Neville Goddard on Ecclesiastes 9:11-18 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Ecclesiastes 9 in context

Scripture Focus

11I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

12For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

Ecclesiastes 9:11-18

Biblical Context

Ecclesiastes 9:11-18 shows that outcomes do not go to the fastest or strongest, but to time and chance, and a humble, wise person can save a city even if unremembered.

Neville's Inner Vision

All these lines reveal a law of inner reality: outcomes do not ride on outer strength or timing, but on the state you entertain. Time and chance appear as conditions in the landscape of your consciousness. The poor wise man who delivers a city represents your inner faculty of discernment that, when quiet and trusted, can affect outcomes without noise. In the Neville view, wisdom operates best in stillness; the words of the wise are heard in quiet far more than the cry of rulers. Do not fear the seeming randomness of life; see it as signals from your own awareness inviting a revision. If you tune your I AM to the belief I am the wise governor of my life, you will discover that strength and skill follow as expressions of your inner state, and even sudden challenges yield to your calm, knowing presence. Providence is your awareness unfolding, not luck. You are the writer of your scenes, and your revision makes the city safe.

Practice This Now

Imitate the 'poor wise man' in your own life: close your eyes, assume the state I am the wise governor of my life, and revise a current scene so that quiet wisdom resolves the issue; feel it real.