Ecclesiastes 8:1-17
Pastor Brian
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 35:26
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Notes
Transcript
llustration:
Child is called upon to sit on Dad’s lap and steer the family vehicle. There may be the naive tendency that ability to drive and take control belongs to him. There is also the tendency to question when Dad does something contrary to the wisdom with which he taught you to drive. (Stop right now)
The wise child realizes that he drives under control. He humbly enjoys sitting on Dad’s lap, and he submissively acts even when Dad calls him to do something out of the ordinary.
In tonight’s passage we are looking at power that is delegated to rulers. They don’t recognize that authority is delegated to them; in fact they act as though they are God. They act like the child on the Dad’s lap in thinking that they are in control. However, the question for us is how do we act wisely with those do not recognize the authority that is given to them. We can be appalled at why God is allowing something that goes against the very order He set up.
Because all earthly power is delegated, act wisely.
Because all earthly power is delegated, act wisely.
How do we act wisely?
Accommodate those whom God has given power
Accommodate those whom God has given power
This accommodation does not abandon wisdom
It can’t solve everything.
Don’t abandon it because it cannot do so.
1 Who is like a wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, And the sternness of his face is changed.
We have the setting of an adviser or someone in the king’s court. The king is not acting righteously or wisely. What should one do in the king’s presence under these circumstances?
2 I say, “Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God.
He begins with saying obey him and he ties the obedience to one’s allegiance to God.
The next verse seems to indicate that advice was offered to the king, what should one do when the king does not listen?
3 Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”
Don’t remain in the bad situation. Leave his presence. Don’t argue with him.
Reason is now given as to why this wisdom was given.
4 Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
Though one may know that the king’s power is delegated, but it may not be the best time to let him know that. For the short delegation of time the king does have more power than the one in his court.
Why should one act in such a way?
5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,
The benefit of escaping the evil of the king is mentioned. Then a segway is given in to the wisdom of the wise in knowing when and when not to deal with a matter.
This brings up a repeated question about accommodating those with power over us? When should we resist and when should we leave? That is not the focus of this passage, but we will bring up an example of Christ at the end that deals with this question. Nevertheless the fact that all power id delegated by God gives us discernment in these issues.
Illustration of keeping wisdom on the court
One may not try to lecture the coaches or the refs, but he will keep wisdom on the court.
The end of verse 5 mentions that one of wisdom will be discerning in the situations; however the wise one will heed this advice:
Don’t try to control what is beyond your ability
Don’t try to control what is beyond your ability
6 Because for every matter there is a time and judgment, Though the misery of man increases greatly.
There is a trouble for man because he is troubled about his lack ability to understand what God has planned
The author then give a list of things that are totally beyond man’s control:
7 For he does not know what will happen; So who can tell him when it will occur? 8 No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.
He doesn’t know the future.
He can’t control the wind.
He doesn’t control his day of death
He does not escape the consequences of his wickedness.
He ends with an observation of something that he observes in relation to human power
9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.
Many times we perceive of acting wisely as making sure everything is done right. The author would go on to say:
Don’t try to reconcile injustice; Enjoy God’s gifts
Don’t try to reconcile injustice; Enjoy God’s gifts
Observe the situation that does not line up with wise thinking
10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity. 11 Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.
The wicked face their end, but not before the damage was done:
Their self-righteousness in this life or their honorable end deceives people. People conclude from their example that they can continue on in wickedness with no consequences
They multiply iniquity.
He then goes to what he knows to be true about reality under God’s rule
12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
He however goes back to what does not line up with that reality
14 There is a vanity which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
Thes two realities cannot be reconciled. So the author commends something:
15 So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.
Illustration of Skip problem 14
The author seems to come around to his question asked in the beginning: “Who is Wise?” He comes in with the repeated phrase from the end of chapter 7- no on can find these things out
16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.
A wise one
Finds out what he can and cannot know
Finds out what he can and cannot know
Example of Disciples in Acts 1
Further revelation in Scripture about the wicked.
31 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” 32 And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ 33 Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. 34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”