The Solomon Project Ecclesiastes 8:6-13

This is a blog based upon the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes for addictive and compulsive people. This blog is intented to reach a wide variety of individuals from all faiths. It has been six weeks since I have blogged. The hiatus began with the move of our daughter to college and into a single dwelling home which took a Herculean effort. Also the teaching schedule as an adjunct professor teaching two new classes took more time than I thought it would. I think that this only serves to point out how significant the impact can be of changes that enter our lives.

We will be picking up at Ecclesiastes 8:6. "For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him." (Ecc 8:6 NIV)This recalls Ecc 3:1 which enumerates the all-encompassing times and places for things. The caveat is that man's misery weighs heavily upon him.

Ecclesiastes 8:7 continues this thought. "Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come?" (Ecc 8:7 NIV)Even though there is a time and place. It weighs heavily on men, not because of what will happen but the fact that one one knows when. We cannot predict the future.

Ecclesiastes 8:8 states: " No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it." (Ecc 8:8 NIV)These consequences are inescapable and inevitable. and just as one is bound to military service so is one bound by wickedness. Thought provoking--right.

Ecclesiastes 8:9 brings home what Solomon is thinking: "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." (Ecc 8:9 NIV) A more appropriate translation is "to their hurt." One would expect that lording it over others would result in prosperity and further control. In reality it doesn't work that way. Even rulers that rule well are beneficent. As men do not know the times so men do not always know what is best for others either.

Ecclesiastes 8:10 says: "Then too, I saw the wicked buried--those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless." (Ecc 8:10 NIV) This does not refer to the inevitability of death which is in Solomon's thought (see v. 8). It refers to the fact that their life is not cut short in retribution for wickedness. They may be praised for an outward adherence to some form of religion but their wickedness belies their true spirit. Solomon adds a familiar and summarizing phrase "This to is meaningless." It is beyond comprehension.

Ecclesiastes 8:11 continues the thought on the enigma of divine retribution: "When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong." (Ecc 8:11 NIV) All of us should take this verse to heart. From the federal government all the way down to our homes. Solomon is thinking of this in terms of the wicked and retribution. Human government and the power and control of it should not be set upon the wrong objects the wise and those who fear God but this power and control should be focused on carrying out God's will and punishing the wicked. The Old Testament and Proverbs in particular is filled with examples of those do not exercise judgment correctly sometimes as a result of bribery.

Ecclesiastes 8:12 balances the thought of wickedness: "Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God." (Ecc 8:12 NIV) Solomon's observations ("all this I saw..." v. 9) led him to the conclusion that while the wicked may live long they do not live well. Life just goes better when you live according to God's commands. Those who commit their lives to yielding to a higher power find that life goes better for them.

Ecclesiastes 8:13 states: "Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow." (Ecc 8:13 NIV) This is the contrasting statement to verse 12. The wicked do not fear God. As a general rule things do not go well with the wicked. They may be praised in their cities, town or villages but they will not have long life. Solomon does not resolve this enigma or apparent contradiction of life "Under the sun" but leaves the tension intact.

As we end some applications are necessary. Where do we find ourselves in this passage. are we characterized by wickedness or the god-fearing? Are we characterized by over-controlling behavior that harms others, gambling that we won't experience divine retribution. Are we hypocritical? Outwardly showing others that we are interested in obeying God's commands but inwardly only using the actions to get what we want--manipulation and control.

Are we committed to recovery? Allowing the realities of the miracle of sobriety to permeate our inner lives to such an extent that we live outwardly what has truly happened inside. The promise is that life will go well with us.