Meaning of Ecclesiastes 3:15?

[FaithAlone]

15"That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by."

What does this verse mean? Especially the part about God seeking what has passed by. For some reason that really stood out while I was reading it.

[PapaLandShark]

Loosely I would say this is refering back to Ecclesiastes 1:9-10.

Everything is known and foreknown by God. He exists outside of time and sees all that has happened and will happen. Perhaps an easier way to look at it is that God sits at the end of time ( Although he exists in each instant in all ) and looks back at "what has passed by". Just a way for us humans to try and wrap our heads around His perspective.

[Max__]

Hi in the Translated bible it say's

( Whatever exists today and what ever will exist's in the future has already existed in the past.For god calls each event bach in it's turn.)

Hope this help's

[jesusfreak3786]

I think it means that since God is omnipresent He see's all time periods, and He is also perfect, I would think He would want all of creaton to be perfect too, hence the sacrifice of His Son Jesus, so He seeks what has passed by. Just a thought, I'm not sure at all to tell you the truth.

[StephanieD]

Everything is known and foreknown by God. He exists outside of time and sees all that has happened and will happen. Perhaps an easier way to look at it is that God sits at the end of time ( Although he exists in each instant in all ) and looks back at "what has passed by". Just a way for us humans to try and wrap our heads around His perspective.
These have been good explanations. God is outside of time. He has seen the past, the present and the future. He is beyond all of that. Even though He is not held by a timeline, He has seen it all. "God seeks what has past by" is a way of saying that He allows the present and future to happen (in our world). If God had a past, then everything has already passed by for Him, and He lets time continue.
It's like God is the artists of a painting. He has completed His piece and stands back to admire it. Yet, we are within the painting. We can't see the whole piece because we can only see what is right around us in our own world and in our own time.
This is a complex verse, but a very good question. It made me think. :D

[woman.at.the.well]

I think it means that since God is omnipresent He see's all time periods, and He is also perfect, I would think He would want all of creaton to be perfect too, hence the sacrifice of His Son Jesus, so He seeks what has passed by. Just a thought, I'm not sure at all to tell you the truth.

I'm with jesusfreak on this one. My first thought when I saw this question on this passage was: He wants to bring the world back to perfection, to the state it was in before sin corrupted and ruined His world.