The answer is that assurance is rooted in our election. Second Peter 1:10 says, “Be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” Divine election is the foundation of God’s commitment to save me, and therefore that he will undertake to work in me by sanctifying grace what his electing grace has begun.
This is the meaning of the new covenant. Everyone who believes in Jesus is a secure beneficiary of the new covenant, because Jesus said in Luke 22:20, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” That is, by my blood I secure the new covenant for all who are mine.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. Ecclesiastes 1:12 (KJV)
In the preceding verses (v1-11), Qôheleth began with introducing the problem of human existence; i.e., that there is an asymmetry between human labour and the profit we expect from it. And in the following verses (v12-18), he seems to establish that human wisdom is insufficient to address this problem. (Gill)
To make this point, he reasserts the ‘I’ of his personhood. In translation, this has multiple meanings: (1) that this is an autobiographical account (Bartholomew, 103), i.e., a first-hand account – emphasising on its truthfulness and validity, (2) this ‘I’ is King over Jerusalem (Seow, 119) – emphasising on the fact that he had every means and associations available to him; or in other words, he had every resource to meet all his curiosities – to even investigate the problem at hand (v1-11).
Comments:
In the verses to follow, it seems Qôheleth establishes himself as one of the most industrious men of his time. But his intention isn’t to boast, but to highlight – or as to teach, that despite all his riches, even he couldn’t find any answer to the absurdities of life. “… if true satisfaction could have been found in it, he would have found it. 1. His high station gave him an opportunity of improving himself in all parts of learning, and particularly in politics and the conduct of human affairs.” (Henry)
Bartholomew, C. (2009). Ecclesiastes, Baker Academic Gill, J. (1748-63). Exposition of the Old Testament, Eccl. 1:12 Henry, M. (1706). Commentary on the Whole Bible, Complete, Eccl. 1:12-18 Seow, C.L. (1997). Ecclesiastes, Yale University Press
We need to remember, first, that impatience is a manifestation of pride. We are impatient because we want to “be like God” (Gen. 3:5), who alone gets everything done all the time. God speaks, and it always happens. Nothing frustrates His will; nothing limits His accomplishments. He always accomplishes everything that He wants to accomplish, and He always does so at the precise moment that He wants it to be done. We are impatient because we are not like that, and we so desperately want to be. And since pride really is “the great sin,” as C.S. Lewis has said, we ought not to tolerate it or to turn a blind eye to it in any of its manifestations.
Semper Reformanda 