Ecclesiastes 8: The Wisdom of Submission
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Ecclesiastes 8:1-9
Ecclesiastes 8:1-9
“Who in Here Likes to Be Told What To Do?”
There is something within our hearts that, when we are told not to do something, we are drawn to it. We want to press the red button that were not suppose to press.
From the beginning in the Garden of Eden, we see the beginning of a rebellious humanity choosing to disobey God and eat from tree of the knowledge of good and evil that they were commanded not to eat from.
Learning how to live in submission to the people, and authorities God has placed over us is very important to living a wise life..and Solomon is going to cover the wisdom of submission in Chapter 8.
1 Who is like the wise? Who knows the explanation of things? A person’s wisdom brightens their face and changes its hard appearance.
But rebellious makes a person hard, wicked, and foolish.
In the Old Testament, God regarded a rebellious spirit as so dangerous to his people, that there were severe punishments.
18 If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” 21 Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.
Why? This was severe. Now in this case, the rebellion would have been ongoing and continuous. Ignoring the guidance of thier parents, possibly putting thier parents in physical or financial harm. It says a glutton and a drunkard…so this was not just a small rebellion, this was continuous and destructive. The idea is that, to disobey your parents would be an act of rebellion against God. Now this, occured in the Old Testament under a Theocracy, and for a specific people, the Israelites..not a mandate for us today. But, I merely point this out to say this…a rebellious heart is a danger to the church, their family, and itself. Not only in what it says or does..but in the fact that rebellion unchecked encourages others to be rebellious..and is a danger to the Israelite people.
America today has gotten to the point that we have resisted and rejected the commands of God..we live the way we want. We have grown more and more comfortable in sin…and with each generation that crosses the line in rebellion, it gets easier for the next generation.
We have gotten to the point where we have seen church shootings, we’ve seen bragging about sexual sin…there is a lack of the fear of God. And we have descended into foolishness. And it is rooted in a rebellious heart.
Culturally…submission is a bad word. Wives submitting to husbands, or children to parents, or workers to bosses, or citizens to leaders, or students to teachers…we say, “no body tells me what to do. I’ll do what I want”
Solomon addresses this issue of rebellion and submission to authority…and roots it in wisdom. Rebellion brings foolishness.
17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
Rebellion brought foolishness and affliction. Rebellion brought pain and suffering.
So lets look at the topic of wisdom and submission as Solomon addresses it in Ecclesiastes 8
2 Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. 4 Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
2 Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God.
There was an oath of loyalty that subjects took to thier kings, and that oath would have been made before God, sanctioned and approved by God.
This is seen in 1Chronicles 29:24 with Solomon
24 All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their submission to King Solomon.
But the idea here is that, in submitting to the king, you are also submitting to God..and that your loyalty to the king..reflected your loyalty to God
Why? Because God is soverign over all earthly power. The way you submit to authority, reflects your trust in God who is soveriegn over that authority.
Foundational Truth #1: All earthly authority receives power from God.
10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
Jesus when he was before Pontious Pilate, and was about to be crucified…Pilate says this, don’t you reallize I have the power to crucify you? Jesus says this…you have power, but that power is given from above! In other words…I trust my life to God the Father who is soverign over all leaders and power.
1 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him. 2 A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.
All leaders, all authority…God is soverign over. And though this does not mean all leadership is good leadership..it does mean that God uses all leadership for his soverign purpose. He is still in control and works all things out for His good.
Pilate was an evil leader, and did evil..but God was soverign over that leader. And Jesus could find peace knowing that whatever power he had was from God!
1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
So what does this mean here..it means that we should submit to the governing authorities…authority over us, as that authority has been ordained by God.
So we submit, as the government submits to God.
This does not mean that we follow a government into sin, or obey even when it means we disobey God. It means that to the extent that we do not sin against God we should submit to authority over us.
Romans: An Introduction and Commentary 4. The Christian and the State (13:1–7)
It is plain from the immediate context, as from the general context of the apostolic writings, that the state can rightly command obedience only within the limits of the purposes for which it has been divinely instituted—in particular, the state not only may but must be resisted when it demands the allegiance due to God alone.
How you respond to authority over you reveals your attitude towards God.
Let me be clear, if you can not submit to your boss, parents, husband, leaders…it reflects your relationship with God.
If you are a person who can’t be told what to do, can’t listen to the pastor or spiritual leaders, or work leaders, or your spouse, or anybody for that matter…you won’t listen to God either.
The idea is not that you have to like all your leaders. It does not say you have to agree with your boss on everything. Or even the president with everything.
It means that to the best of your ability, as long as it does not lead you to sin, you should act with respect, submission…to support them..because in doing so, you are honoring God.
3 Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. 4 Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
This phrase leave the kings prsence refers to disloyalty or dissatisfaction.
It does not mean you will not have poor leaders.
Or people that are in authority over you that you will disagree with…but it means don’t allow your personal preferences and personal feelings to keep you from submission and responding appropriately. Do not abandon the honor and respect due that person.
4 If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest.
Show calmness and respect. Why..because he says who are you to say, “What are you doing?”
He says there is a way to speak and respond to those in authority..not just because of God who placed them there, but also because you don’t want to bring suffering on yourself.
Wisdom knows how to respond to leaders you disagree with, for your good and thiers.
You may disagree with your boss, but if you curse them, cuss them out…gossip about them..one you will likely get fired and hurt yourself, two, you bring division and make it harder for them to do well.
You hurt yourself, and your job.
You may disagree with the president and not like him…Democrat or rebublclican..but if you attack theier reputation, critisize them..or seek to destroy them..you aren’t brining about change, you are only creating more division and making it harder for them to do what it right.
If you are mad at your spouse, or your husband…wives you may not agree with something they said..maybe they have been foolish..but by disrespectving them, attacking thier character, you hurt your marriage, him…and are not honoring God.
You see, submission is not weakness. It is doing the hard work of seeking unity for the sake of both involved.
5 Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
He says, a poor response to those in authority…will bring harm.
Children, not respecting the authority of thier parents..brings harm on themselves. It hurts them and thier relationship.
But wisdom knows the proper response and procedure!
16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
You see submission doesn’t mean passivity. It means responding in wisdom, with grace, with patience, with calmnesss…that respects thier authority. It is humble.
Esther knew that the king was about to do something evil..she knew if she went before him without permission she may die..but she submits to God…and honors him..speaks with calmness and in doing so saves herself and her people.
She says over and over again in chapter 5, “if it pleases the king” and throws him a banquet before she makes a request. She comes with submission, honor, and respect.
This is what it means to trust God!
Whether your parents, your boss, your husband, your elected officials.
This is wisdom.
Again, this does not mean that it will work out though.
Berea…think we should do this. Its on them now, and as long as I’m not sacrificing my convictions I will support. Because they are accountable for what they do…as am I.
Pastor Tim told us this story…of a church that had gotten into a disagreement about an old tree on the edge of the parking lot. It had been there for a while, beautiful tree…and one deacon said, no I don’t think we should cut it down, its been here for as long as we have. But the leadership decided we will cut it down. So that weekend, they go out to the parking lot to begin cutting it down,..and they found the deacon, who didn’t want it down..already at work. They said, wait I didnt think you would be here. Why? He said, I shared my thoughts. But once the leadership expreses thier decision, I submit to your authority and stand with you.
This is submission, not passivity! But knowing the proper response.
1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Rather than complain about them we should seek to lift them up in Prayer.
(I know there are people who are strongly against Donald Trump…I would say this…regardless of how you feel, you should pray for him, not gossip about him on Facebook. And this is any president, Biden, Trump, Obama..whomever. Because regardless of what we think about them, they are carrying a weight and are accountalbe to God..and thier decisions effect the nation. So we should pray)
Pray for your husband
Pray for your boss
Pray for your supervisor
Pray for your parents
Pray for your pastor
You can not live in godly submission to anyone that you are not praying for. Because by praying, you are acknowleging that God is the one over the boss and supervisor, and you are praying that God would help them as they lead you.
They are held accountable..and it is always easy to say how you would do it when you are not carrying the weight of that decision. You don’t have to like every authority over you..but you should pray for them. And honor them to the extent that it does not lead you to sin.
As a pastor, I have seen and heard critisism of many different pastors and leaders in the church over the years. Myself included..but pray for your leaders, your church leaders…pray for them. They carry a weight you don’t see, and they may not be perfect…but God has placed them in that position for a time..and they need God’s help.
Be more quick to SUBMIT to them and thus avoid the temptation of REBEL.
Only direct violations of Christ’s commands and your ability to proclaim the Gospel are worthy of disobedience to the authority in question.
Foundational Truth #2: Rebellion against authority does not bring freedom
Foundational Truth #2: Rebellion against authority does not bring freedom
6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person may be weighed down by misery. 7 Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come? 8 As no one has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has power over the time of their death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.
He says first…you can rebel against authority but it does not mean you control the future! God is soverign over the season!
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
Second he says, you can rebel, but no one has power over the wind
NASV and NEB take rûaḥ to mean ‘wind’, but the context and association with death makes ‘spirit’ more likely. The two are linked in 3:19–21; 12:7.
7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
19 Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
Secondly he says this…you can rebel..but that does not bring freedom over your own spirit. We rebel because we want to be free, but rebellion, rather than submission, makes us slaves to our desires and inclinations.
This is why we said last week..it takes more strength to submit and be patient, than to fight and rebel.
Freedom is not in doing all that you want to do, but submitting to God!
True freedom is freedom from sin! And that comes through submission to God!
32 Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.
Rebelling against God, and authority does not bring freedom. It brings more bondage.
If you have not learned how to be respectful to people you disagree with. If you can’t handle being told what to do and take it in stride. You are in bondage!
A child that can not listen and respect thier parentsis not strong willed, they are weak willed. They are slaves to their desires and haven’t learned how to manage them.
A person who loses thier temper at people who offend them, the poss, the leader, the person who tells them what to do..isn’t strong, but weak. They are not free..but enslaved.
14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Submission to God brings freedom. Rebellion against authority brings bondage.
If you can’t listen to your spouse, your boss, your pastor…and only can be lead where you want to go. You are not free…you are a slave to your own desires.
We are fools!
When I got saved in college, I was an angry person. I got offended easy and would last out. One of the first signs that Christ had brought freedom to my heart is that when I was disrespected by someone, hurt, or even disagreed…I didn’t need to get my way, or to be heard for that matter. I was free to let it go, and let God.
Freedom is found in submission not rebellion.
Foundational Truth #3: Only those who learn to submit to Authority can be trusted with authority!
Foundational Truth #3: Only those who learn to submit to Authority can be trusted with authority!
9 All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt.
He says, I’ve seen kings Lord thier authority over others! I’ve seen people get authority and not use it well!
I’ve seen bad leaders. And God will hold them accountable!
But those who learn to live in submission to authority can be trusted with it!
3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. 8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. 14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
David was on the run from Saul…Saul who was king was after David who was the annointed king. David has him in his hands…he knows hes next in line..it was promised for him to be king…but he doesn’t allow his desire for authority to cause him to sin and kill Saul, and not respect his authority. Saul was still king..Saul was still the annointed leader.
David says, let God be the judge. But I will not sin!
He says God sees what you are doing to me, but I will not fall into sin against you!
God is soverign over kings. I trust Him…I respect your authority..and I fear God.
And thus…David when he became king was a man after God’s own heart. He lead well, and is one of the highest models of kingly leadership..because because he had learned to submit to authority.
What am I saying?
If you have not learned how to submit and serve, you can not lead. Or maybe you will find yourself in a position to lead..but you won’t lead well.
The best leaders, I have found are those who don’t want to be..and who, when I ask them to do something..no matter what it is…will do it.
The best leaders I have found, are those who can take feedback and guidance without getting angry.
The best leaders are those who have learned to follow.
I have had people tell me, RJ i want to be a pastor..or I want to be leader…in the church or elsewhere at a job…and there have been those that I thought…they would be good. And those I though…they haven’t learned how to serve.
25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. 1 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
I want to call us to submission and trust!
