Ecclesiastes 8:6 – Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.

 

Thought:  Kings rule their kingdoms according to their own plans and choices.  They are not always wise.  Their decisions and actions afflict their subjects.  The wise man understands both time and judgment.  But, he does not know when time and judgment will bring change.  This makes his life difficult.  He will not rebel against the king.  He will wait under the heavy hand of a despot.  Too, he does not know how the next king will rule.  “Therefore the misery of man is great upon him.”

 

I Samuel 15:23-26

 

Commentary: 

 

A.     Solomon repeats a phrase found in the previous verse:  “time and judgment.”

1.       He had said that a wise man discerns time and judgment.

2.       Now, he says:  “Because to every purpose there is a time and judgment.”

a.  One of the institutions designed and established by God is government.

                        1)  God ordains the powers that be (Rom. 13:1).

                        2)  It is He who rules over the kingdoms of men.

                             a)  Psalm 83:18

 

That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High over all the earth.

 

                             b)  Daniel 4:25

 

…till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

 

b.  NOTE:  God has spoken to spiritual things, but He has not revealed all of the “hows and

      whys” of the governments of the earth that He has ordained.

c.  However, we do know that God has a purpose for all that is being done in the world. 

 

B.      The result of our lack of knowledge is that “the misery of man is great upon him.”

1.       We must wait upon God.

2.       We must bide our time, even under difficult regimes (Ex., the Hebrews who were being mistreated at the hands of Pharaoh, Exo. 1:11, 13-14).

 

Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.  And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Rameses…And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor:  and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field:  all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.

 

3.       The best we can do is to trust in God. 

a.  He has His will to bring to pass.

b.  He knows what is best.

c.  He loves and cares for us deeply.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 8:7 – For he knoweth not that which shall be:  for who can tell him when it shall be?

 

Thought:  One of the agonies of life is waiting.  So often for things to get better, things must change.  However, we do not know when that change will come.  Man does not have the power to see into the future.  We want change.  We desire change.  We pray for change.  But, making the changes is not in our power.  So, we wait.  As we wait, we trust in God.  He knows when change is coming.  Too, He has the power to make things change.

 

Ecclesiastes 10:14

 

Commentary:

 

A.     We often know that things must change in order to be better.

1.       We cannot force that change.

2.       We know that change will come at some point, but we do not know when it will come.

3.       We can do our best to work for change.

4.       We, too, can pray for change. 

5.       But, we cannot make the change happen on our own.

 

B.      Therefore, we must wait.

1.       Waiting is one of the agonies of life.

2.       Sometimes we have to suffer while we wait.

 

C.     Waiting means trusting in God who can affect change in the world.

1.       Examples:  In both of these examples, we find God’s children suffering affliction from oppressive governments.

a.  The Hebrews who were captive in Egypt.

                        1)  Moses was in power for 40 years growing up in Egypt, but he did not deliver Israel.

                        2)  Moses left Egypt for another 40-year period, and the persecution of God’s people

                             continued.

b.      God eventually called Moses to go to Pharoah and demand that His people be set free (Exo. 3:9-10).

 

Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me;  and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.  Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

 

2.       The martyrs in the Revelation

a.  In the Revelation, the souls under the altar cried out:  “How long, O Lord?” (Rev. 6:9-10).

 

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them hat were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:  and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

 

b.  God’s answer is found in Revelation 6:11.

 

…and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

 

 

 

c.  Those who were under the altar were eventually exalted and set upon thrones (Rev.

      20:4).

 

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them:  and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his make upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 8:8 – There is no man that hath power over the 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.

 

Thought:  Dear reader, change will certainly come.  Why?  There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit.  All will face death.  Rulers will die.  Wickedness does not have the power to maintain a person’s life.  The tombstones of thousands of wicked despots can be found all over the world.  They testify that there is no discharge of a man from this war.  Man may deny death.  He may try to defy death.  But, man will die.  When he does, change will occur.

 

Psalm 89:48

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Change will eventually come.

 

B.      Four truths are set forth by Solomon in this verse about the end of oppressive leaders.

1.       There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit.

a.  The spirit of man is what gives life to the body.

b.  Man has absolutely no power over this spirit. 

c.  When it is time for the spirit to depart from the body, man has no ability to retain it.

d.  Yes, man has prolonged life, but he has never stopped death.

e.  NOTE:  At one time, there were rumors that Elon Musk was doing research in an

      attempt to combat aging and allow mankind to be immortal.  This has been debunked. 

      But, whoever does attempt it will never be successful.  “There is no man that hath power

      over the spirit to retain the spirit.”

2.       Neither hath he power in the day of death.  This is another way of stating the first truth.

3.       And there is no discharge in that war.

a.  Soldiers are not discharged from service during the time of war.  They must fight to the

      end.

b.  Death is man’s enemy (1 Cor. 15:26). 

1)  We are in a battle against it. 

2)  It will not be a battle we will initially win (Heb. 9:27). 

3)  And, no man shall be discharged from that war, that is, no man will be exempted

            from death.

4.       Neither shall wickedness deliver those who are given to it.

a.  Often it seems as if wickedness prevails in this life.

b.  Wickedness, however, offers no true benefits.

c.  Wickedness certainly will not deliver any evil despot from death.

 

C.     Death comes to the wicked.  The tombstones of thousands of wicked despots can be found all over the world.