Same as it ever was?

Ecclesiastes 1:10 (NKJV)
Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.

As our world continues to advance in technology we continually hear about new innovations. The iPad, iPod, Droid, Blackberry, and countless others are just some of what our society continually touts as new and revolutionary, but really, are they?

No matter what kind of technology you cram into the microchips inside a cellular phone, it’s still just a phone. To us, Alexander Graham Bell’s phone, invented in 1876, is now considered “ancient”. At the time it was created, however, it seemed like something new. But really, it wasn’t anything more than a modified way of communicating through speech, which, incidentally, hasn’t changed since the beginning of time! Sound or gesture comes from the body to relay a message. The phone is just a modification of that simple, and natural, event.


Computers can be traced back in the same manner. Computers trace back to 1936, when Konrad Zues invented the Z1, and they’ve evolved all the way through to today’s high tech market. But, like our phone, the computer is nothing more than a glorified writing tool or adding machine. Again, since ancient times mankind has been writing things down and computing equations to both communicate and teach others. So when you get down to it, the computer is just a fancy pencil!

Oh, poor Solomon. He was depressed, down and out. He’d had everything: wisdom, knowledge, wealth, women (lots of women); but in the end he was lacking something. So he wrote and asked the question, “Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is new’?” Because he had no hope, he saw no change. Everything was just has it had always been and would always remain.

But, there is awesome, incredible, inspiring, uplifting, hopeful news. Jesus Christ has answered Solomon’s question. He has brought grace to a world that was trapped under law. He has renewed life, restored relationships, conquered death, and satisfied the Father. That’s all new stuff that hadn’t been done by anyone before, and can’t, and won’t, ever need to be done by anyone again! Christ has made all things new (Revelation 21:5), and given us the hope that Solomon couldn’t fathom.

Because of His sacrifice all things are made new. You are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). He has restored your relationship with God Almighty. Your sin can no longer separate you from the blessings and abundance that God has in store for you because the Blood of Christ has satisfied the perfect Law of the Father. Rejoice! For if Solomon, the man of great wisdom, the wealthiest man ever to walk the face of the earth, had even half of the inheritance that we do through the cross, he would never have written Ecclesiastes.