Wickedness in Place of Justice

16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there. 17 I thought in my heart, “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed.” 18 I also thought, “As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” 22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

Introduction

We will consider this passage under 4 main headings

1. Solomon’s Observation (v.16)

Instead of Justice in the World there is Wickedness

First, we see in this passage the observation that Solomon makes as he looks at the world around him.

Ecclesiastes 3:16

16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

"And I saw something else under the sun..."

Solomon is continuing his evaluation of life.

He has been exploring for meaning.

He's been attempting to find that which can bring satisfaction.

In the midst of that, he's also been evaluating the fairness of life...

One of the times he did that was when comparing the wise man with the fool.

He says that there is no advantage to being wise, since the same fate awaits both.

But he now turns his mind to another point of consideration of life under the sun...

Judgment and justice in the world.

Wickedness Thriving

"In the place of judgment - wickedness..."

"In the place of justice - wickedness..."

Solomon now turns his attention to justice in the world (or the lack thereof)

If there is one place that we should be confident of good, it is in the justice system.

We should be able to trust those tasked with maintaining law and order

We should be able to trust those who have been asked to hold others accountable to the laws of that nation.

But as Solomon looks around him at what is happening, he notices that there is a great lack of sound judgment, and there is not only a lack of proper justice, but there is wickedness!!

Justice in everyday life is something that every person desires.

If they don’t desire it for the oppressed and the destitute, then they certainly desire it for themselves.

One of the earliest things that you’ll find in children engaging with each other is this concept of justice.

If you buy one child an ice-lolly, then every child should get an ice-lolly.

If one child gets into trouble for doing something, the first thing they’re going to do to you as a parent is remind you of the time that little johnny did the same thing and didn’t get into trouble.

No justice!!

Justice is hard-wired into our beings.

And the reason for that is because God is a just God!!

As image-bearers of God, we know that there ought to be justice.

Attribute of God - Justice!

Consider with me some Scriptures which demonstrate this...

Deuteronomy 32:3–4

3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!

4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Because God is just, he wanted Israel to appoint those who would uphold justice...

Judges needed to be those who would judge the nation fairly.

There was to be no partiality in the execution of justice.

Deuteronomy 16:18–20

18 Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.

19 Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

20 Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Consider when King Jehoshaphat appointed judges in each of the fortified cities of Judah...

2 Chronicles 19:6–7

6 He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for man but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict.

7 Now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”

Not only were the judges to judge fairly, but all the Israelites were to live in a manner that was just...

Isaiah 1:16–17

16 wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong,

17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

When Israel failed to execute justice, and they failed to care for the oppressed...

When Israel merely went through the motions, God despised their sacrifices and feasts and celebrations...

Amos 5:21–24

21 “I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies.

22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.

23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

By the time Christ came into the world, this injustice in society (even Israelite society, despite all the warnings through the prophets) was pervading society.

Matthew 23:23

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

One of the key aspects that is looked forward to in the future, one of the key aspects tied to salvation, is this idea of true justice...

Revelation 19:1–2a

1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

2 for true and just are his judgments... ”

Here is a theme that runs all the way through Scripture. Justice!!

As Solomon looked on at the world around him, what he finds is wickedness.

It’s interesting that he was able to perceive this even as king...

He certainly had a place of authority and power.

He certainly had the ability to bring about some measure of reform and change as the great ruler over Israel.

And yet, he become despondent when he considers the great injustice that is taking place.

And friends, we need to recognise that the reason for such injustice in the world is because of the sinful hearts of man.

Consider omitting these Proverbs...

Listen to how the book of Proverbs describes the perversion of justice, as opposed to those who uphold justice...

Proverbs 17:23

23 A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice.

Proverbs 19:28

28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

Proverbs 28:5

5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.

Proverbs 29:7

7 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.

The injustice that Solomon sees all around him weighs down on his heart.

Even in the place where justice is expected to be upheld, there is but wickedness.

Very little has changed since Solomon’s day.

Do we not see injustice in our own justice system?

Do we not see evil men perverting the course of justice.

Those who are clearly at fault and filled with evil, nonetheless getting off on technicalities.

Cops taking bribes.

You name it, it happens.

Summary

So here is Solomon’s Observation and concern.

God is deeply concerned for justice - it is in His very nature and character!

Solomon looks at the world, and his observation is that there is no such thing as justice.

In light of this, how does Solomon respond?

There are two responses that he makes.

2. Solomon’s First Response (v.17)

1st Response Summary: Ultimate Justice Will Come from God....

Ecclesiastes 3:17

17 I thought in my heart, “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed.”

First response is: God will bring justice ultimately...

He brings in that picture of "a time for everything" that we looked at last week.

There is a time for every activity... even for God to judge.

Solomon is thinking clearly here...

If God is a God of justice (as we've seen He is) then justice must and will ultimately come.

There are ultimately two ways that God brings justice...

We must understand here that “Justice” as it is spoken of here is “not merely judicial assessment but the execution of sentence also.” (Eaton, M. A.)

There will be judgment on...

the unrighteous...

the righteous...

If I had to ask you this morning, which of those camps do you sit in, what would your answer be, and why?

Do you sit on the side of the unrighteous?

Or do you sit on the side of the righteous?

Many people think that they are on the side of the “righteous”...

If I had to ask you this morning: “Do you consider yourself to be a good person?”

How would you respond to that?

1 John 3:4

4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

Romans 3:23

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

As a result of this sin, which is the root of injustice, there is a just penalty that is required.

When God comes to judge on judgment day, every person in this world, if judged on their own life and righteousness deserves the wrath of God.

Romans 2:5

5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

And so many people in churches live their lives hoping that they are living a life that is good enough so that when God comes, he’ll accept them.

But the problem with that thinking is that we are far more wicked in ourselves than we could ever realize.

The standard that we tend to use is the of comparison with other people.

But that is not God’s standard!

His standard is perfect holiness and righteousness.

But this is where the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ comes in.

Christ came to live the perfect life for our sake.

He lived in complete obedience to the full law of God, so that He alone stood as a righteous man in the sight of God.

And then He went to the cross to pay the penalty that was due to us.

Romans 5:8–9

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And so friends, I ask this morning, have you understood that this morning?

Do you realise that your most righteous deeds are filthy rags before our Holy God?

But, the good news, salvation is available to all who believe.

John 1:12

12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

John 3:15–17

15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

This is the Gospel… the Good News...

Mark 1:15

15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Solomon makes his first observation by saying that there will be a time for the justice of God...

Final Justice is Coming

2 Corinthians 5:10

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Romans 2:6–11

6 God “will give to each person according to what he has done.”

7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;

10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

11 For God does not show favoritism.

2 Thessalonians 1:6–10

6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you

7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.

8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power

10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

The Question: How will God's justice impact you?

Will you be one of those who has repented of sin, and is walking in the light?

Or will you be one of those who continues to walk in darkness, failing to repent, and so God's justice will come directly upon you personally?

3. Solomon’s Second Response (v.18-21)

2nd Response Summary: Man's fate is the same as that of the animals....

Ecclesiastes 3:18-21

18 I also thought, “As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

3.1. "...God tests man..."

The premise

God is about the business of testing people in this world.

He puts people under tests (trials) in order for their hearts, their motivations, their desires to be brought out to the surface.

This testing is NOT so that God can know who we are...

Rather, it is so that we can see who we are...

God knows our hearts, every thought, every intention.

1 Corinthians 4:5

5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

Hebrews 4:13

13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

So that is the reality - God knows our hearts, he knows the intentions of the heart...

But let us realise then that God is about the business of testing the hearts of man.

Have you ever considered in your own life personally, that God is testing your heart.

Scriptures that demonstrate God's testing

Deuteronomy 8:2

2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.

Jeremiah 17:10

10 “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.”

Psalm 11:4–5

4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.

5 The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates.

Proverbs 17:3

3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.

Thoughts

God is about the business of testing man's hearts

Ultimately, God has created us to worship Him.

But we've gone on a path of idolatry... our hearts long for things rather than God.

Our hearts long for things according to our own selfish desires.

We desire comforts in this world; we desire prestige; esteem from others; respect from others; we desire acknowledgements for our good works...

We have these desires that can very often become so important to us that when the time of testing comes, our sin just pours out of us in the way we behave...

Think about Cain and Abel… When Cain’s sacrifice was not pleasing to God, what he do?

Firstly, he sulked!!

Genesis 4:6–7

6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?

7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

God tests us, and we would do well to endure the testing, and through the testing to evaluate ourselves.

Psalm 139:23–24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

We should desire and seek out the Lord's testing of us.

Instead... we make every effort to run from testing (trials!!)

Psalm 26:2

2 Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;

Then Solomon outlines WHY God tests man...

3.2. "So that they may see that they are like animals..."

This is not to put man on par with animals!!

We are not merely animals in every sense of the word.

Scripture is clear - man is made in the image of God.

No animal bears the likeness / image of God.

No animal was given authority to rule of the earth and subdue it.

It is to show that we are finite!!

Man is limited...

We are not eternal beings...

We are not God!!!

And we are not angels in heaven...

Psalm 49:12

12 But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 49:20

20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

In Psalm 73, the Psalmist was envious of the wicked... and he then compares himself to an animal as he was unable to think correctly and accurately.

Psalm 73:22

22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.

Thus we are not only finite in our lives and how long our life will endure, but finite in our knowledge and understanding and wisdom!

From dust to dust

Ecclesiastes 3:20

20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.

That statement by Solomon is drawn from the narrative of the fall of man in Eden

Genesis 3:19

19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

There's the curse of God upon mankind - and that affects all of us!!

We are no different in that sense to the animals.

3.3. Where does our spirit go?

As Solomon ponders this testing by God, he makes a strange statement.

Ecclesiastes 3:21

21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

Some have thought that in that day, all Jews (people of that time) believed that the spirit merely went to Sheol... to the grave...

Unlikely, given that Solomon even poses this statement.

Consider the Psalmist from Psalm 49 (read earlier...)

Psalm 49:15

15 But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.

Solomon himself will go on to make this observation...

Ecclesiastes 12:7

7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

At this moment, Solomon is certainly having a time of doubt and questioning...

And the weariness of his soul, he even asks questions of the ultimate end of man...

4. Solomon’s Conclusion (v.22)

This thinking brings him to his conclusion...

Life without eternal perspective is meaningless

Ecclesiastes 3:22

22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

Solomon here returns to considering enjoying the labours of our hands in this life, that he's already spoken of previously.

What's important to note here is that without an eternal perspective, without an assurance of eternal life, there will never be lasting satisfaction.

So for us, if we have no assurance of future glory and hope, we are to be pitied.

That was Paul's argument in 1 Cor. 15.

1 Corinthians 15:19

19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

The reality is, we have the Gospel of Christ which brings hope for a future life in glory!!

Application.

A.1. Look forward to True Justice.

In the apparent injustice in the world, we could be tempted to become disheartened.

We must know that Christ is ruling and reigning and He will ultimately, in His perfect timing, bring justice into the world.

Yes we can and must pray for Godly leaders, as Paul exhorts Timothy (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

But ultimate justice will not come in this world.

We should not become too disheartened if we don't see proper justice.

Because we know that in time, this justice will come.

In fact, we ought to pray for the salvation of others.

In fact, in light of the fact that justice is truly coming, we ought to take the Gospel message of a Saviour in Christ to the world, so that they may repent of their sin and be saved!!

Let us also be careful that in our own assessment of the injustice in the world, we should not be angered such that we begin to take measures into our own hands.

Romans 12:19–21

19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

A.2. Be Prepared for Judgment

Are you prepared for the judgment of God?

And I want to plead with you: Don’t assume that you are ready for that judgment merely because you know some facts about God.

Don’t assume that you are ready for that judgment merely because you know the facts of the Gospel...

Surely there could scarcely be more sad a situation than that on the judgment day, Christ returns and you find that you’ve lived your life believing that you know Christ, only to find out that He says to you, “Depart from me, I never knew you...”

We must make sure, friends.

2 Corinthians 13:5

5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

We need to put off the apathy in our lives...

We need to (by God’s grace) put off the sin in our lives and clothes ourselves in Christ.

We need to pray that by God’s grace, and as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling, we do not trifle with sin, and play with sin in our lives, and minimize the significance and seriousness of sin in our lives.

How we justify our own sin, and play it down as if it were not that bad.

Sin is bad… it’s worse than you think… it is pure evil.

We would do well to pray that God increases our hatred of sin in our own lives, particularly as we behold the holiness and the purity and the beauty of almighty God.

And also as we consider just how great the price is that has been paid for us.

By God’s grace, as we humble ourselves before Him, as we grow in our understanding and our knowledge of Him, He will work this in us.

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