The Vanity of Government

Introduction

When Pastor TJ asked me to preach this morning on the vanity of government, I laughed a bit.

Just a quick glance at the headlines these past few months will show how well humanity governs ourselves. here are a few headlines from the past month or so

Slides

The final countdown: Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez fights for his political life

“Rwandan opposition leader arrested over alleged plot against authorities”

Panama temporarily suspends some constitutional guarantees in protest‑rocked province

2025 Mongolian protests … Prime Minister resigns

“Kenyan police shoot protester at close range during latest protests over blogger’s death”

I mean, these are all pictures from just one US city over the past month.

It truly breaks my heart… But none of this is a surprise to any of us though is it?

Many of you are likely thinking of even more headlines you have heard about recently.

So the question we need to be asking ourselves is… how are we as Christians to respond to this?

What’s the proper Christian response?

Is there ever a time to join in on the political instability?

Should we obey and submit to government always no matter what? to put it another way…

What is the Christian’s relationship to their government supposed to be?

The preacher gives us some great wisdom in Ecclesiastes 8 to help guide us in the answering of these questions.

So let’s take a look at what He had to say. We will do this with three points.

Slide

1. Submit to Authority with Wisdom (vv. 1–6) 2. Remember the Limits of Earthly Power (vv. 7–9) 3. Trust God When Justice is Delayed (vv. 10–17)

So let us begin with examining how we should Submit with Wisdom.

Slide

I. Submit to Authority with Wisdom (vv. 1–6)

The preacher knows that the question regarding how those who fear God should respond to the government is going to be a question people are asking for years to come.

therefore, The Preacher opens this passage with a call for wisdom in navigating life under authority.

As Christians, what is our response when we see governments making unwise decisions?

How do we react to governments we agree with little with?

Ecclesiastes answer to this is not what most people today will want to hear, but it’s wisdom the world most desperately needs.

The preacher did not call for quick rebellion, but rather patient wise submission to governing authority.

This wisdom is not just for good governments though, but even applies to the unjust ones.

As we walk through verses 2–6, we find five ways the wise are called to submit in a broken world.

Slide

A) Submit because God stands behind authority (v.2; cf. Romans 13:1–2)

Verse 2 says, Ecclesiastes 8:2 I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him.”

There are various ways to interpret this, but regardless which one you hold to, the core principle stays the same….

submission to government is, at its core, an act of reverence toward God.

But you may be thinking,

“sure, but this was most likely written by the wisest King Israel ever had. Under His reign, this makes sense, but have you seen the stuff happening in my country?

Lest that be your thought,

let’s fast forward to the new testament and read what Paul has to say on the matter in Romans 13.

Slide

Romans 13:1–2 ESV

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Picture slide???

Paul was writing this during the reign of Emperor Nero. The same Emperor who would later start a massive persecution of Christians just to keep people in Rome from being mad at him for a fire that ravaged the city.

This is not a just ruler.

This was not a Godly man.

But yet God through Paul still urged submission?

Why would he do this?

Well not because Nero was godly, but because Nero’s authority was permitted by God.

Whether it’s Solomon’s kingdom,

the Roman Empire,

America,

England,

Korea,

or China,

Scripture calls us to recognize that human government operates under divine sovereignty because Even flawed kings sit under God's rule.

so why do we submit to the state?

We submit as an act of obedient reverence to the God whom placed the authority over us to begin with.

But this is not easy is it?

We so often get frustrated on the issues happening in the moment and desire to rush into action in order to force the change we desire.

This leads us to subpoint B.

Slide

B) Submit without storming off in frustration, but with patience (v.3a; 5-6)

Ecclesiastes 8:3 (ESV)

3 Be not hasty to go from his presence……

This isn’t just advice about physical distance.

The image here is of someone in the King’s court running out of the room in anger.

It's a warning against reacting too emotionally or in anger to decisions you dislike.

The wise person doesn’t walk away from the table or disengage from civil life.

Wisdom resists the temptation to act impulsively.

There have been times in history when Christians have had to stand up to their governments because of grave injustices.

William Carrey fighting for the abolition of slavery in England is a great Example of this.

A more drastic example would be Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his church’s fight against Hitler.

But neither of these were rash and emotional decisions.

This is even more important for us today with the rise of various technology platforms.

Social media, news outlets, and even friends may pressure you to “choose a side now,”

“boycott now,”

or “share this now—or you’re part of the problem.”

Silence is violence they will say.

Verse 3 warns against that very impulsiveness.

Wisdom is not driven by fear,

peer pressure,

or anger.

it listens,

reflects,

and waits for the right time (v.5).

So how do you respond? Pause before reacting and ask: “Is this righteous anger or manipulated outrage?”

“Am I being faithful or just reactive?”

Ecclesiastes 8:5–6 ESV

5 Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. 6 For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him.

Submission doesn’t mean silence, it means patience.

There is a reason that patience is a fruit of the spirit, because it is a must when wisely handling the things of this world.

The wise wait for the right moment, trusting that “there is a time and a judgment” as verse 6 says.

We might long to act rash and immediately,

but wisdom teaches us to trust God’s timing,

especially when human government falters.

I do want to stop and pause here and clarify again that I am not saying that there is never a time to go against an unjust ruler,

but that should never be our first reaction,

nor should it be something we take lightly.

As Christians, we should always seek to live in willful submission to our governing authorites.

Christians should be seen as the most model citizens.

But what if the government wants me to do evil?

That leads us to our third way of submitting…

C. Submit without joining in evil (v.3b)

The second half of verse 3 says…

Ecclesiastes 8:3 (ESV)

…… Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases.

This line has been translated a number of ways, but the meaning is clear.

submission doesn’t mean participation in wickedness.

The wise person can recognize injustice without compromising their conscience.

Daniel served under wicked kings, yet never defiled himself. Joseph served Pharoh, but he did not worship their gods.

The early church strived to live at peace with Rome, amd even refused to join the Jews in the Macabe revolt.

But they did not worship the emperor or offer incense in his name.

We are to submit in obedience to our governing authorities,

but we obey the laws of God above the laws of man.

So if the government says we must do acts of injustice against others, we obey God over man.

If the government says to not meet for worship together, we obey God over man. if the government says to not share the love of God with others, we obey God over man.

We do this not as an act of rebellion, but as an act of faith in the King of Kings.

But often, our frustration has nothing to do with the government passing laws that put us in a position to make these decisions.

Quite often, our frustration is just because we don’t understand why in the world they are doing what they are doing.

This leads us to sub-point 4…

D. Submit knowing you don’t control the outcome (v.4)

Ecclesiastes 8:4 ESV

4 For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?”

There are times when rulers act in ways we cannot influence.

The wise recognize this limitation.

We are not sovereign.

Our posture must remain humble.

This doesn’t mean we never speak truth, but it does mean we speak with realism.

We are not God.

We are citizens in kingdoms not fully our own.

Wisdom doesn’t waste its breath demanding explanations that won’t come.

This is a hard one for me.

I HATE not understanding the reason.

I was always the kid who asked why, not out of defiance but because I sincerely desired to understand the reason for things.

Even as an adult, this as gotten me into trouble more than I would like to admit.

I JUST LIKE UNDERSTANDING THE WHY!

But sometimes, the best thing we can do is submit to authority and accept that even though we don’t understand it, God is indeed in control.

So what does it look like to submit with wisdom?

- It looks like honoring authority without idolizing it,

-holding convictions without quick emotional reactions,

-refusing evil without seeking control,

-and patiently trusting God’s timing even when the system is broken.

So Now that we have seen what it means to submit to Governing authorities, let us now move on and see the limits of these governing authorities.

II. Remember the Limits of Earthly Power (vv. 7–9)

We will do this starting in verse 7.

Ecclesiastes 8:7 “For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be?”

This verses are a reality check.

First we see that

Slides

A) Earthly Power Can’t Predict the Future (v. 7)

Even kings, who seem to control so much, don’t know what’s coming next.

Verse 7 humbles every ruler: “he does not know what is to be.”

That’s true of emperors, presidents, kings, and governors alike.

No matter how many intelligence briefings, advisors, or polling data they have, they don’t know what tomorrow holds.

Just think back to early 2020. No government official saw how quickly COVID would change the world.

So don’t look to politics for peace, or to policy for ultimate protection.

Let’s stop believing that if we just get our person in charge, all will be well.

No human leader can fix what only Christ can redeem.

No politician can bring ultimate peace and prosperity because no politician is the perfect sinless Jesus Christ.

The wise remember that only God knows the end from the beginning.

We also see that..

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B) Earthly Power Can’t Escape Death (v. 8a)

The first half of Verse 8 says:

Ecclesiastes 8:8 (ESV)

8 No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death…….

Even the most powerful person cannot hold back their soul when death comes calling.

George Washington, the father of the United States… died.

Qin Shi Huang, who built the Great Wall…died.

Suleiman the Magnificent who ruled an empire stretching across continents…. died.

No matter how powerful,

wise,

or respected,

every ruler eventually falls before the one Judge who never dies.

If you remember, Solomon said something similar in Ecclesiastes 3:2

Ecclesiastes 3:2 ESV

2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

That should sober us.

Don’t envy powerful people, they will die just like the rest of us.

And don’t fear them, either.

They are mortal. God alone is eternal.

the next limitation we see is….

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C) Earthly Power Can’t Avoid Judgment (v. 8b–9)

Verse 8 continues:

Ecclesiastes 8:8 (ESV)

There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.

When you are off to war, good luck getting out of the battle as a soldier.

Much of our life is outside of our control and in the hands of others.

There’s no point fighting against this truth with wickedness either.

In other words, you can’t sin your way into safety.

As we all know all too well…

There are rulers who gain power through corruption, lies, or violence.

They may think they’ve secured their position, but no evil scheme can protect them from God’s justice.

Slide

So what does all this mean for us?

1. I’ll repeat, Submit to government, but Don’t idolize it, for It is limited.

2. Submit to earthly leaders as to God, but Don’t fear them as if they are ultimate. They are not.

3. Don’t put your hope in elections or policies or platforms.

These things have their place, but they do not have ultimate power.

Only God does.

Slide

We will end this point with a Psalm that I think beautifully sums it all up.

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." – Psalm 20:7

But what happens when these earthly limitations don’t just show up in weakness, but in wickedness?

When government doesn’t merely fail, but causes harm?

That’s where the Preacher now turns in verse 9, which brings us to our last point this morning.

III. Trust God When Justice is Delayed (vv. 9–17)

We begin by looking at Verse 9, which pulls the camera back to the big picture:

Ecclesiastes 8:9 (ESV) “All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.”

This is not just an isolated political issue, it’s a deep spiritual one.

The Preacher acknowledges the grim reality of corrupt power. When man lords it over man to his hurt, it may go unchecked for a time, but not forever. God sees.

Judgment is coming.

So when you see governments like:

Pharaoh’s Egypt, enslaving and murdering Israelite children…

Nazi Germany, rounding up Jews and political opponents in the name of racial purity…

Modern North Korea, starving its people while forcing them to worship their leaders like gods…

Or any other injustice that has burdened your heart or burned in your memory—know this: It does not go unnoticed by the God who put them in positions of authority.

These rulers may seem secure, but they are not sovereign. The same God who put them in power will bring Justice down upon them. Justice. will. come.

They may delay justice, but they cannot avoid it:

Let’s not be naive here though. We know that when justice is delayed, sin multiplies.

And yet, the Preacher still says:

Ecclesiastes 8:12 (ESV) “Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God…”

to me, it brings comfort knowing God speaks to this.

How often have you seen those who do evil prosper?

How often have you seen the righteous suffer under the grips of the unrighteousness?

It will make you join the preacher in saying vanity, vanity, all is vanity. But you know what keeps me from giving up in defeat in the face of this vanity?

I KNOW that God is still the ultimate and true King!

He is on His throne. yes, God has put governments in place as vessels of his Justice, but even in their failure, we know that God’s Justice is coming.

We can trust in it’s assurance.

All will be made right.

But while we wait, what do we do?

The preacher answers this in verse 15.

Ecclesiastes 8:15 (ESV) “And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful…”

Guys, do you see the beauty in what I just read?

Some take this to be a defeated attitude, that if everything is so pointless, I guess I will just give up and eat well.

But no, that’s not the message at all.

He’s saying that even though we live in a world of meaninglessness.

Even though we are called to submit to the state.

Even though the state is not going to do what we want it to do.

Even though we see so much evil and injustice done by those who are to be the one’s issuing justice, the preacher still commends joy!

How can he say there is joy after writing eight chapters on how meaningless life is?

The joy is found in God and God alone!

The joy is found in The bringer of justice.

The one who will make all things right.

The one who brings meaning to the meaningless.

So Church,

let us eat,

let us drink,

and let us be joyful because we serve a God who is worthy of our praise!

So let’s end our service in this way shall we?

Let’s sing worship to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords,

Let’s then come together to eat drink and be merry!

Having joy with each other knowing we serve a God of Justice.

Let’s pray.