:14 had a cross-reference to Isaiah 8:12 (BSB): Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not live in dread.

There’s nothing new in the fact that people have always conspired secretly, creating plans and schemes that suit their agenda. But today we hear a lot of conspiracy theories. That puts a different twist on it because theories are things yet to be proved.

I’ve heard Joyce Meyer say, “FEAR is false evidence appearing real.” She didn’t know who coined the phrase and neither do I, but it makes sense. And we do have a choice: will we walk by fear or faith?

I want to live by faith. That’s why I try to read God’s word daily. Make your choice today . . . then live by it.

Illustration: Detective, Searching Man by GraphicMama-Team on Pixabay.