Keep the King’s Command
8:1 Who is like the wise?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,
and the hardness of his face is changed.
2 I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him. 3 Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. 6 For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. 7 For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? 8 No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. 9 All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.
Those Who Fear God Will Do Well
10 Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. 11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
Man Cannot Know God’s Ways
14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 And I commend joy, for man has no good thing under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.
16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out. (ESV)
16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man’s labor on earth—his eyes not seeing sleep day or night-
17 then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.
All that God has done (the works of His hands) are amazing and incredible, yet at the same time they cannot be fully comprehended. God is the only one who knows the beginning to the end because He wrote the story. Remembering this is encouraging! As we marvel at His works today let us be thankful for all He has done, is doing and will do in the future even though we may not understand it all.
12 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.
This verse is a great reminder that those of us who are disciples of Christ are better off than those who are not. While oftentimes we see wicked people living lives that seem so much better than ours (less suffering, more material posessions, ets.) the truth is that all those things will burn. The only thing that matters is our right standing with God because that is what gets us eternal life.
8 No man has power over the wind to contain it ; so no one has power over the day of his death.
This is a good reminder of how powerless we are as humans. In Orange County, most people feel that they have control over their own lives. The truth is, however, that the direction of the wind, the day of our death, and every breath we breathe is given to us and determined by God.
4 Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
No one in their right mind would stand before a king and rebuke him to his face. And yet, many people today do the exact same thing to God. God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He controls everything and uses even bad situations to accomplish His will. Therefore, we have no right to question God’s motives, of the justice of what He chooses to let happen. Instead, we need to commit to following Him no matter what happens and to trust Him to provide for us.
17 then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.
Solomon is telling us that even if we are very wise we will never fully comprehend God’s true power and what the does for us. We have to just know that He loves us all cares for us and will provide for our needs. So if we trust that He knows best, (cause He does) we can rest assured that God has a plan to take care of all of us.
12 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.
Like Beth, this verse really jumped out at me… it is important for all of us to believe the same thing as Solomon…that it is better to fear God than try and get away with wickedness.
We talked about fearing God on the Missions Trip. If we are afraid of His righteous character and His consequences then we will stop sinning and do what is right. Like evangelizing.
4 Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm…
It is so easy to think that we know what is best and right for us, but the truth is only God knows that. Even when bad things happen, or your plan gets pushed aside, you know that God is in control and is using all situations for His purposes. So we should not be questioning God- it is irreverent and unfaithful of us. Instead we need to humbly obey Him and realize that He is determining all things for the best.
I just wanted to let you all know that my posts on SOTD may be very irregular for the next week or so. My family is moving and I don’t know when I will be able to get internet connections on the road to Texas (or in the new house) Anyways, I will be sure to read along and will post whenever I can!
12 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.
I know a lot of the time we will want something we don’t have because others do have it. We shouldn’t want to be like the wicked people, because in the end the people who stayed faithful to God will have the better fate. The sinful people who lived for themselves and for the world will have the ultimate consequence (hell). This verse says “I know that it will go better with God-fearing men”. In the end, it’s better to have been a God-fearing person no matter what. And sorry if I don’t make any sense… I’m not feeling so great.
Great comment Mike!
15 So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun
I was confused after i read this verse. I thought as Christians we are supposed to be living disicplined lives that follow Christ’s commands, not partying all the time, but then I read the commentary in my John MacArthur study Bible. The key to understanding this verse is to look at verse 14 which shows Solomon’s frustration at the temporary injustice when the wicked get what the righteouse deserve and also the other way around. When we understand that, then we understand that Solomon is saying that the best way to deal with this frustation is to enoy God’s blessings He gives us, and use them to get through other trials in our lives. If you were confused like me I pray this helps :)
12 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.
Like Beth and Pastor Bobby, this verse was the first to jump out at me!
I completely agree with Beth, at times it may seem like the wicked have it so much better, but it so important to remember that we are focusing our lives on eternal things and that is all that is going to matter when we meet Jesus face to face!!
I also like how it talked about God-fearing men. We learned about truly fearing God on our Missions Trip and it radically changed my view of God. We talked about how fearing God is way more then just having a reverance or awe for God, but truly FEARING Him!
11 When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.
Its sad how God has given us grace by not punishing us right away, yet a lot of people see this as a reason to sin more since they aren’t being punished. A lot of people ask why do bad things happen, when really it should be why do good things happen. We are fallen yet God has still allowed so many blessings to remain on this earth. It’s hard to think of what Hell is going to be like, where all these blessings are going to be replaced with weeping and gnashing of teeth. We need to warn people of this reality, even if they don’t want to listen.
12 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.
This whole chapter was great but I really like this verse because it says that people who fear God will be blessed by God. Like Beth said, the things that wicked people have that make them seem better off are all going to burn, while we, if we fear the Lord, will be blessed forever.
2 Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God.
We as Christians are all called to obey those who have authority over us. Coaches, Teachers, Parents are people that we should obey because it is what God the king over everyone has called us to do.
12 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.
Have you ever met one of those people who seem to get away with everything! and then you do one thing and bam, you get caught red handed? well the getting caught part usually happens to me… haha but then reading this verse i can see that my fearing God and livng for Him is going to do me a lottt better than those who get think they are getting away with everything they do because like our small group talked about last night, we will all be judged one day.
15 So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun.
I love this verseeee:D it reminds me to always rejoice in the Lord. TO live each day to its fullest and to look at the world around me and all the blessings God has put before me.
17 then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.
This verse totally describes what i feel…the world is so big and God is so great i can not even begin to grasp it in my mind. Some things i will try to understand but it just seriously makes my head hurt! But for now until i am able to grasp all of God and His creation i am happy with just living in awe of all He has done and of course living my life devoted to Him:p
17 then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.
God has done so much for us on this Earth even though no one deserves such things. We can’t even begin to see what great things He has done for us. We could try our whole life to find out all of the Things He has done and not be able to find one thing. We have an amazing God, the one and only God. He will always do whats best for us.
6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man’s misery weighs heavily upon him.
I really like this verse. So often I am impatient with things in my life and want the Lord to work in different ways and I can grow discontent with things easily. It is so crucial that I have the proper mindset and understand what season of life I am in and that there is a proper time for everything. Patience is essential for effective Christian living for it brings about contentment and thankfulness for the current blessings will still being able to look forward to the future blessings.
13 Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.
I haven’t realized until the last couple of weeks how many verses there are on fearing God. Reading all those verses has shone how I must fear God and tell others more about what happens after death.
7 Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come?
this is an awesome motivational verse for evagelism! nobody does know the future, and who can tell him what is to come? we can!!! we should tell everyone about he Gospel, and hwot hey can have eternal life or eternal fire. this is really motivating and so true. the people that havent heard the Gospel need to hear it. this is our call!
11 When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.
This verse just kind of reminds me that discipline is a good thing in some ways because when we are disciplined, we learn what we did was wrong and not to do it, but when we arent, we just carry on doing wrong and want to keep doing wrong.
16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man’s labor on earth—his eyes not seeing sleep day or night-
17 then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.
As a lot of people have said about these verses, its so amazing when you just look around at what God has created. Its unexplainable and its something that i just cant get my head around. It also reminds me of how big and powerful he really must be!
8 No man has power over the wind to contain it ; so no one has power over the day of his death.
We say so many times what well do when ge get older. We always plan what is going to happen later in our lives but we really dont know if we are going to be around to experience it. We always need to let God be in control because He is the only one who knows what is going to happen next and when we will die.
16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man’s labor on earth—his eyes not seeing sleep day or night-
17 then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.
NO ONE but God can understand everything that happens on earth. One person cannot posess that knowledge. Itis what seperates God from everyone else.
12 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.
This verse was the verse that really stuck out to me while reading this. On the missions trip, we talked about the fear of the LORD being a motivation to evangelize. Talking about the fear of the LORD and what it actually is totally changed what I had been taught. (Like Jeff said, I keep noticing all the verses on the fear of the LORD.) Although it may seem like the wicked, or unsaved, have it better off because of what they possess on this earth, it is so not true. They are alive in their sin and we are dead in ours because of Jesus’ sacrifice! In the end, it will come down to the saved and the unsaved. It won’t matter what we owned on the earth, even though that may seem to important right now. What matters is if you put your faith in God and repented of your sins. Those who fear the LORD are so much better of! Look at it like this: temporary “treasure” on earth or eternal treasure in heaven!
12 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.
Amen Beth! I totally agree with you! Us Christians are better off than those who are not. We need to fear the Lord, because judgement day will come! He determines whether we go to hell or heaven!