Introduction In chapter 8 The Preacher once again examines the issue of wisdom in the real world. Remember the theme of this book; does life have meaning? Recently I saw a quip; a cartoon; two characters were lying on a grassy knoll. One character asks; what is the meaning of life? The other character asked, what is the square root of a tomato? The other character said, that s a stupid question, Oh--right! Solomon does not give up so easy on the question. Solomon refuses to give up the journey. In chapter 3 the Preacher intimates God has a purpose for our lives; then in three chapters God gives riches according to his will (chapters 4-6); and God s wisdom is available to guide us all our lives (chapters 7-10). The subject of wisdom and the theme of wisdom appear some 30 times in the final 6 chapters of Ecclesiastes. Wisdom is sometimes subtle, sometimes bold. Solomon has lauded and applauded the benefits of wisdom; we can have balance in our lives; strength in our walk; insight in our circumstances. God s Wisdom has value. But human wisdom has limits. Now wisdom will leave the arena of speculation and see if it works in the real world. Many skeptics and critics don t see Christianity and a Biblical faith as having any currency in the real world. You church people. You Christians. You don t live in the real world. You live in a church world. Insulated from evil. Naive or ignorant to suffering. Why is there so much pain and suffering? If there is no God we have only ourselves to blame for the current conditions. If there is a God why does He allow pain and suffering to continue? Does He know about it and not care? Or does He know about it and care but does not have adequate resources or power to eliminate it? Some people ponder the question and become atheists or agnostics. But they simply substitute one problem for another; they don t ask the question; Why is there such a thing as the good, the decent, the right, the holy, the pure? Where does all the good in the world come from? Buddhists and some mind science proponents suggest that evil is not real at all; but an illusion and we should simply ignore it. Or that God is growing, evolving, changing, coming to a place where he will have enough power to fully and finally end evil. Warren Wiersbe hits the proverbial nail on the head when he writes; Solomon did not deny the existence of God or the reality of evil, nor did he limit the power of God. Solomon solved the problem of evil by affirming these factors and seeing them in their proper perspective. We must not forget that one major source of evil in this world is fallen man and his many devices, both good and evil, that have helped to create problems of one kind or another (7:29 NASB). God certainly cannot be blamed for that! 1
He goes on and illustrates his point;...in the dark days of World War II, somebody asked a friend of mine, Why doesn t God stop the war? My fired wisely replied, Because He didn t start it in the first place. But God can will deal with the problem of suffering and evil and wickedness and rebellion. In broad sweeping terms the preacher will deal with the issue of wisdom when dealing with the wicked who are in authority (vv.1-9); when dealing with injustice or inequity (vv.10-14); and finally in dealing with mystery (vv.15-17). How can we be men and women who are wise and humble in our dealings with those in authority; with those who seemingly have power over us in this world? How are we to remain wise and calm in circumstances that seem to have little rhyme or reason? Wisdom is often in a fierce battle with pride. The weapon of choice that wisdom employs to fight the deadly battle against pride is humility. David Jeremiah suggests that in this chapter Solomon defines humility in at least five different ways; knowing how much you don t know; living with what you don t like, accepting what you can t change, enjoying what you can t explain, and discovering what you can t discover. Or as that great philosopher of the 20th century--clint Eastwood aka Dirty Harry put it; A man s gotta know his limitations. Wisdom allows us to live in peace with those in authority. We Christians are like pianos; we sometimes need tuning. Those In Authority (vv.1-9) Ecclesiastes 8:1 (NKJV) 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. The expression translated and who knows the interpretation of a thing is very interesting. The Hebrew word appears only here. An Aramaic parallel is found in the book of Daniel; where it refers to Daniel s extraordinary ability to interpret dreams or find the solution to deep mysteries. Solomon seems to be using the term in a broader sense; who is the wise man who can size up a situation and act with the appropriate response? I think the Preacher is speaking about a person who can see a problem and think through to its solution. Wisdom At The Right Time Requires a Clear Mind (v.1a) 2
The man s face shines; or is illumined; the reason the person s face shines because he or she knows the answer. Like a school child who is questioned in the classroom; unafraid to raise her hand if called on by the teacher. A person s face changes from hard to soft--in the sense that the person is patient, tolerant gracious. Wisdom At The Right Time Includes A Cheerful Countenance (v.1b). Solomon makes reference to the king and the ruler. There are several references to the one in charge the command of the king (v.2); the word of the king is authoritative (v.4); He who keeps the royal command (v.5); a man has exercised authority over another (v.9). But Solomon makes mention of the minister or the officer or the attendant in the royal court. The minister or officer has the obligation to hear and execute the ruler s commands. In almost every circumstance--there is the one in charge--and the one who must follow the one in charge. In the ancient world the king had almost unlimited power; the power of life and death. In Joseph s world there was Pharaoh; in Daniel s world there was Nebuchadnezzer; in Nehemiah s world there was Cyrus. All three dealt with difficult bosses. All three exercised enormous wisdom. You can t be blamed for the face you were born with. But you are responsible for the face you have. What is more contagious or infectious than a happy face a cheerful face. What happens when a king gives an order that is neither just or wise? What happens when a king orders a servant to do evil? This is when wisdom needs to come to our aid! Our options include; 1. Don t do it (disobey); 2. Desert (runaway); 3. Defy (v.3a; Do not stand up for a bad cause (NIV); can also mean don t promote the kings evil plan; or don t get involved in a plan to overthrow the king and 4. Discernment (vv.5b-6); with wisdom understand the time and or judgment or procedure (NASB). Like Joseph, like Daniel, like Nehemiah we need wisdom. Wisdom At The Right Time Includes Discerning Speech (vv.2-4). Ecclesiastes 8:2 (NKJV) I say, Keep the king s commandment for the sake of your oath to God. 3
Why should we keep the king s commandment? The officer must be loyal to his oath of allegiance to God and king. Who is the source of all authority? The Lord God. Breaking oaths and promises, disobeying orders has grave consequences. Ecclesiastes 8:3 (NKJV) Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him. The servant leaves the king s presence; and gives up his place in the court. Desertion is not always the best course of action. The king might be offended and punish the servant. But more than one person has sacrificed power and position; wealth, prestige or status, in order to insure integrity. Desertion or defiance; do not take your stand for an evil thing or don t stand up for a bad cause (NIV); one translation which altars the meaning; Don t get involved in a plan to overthrow the king. If that s the case--don t leave and cause division. Is there a place for civil disobedience? The question has been asked and answered many times; do we have the right to resist authority when the authority acts unlawfully or unjustly? Thomas Jefferson wrote; Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. Was he right? We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Ecclesiastes 8:4 (NKJV) 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, What are you doing? Clearly a king s word is more powerful than the word of his servant. The king s word is bound to prevail. In the ancient world it was very rare that a king s command could be nullified. In the ancient world a king s order became the right thing to do by virtue of the fact that it was the king s will. Be careful what you say. Solomon reminds us that a wise person is loyal (v.2); faithful (v.3a); fair and trustworthy (v.3b); and supportive (v.4). Wisdom At The Right Time Means A Keen Sense Of Judgment (vv.5-7) Ecclesiastes 8:5 (NKJV) He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man s heart discerns both time and judgment, Paul the apostle argues in the book of Romans we obey to avoid punishment (Rom.13:3-4). The wise heart will know the proper time and procedure (NIV). 4
Joseph chose the right moment to reveal his true identity to his wayward brothers. Joseph had to know they were truly sorry for sin; had really repented, did they have a right heart towards God and their earthly father Jacob? Once Joseph heard them confess their sins, Joseph knew that was the right time to reveal himself. Nehemiah was heart broken over the facts that the walls of Jerusalem were torn down. But he was not sure whether the king would release him to under take such a great task. Nehemiah had to exercise discernment. Daniel was a prisoner of war in a strange culture with even stranger religious practices; he was ordered by the chief steward to adopt the king s banquet, but with gentleness and wisdom Daniel suggested an experiment; a kosher diet; and not only were they healthier and happier; but they kept themselves ceremonially clean and were promoted in the king s court. The apostles exercised spiritual discernment when they were arrested and persecuted (Acts 4-5). They showed respect towards authority; even when the religious leaders were acting with prejudice and contrary to God s law. The apostles were willing to suffer for righteousness sake and the Lord honored them. Ecclesiastes 8:6 (NKJV) Because for every matter there is a time and judgment, Though the misery of man increases greatly. We do have options, choices; we can run away, disobey, defy orders, or even fight back. But before we act--think carefully and consider the consequences. It is difficult to be a Christian in a complicated world. No wonder James gives us permission to ask for wisdom, knowing that God gives wisdom liberally, generously. Ecclesiastes 8:7 (NKJV) For he does not know what will happen; So who can tell him when it will occur? We have enough misery. Why add more now? Who can tell the future? We don t know how the king will respond to our decisions. There are four parts in these three verses. 1. The right time. 2. The right judgment. 3. The right activity. 4. The right attitude. We must exercise discernment. It takes discernment to know the right time, have the right judgment. The impulsive person overreacts and storms out of the office or the court or the job or the home (v.3). It might make matters worse. Wisdom helps us understand our situation and proceed in the most God-honoring fashion. 5
Wisdom At The Right Time Includes A Humble Spirit (v.8) Ecclesiastes 8:8 (NKJV) 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. Solomon is keenly aware of the limits of reason and wisdom. Clearly someone does have the power over a man s spirit. The person who gives life; the author of both the spirit and spiritual things. Jesus said, My words are spirit and they are life. Only God has power in this area. A good leader does not make excuses for limitations; but recognizes them, acknowledges them; considers the Lord in all decisions and allows the leading of the Holy Spirit and the sovereignty of God to inform decisions. We Christians wear the cloak of humility. In the Bible the Christian life is compared to-- and eagle hastening to the prey (Job 9:26); A Pilgrimage (Gen. 47:9) A Tale told (Ps. 90:9) A Swift Post (Job 9:25) A Swift Ship (Job 9:26) A Hand-Breath (Ps. 39:5) A Shepherd s Tent removed (Isa. 38:8) A Dream (Ps. 73:20) A Sleep (Ps. 90:5) A Vapor (James 4:14) A Shadow (Eccles. 6:12) A Thread cut by a weaver (Isa. 38:12) A Flower (Job 14:2) Grass (1 Peter 1:24) Water spilled on the ground (2 Sam. 14:14) Wind (Job 7:7). It is appointed once for a man to die. And then the judgment. And what is death? For the unbeliever and the make believer it is the end of this life; but for the Christian it is a glorious beginning; some think of it as a going away; we see it as a glorious arrival. A stranger is away from home; a pilgrim is on the way home. Ecclesiastes 8:9 (NKJV) 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. 6
Conclusion Solomon gives a few warnings as we close this part of chapter 8. Are you in a position of leadership? Never use your position to take unfair advantage of others; no matter how important your role. Whoever does--puts themselves at risk. The end does not justify the means. You cannot achieve good purposes by the practice of evil. Think carefully. Wicked behavior never results in God given deliverance. Being a godly leader requires intention; purpose. Godly leadership is never easy. Leaders have opportunities and responsibilities unavailable to those who seek the safety and security of following instead of leading. There is real value in being a model; an example. Vision is more than seeing into the future. It is a willing to see God in the circumstance you find yourself in. We are Christians. We are to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves. In faith In heart In character In relation In conflict In the world In the darkness In the earth s pollution In the Vine In our walk In our expectations At all times We are believers We are obedient We are saints We are son and daughters We are soldiers We are pilgrims We shine His light We are salt We are branches We are living epistles We are heirs We belong to Jesus 7