Honor all men. There is no man that has power over his spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath 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 ( Ecclesiastes 8:8 ). No fault is to be found with God; but, as to the world, This is vanity upon the earth, and again, This is also vanity, that is, it is a certain evidence that the things of this world are not the best things nor were ever designed to make a portion and happiness for us, for, if they had, God would not have allotted so much of this world's wealth to his worst enemies and so much of its troubles to his best friends; there must therefore be another life after this the joys and griefs of which must be real and substantial, and able to make men truly happy or truly miserable, for this world does neither. 19952023 All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@ucg.org. 1. Do not be hasty to go from his presence. And they begin to make fun of the return of Jesus Christ. It's going to be well with the man who has departed from evil. 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 ). being much better than to fret at the prosperity of the wicked, Ecclesiastes 10:4 Ecclesiastes 10:4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for yielding pacifies great offenses.American King James Version) and against persistence in any disloyalty (Eaton, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, note on Ecclesiastes 8:2-3 Ecclesiastes 8:2-3 [2] I counsel you to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. And the same is true of God. Drawing upon a variety of resourcesincluding commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessionsmuch of which appears here for the first time in English, this volume provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, and seeks to help readers find comfort in . MAN UNDER THE [11] Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them which are exercised thereby. Nay, [3.] A man's wisdom makes his face shine, And the sternness of his face is changed. of earthly things there is nothing better than for a man freely 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. of While this principle applies today to a certain extent, things often dont go this way, as weve seen. Ecclesiastes 1:15:: King James Version (KJV) Ecclesiastes 1:15 - That which is crooked H5791 cannot H3201 be made straight: H8626 and that which is wanting H2642 cannot H3201 be numbered. ECCLESIASTES 8:14. Ecclesiastes 8:11. Some put Ecclesiastes 8:1 Ecclesiastes 8:1Who is as the wise man? and who knows the interpretation of a thing? pleasant, and not distress themselves about things they cannot To live a God-fearing life is to live in constant awareness of the presence of God, who is even closer than a prayer away (pp. 2. Concerning this Solomon here gives us his advice. When the Pharaoh of the Exodus saw there was respite, he hardened his heart. This is the perspective that must be maintainedalong with understanding what the future will bring. evil. It's emptiness. That shall abide with him during the days of his life which God gives him under the sun. People should not despair over these problems, but rather enjoy whatever God has given them in life (15). 2. Now because 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 ( Ecclesiastes 8:11 ). Moreover, rarely has human government been righteous. Verse 12 seems to support the past perpetuation of the wicked as the frustration, as it mentions the sinners days being prolonged. Cool, courteous, self-possessed, they bear good news or bad, prosperous or adverse fortune, with a proud equanimity. Its just a matter of timeand probably much less time than most imagine. Some translate the word ruach here as breath (of life) rather than spirit, but that would not change the point here. Things happen to both good and evil men. serving the king, followed by a number Ecclesiastes 7:19-8 neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he fears not before God. But ultimately, it will go only this way when God sets everything right. For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear you God. Ecclesiastes 8:15 teaches us to be joyful in all circumstances. It doesn't matter to God that I cheat. They begin to scoff at it, even as Peter said they would. sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry._ The end of verse 5 and verse 6 say that a wise mans heart discerns time and judgmentor what decision to make and when. Beyond Today Bible Commentary: Ecclesiastes. with him of his labour the days of his life, which God givet KINGS'COURTS NEED WARY WALKING The wise man is able to interpret all this in a proper framework, gaining a vital sense of what God is working out despite not being able to grasp the reasons for all the challenging details. So we should not expect that corrupt people coming together to form a government would result in righteous rule. God has given him; this is what had been observed before, ( The message here is: Do your best to stay out of trouble! ASV which God giveth him under the sun; man's present life is under the sun, and is continued as long as it pleases God; though it is but short, rather to be counted by days than years, and is a laborious one; and all that he gets by his labour, enjoyed by him, is to eat and drink cheerfully; and this he may expect to have and continue with him as long as he lives, even food and raiment, and with this he should be content. Who is as the wise man? Ecclesiastes 8:15 - Summarized Bible Commentary CONTENTS: Wisdom recommended as an antidote against the temptations and vexations arising from the vanity of the world. God puts up with so much. And thus, it appears that the evil man is getting away with his evil actions, his evil deeds. Some think Solomon speaks of himself, that he was so eager in prosecuting this great enquiry that he could not sleep for thinking of it. Here he shows, 1. The Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the He believed, even when there was no evidence for believing! (quoted on p. 135). Men hardened in sin, because not presently punished; but they shall not escape, but it shall go ill with them, Ecclesiastes 8:11-13; as it doth also sometimes with the righteous, whilst the wicked prosper, Ecclesiastes 8:14. [Compare 1 Corinthians 15:32 1 Corinthians 15:32If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantages it me, if the dead rise not? Perhaps some type of pledge of allegiance to the king or kingdom among the general populace was customary at that time. Ecclesiastes 8:1. Just as there is no escape from a battle, so there is no guaranteed success to wrongdoers (6-8).Often there appears to be no principle of justice at work in the world. Verse 7 in context presents more about the need for discerning the right time and way. he asks. Thinks he has put one over on God. Proud member It is The writer returns to the sentiment expressed already (Ecclesiastes (Note: Vid., Baer in Abodath Jisrael, p. 2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that because of thy oath to God. [27] Behold, this have I found, said the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: No man hath power over the spirit That is, over the soul of man; to retain the spirit To keep it in the body beyond the time which God hath allotted to it. Thus the Preacher warns against a capricious desertion of ones post (cf. All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man rules over another to his own hurt. 3. Then, besides the perspective we need to have and the righteous life we are to persist in, we are again given the prescription of the books refrain in the third major sections conclusionthe enjoyment of life that God blesses us with: to eat, drink, and be merry (Ecclesiastes 8:15 Ecclesiastes 8:15Then 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.American King James Version). You can't really come to the king and say, "Hey, what are you doing?" Ecclesiastes 8:14-17 ( Romans 9:20 ) The sovereignty of the king, which also speaks to the sovereignty of God. 3:22 ) ( 5:18 ) ; 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. man's present life is under the sun, and is continued as long as In this division, dealing with the evidences of the vanity of life, "But it shall not be well with the wicked.". . the preacher sets forth certain deductions. Life is empty. The scope of these verses is to keep subjects loyal and dutiful to the government. The wise are therefore observant for the opportune circumstance in which to speak or act as it presents itself. For the time being we are subject to human rule. 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. His rule must be righteous, though this is often not seen Then I commended mirth These are some more of the cavils of the infidel objector: "Since virtue is frequently under oppression, and vice triumphs in health, and rolls in wealth, I see plainly that we should not trouble ourselves about future things; and therefore should be governed by the maxim EDE, BIBE, LUDE. [26] And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 1 THROUGH 12. 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