The dead would not have been taken to the temple, for that would have been ceremonially defiling. ECCLESIASTES 8:14, it is best to give a man's self up to eating and The statement There is no release from that [or the] war could refer figuratively to the march into death that all face or simply be metaphoric for Theres no getting out of this. Then the final line, and wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it, would tie back to the turn to wrongdoing in verse 3. Hey, it's great to be merry because a man has no better thing under the sun. (9 sessions) This study is part of the LifeLight Bible study series of in-depth studies of Bible books. I. Verse 11 explains why evil grows worse and worsebecause justice is not swift. serving the king, followed by a number Ecclesiastes 7:19-8 and the seemingly unequal distribution of things in this world, But because God doesn't judge immediately, because the sentence of God isn't executed speedily, because God is giving you opportunity to turn, God is giving you opportunity to repent, God is giving you the opportunity to come out of your sin and to be saved and He's very patient with you. Ecclesiastes 2:14; ECCLESIASTES 8:14. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous: so I said that this also is vanity ( Ecclesiastes 8:13-14 ). Things happen to both good and evil men. And He died. 2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that because of thy oath to God. God puts up with so much. In this division, dealing with the evidences of the vanity of life, sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Many claim that the death penalty is an ineffective deterrent to capital crime today. III. MAN UNDER THE 15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. Yes, there is vanity under the sun. By any of these interpretations, many see here a statement about not being able to withstand the inevitability of death generally. Dr. Walter Kaiser, whose overall outline weve been following, describes the chapter 8 subsection as follows: The removal of a large proportion of the apparent inequalities in divine providence comes from righteous government. This summary, however, does not appear to be quite accurate. Product Identifiers CONTENTS: Wisdom recommended as an antidote against the temptations Solomon commended joy, and holy security of mind, arising from confidence in God, because a man has no better thing under the sun, though a good man has much better things above the sun, than soberly and thankfully to use the things of this life according to his rank. You can't really come to the king and say, "Hey, what are you doing?" sun, than (n) to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither has he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. Others had likewise set themselves to make this enquiry with so close an application that they could not find time for sleep, either day or night, nor find in their hearts to sleep, so full of anxiety were they about these things. When we look upon all the works of God and his providence, and compare one part with another, we cannot find that there is any such certain method by which the work that is done under the sun is directed; we cannot discover any key by which to decipher the character, nor by consulting precedents can we know the practice of this court, nor what the judgment will be. We must arm ourselves against the temptation of an oppressive government and not think it strange (v. 9, 10). We must always remember just who we are dealing withand the awesome gravity of thatrealizing that this is for our ultimate good. Let us be ever thankful for the days of our lives. Placing them at t _Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the This is the perspective that must be maintainedalong with understanding what the future will bring. We then come to Ecclesiastes 8:9 Ecclesiastes 8:9All this have I seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man rules over another to his own hurt.American King James Version. Nor does it mean that the person will be afforded protection by the government, though he or she well may, as all do to some extent. the righteous often suffer, and the wicked prosper. It doesn't matter to God that I lie or I steal or whatever because look, I'm blessed. submission to things as they are. Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he does whatever pleases him. . verba Ecclesiastes filii David regis Hierusalem. The beginning of verse 8 says that no one can retain the spirit in the day of death. That is all the fruit he has for himself of the pains that he takes in the business of the world; let him therefore take it, and much good may it do him; and let him not deny himself that, out of a peevish discontent because the world does not go as he would have it. And it's probably true. Whoso keeps the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment. Salem Media Group. neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he fears not before God. I see life moving on. [21] Also take no heed to all words that are spoken; lest you hear your servant curse you: But he does not dwell on that. And thus, it appears that the evil man is getting away with his evil actions, his evil deeds. It's going to be well with the man who has departed from evil. Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labor the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun. 2. Of course, it is true that human government has been established by God as a check against total lawlessness, as the apostle Paul explains in Romans 13. which God giveth him under the sun; [2.] Be discreet in relation with a ruler. And people begin to misinterpret the long-suffering of God. It has a spirit of hopeless despair; it has no praise or peace; it seems to promote questionable conduct. yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him ( Ecclesiastes 8:12 ): Now, in the end the best life is the life of fearing God, walking with God. Others see ruach here as meaning wind, and take the statement to mean that just as the wind is beyond our control, so is death. Fear God. Ecclesiastes 8:10 i _Then I commended mirth_ As before in chs. The Book of Ecclesiastes is, up to a certain point, the converse of Where the word of the king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What are you doing? heads and be cheerful, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God in If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for yielding pacifies great offenses. A man cannot find out the work of God though you search it out. reason to be thankful for what they had, and to lift up their But Peter said, "God isn't slack concerning His promises, as some men count slackness, but He's faithful to usward. drink, and to be merry; 1. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. and because they had not so much of them: as others; who yet had Verse 12 seems to support the past perpetuation of the wicked as the frustration, as it mentions the sinners days being prolonged. And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity. dispensations of Providence_._ _Howeve Who is as the wise man? They know they have no control over life or death. And He is patient and merciful towards us as we struggle to walk in His ways, even despite our many and ongoing failures. CONCLUSION: Heavenly wisdom makes a man a good man, Ecclesiastes 8:1. The question in Ecclesiastes isn't about the existence of God; the author is no atheist, and God is always there. Wise and good men have, of old, been perplexed with this difficulty, how the prosperity of the wicked and the troubles of the righteous can be reconciled with the holiness and goodness of the God that governs the world. Note that the obedience to the king is for the sake of your oath to God (same verse). To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. They should not spend weary days and sleepless nights puzzling over problems to which only God knows the answer (16-17). The good are soon Thus wisdom here leads to proper caution and can sometimes result in influencing rulers toward positive change. The Moreover, rarely has human government been righteous. A good man's days have some substance; he lives to a good purpose: a wicked man's days are all as a shadow, empty and worthless. Life under the sun. 2:24; Ecclesiastes 3:12; Ecclesiastes 3:22; Ecclesiastes 5:17). a man's wisdom makes his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed. this he may expect to have and continue with him as long as he pleasant, and not distress themselves about things they cannot No man has any power over the spirit. Cool, courteous, self-possessed, they bear good news or bad, prosperous or adverse fortune, with a proud equanimity. God does know. And who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? Ecclesiastes 8:15 KJ21 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun than to eat and to drink and to be merry, for that shall abide with him from his labor the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. Who knows anything? God does care. Thus the Preacher warns against a capricious desertion of ones post (cf. He's very long-suffering. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Still, we must not treat God flippantly or carelessly. One aspect of God's nature is His tremendous patience with rebelling man. 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