Text: ECCLESIASTES 8:9-17
By: OGUMOR, SUNNY (BISHOP)
Download Lesson
All fingers are not equal, so also in life there are differences in status socially or economically there is disparity between people or groups. There is unequal opportunity or treatment based on social or economic disparity. Length of life is not equal, wealth not equal, height, size, color, just name it. God knows why he made things like that. No matter your status or stature make yourself relevant in the scheme of things because life is never equal as we look at the “true value of life under the sun”.
Solomon has explored every aspect of human endeavor and come to realize that life is full of oppression and wickedness under the sun. The only thing that will make our life equal is where we want to be after now. For they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection Lk 20:36 (ESV).
In his quest for worldly wisdom and pleasure which to him are meaningless, Solomon continue to express his findings and feelings about life under the sun.
Eccl 8:9-10: Oppressive rulers
- 9. 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 ruleth over another to his own hurt. And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.
Solomon have carefully observered all human actions and inactions and events done under the sun. In every organization there is a leader, ruler or king, some use their power tyrannically, whereby they not only oppress their people, but hurt themselves in the process, bringing the vengeance of God and men upon their own heads. They ought to be Ministers of God who rule their subjects for their good, to administer justice, and maintain public peace and order, (Rom 13:1-5) but due to ego and quest for fame some becomes tyrants. Government is meant to make laws that punish evil actions. When the law is relaxed for some evil doers, because it is our turn the result has immediate or later consequences.
When a man rule over another to his own hurt is a subject of corruption in power. Whether its financial law, moral law, business law or federal character oppression is not ruled out. A British historian by name Lord Acton Says “Power Corrupts” “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
Solomon’s son and successor, Rehoboam; due to the type of government he operated lost ten tribes out of twelve. 2 Chro 11&12.
Buried and forgotten; From time immemorial rich people are buried with fanfare. Asa king of Judah died and they buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a good casket covered with spices and various blended perfumes, and they made a huge fire in his honor. 2 Chronicles 16:14. This is a good man, right. But King Ahaz was not so lucky. 2 Chronicles 28:27. Concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah. The Lord said they shall not lament for him; he shall be buried with the burial of an ass. Jeremiah 22:18-19. Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. Eccl 1:4
When Solomon said “gone from the place of the holy and they are forgotten”. Think of the king Palace and the church. Those who are excommunicated because they refused to repent are gone and forgotten.
Eccl 8:11 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.
When evil persist for a long time without check it becomes a norm in the society this is our problem. Secret cults everywhere, too late to address effectively. Boko haram, ritual killings, impunity, etc.
Psalms 145:8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. So, because God is slow to anger, and of great mercy should we continue in sin for grace to abound, God forbid. Rm 6:1-2. Act 26:20
Our time and God’s time are not the same 2Peter 3:8-9
When sentence is not executed quickly is to give room for repentance, but reverse is the case when the heart is full of evil. The heart is the seat of thought and the prime mover of action. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony”, Matthew 15:18-19.
There is a warning in Rev. 2:20-22 for those who misuse opportunity to repent. “That woman who called herself Jezebel, misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. I will cast her and those who committed with her to suffer intensely, unless they repent”.
Hardened criminal goes from one evil to another. Eccl 8:12; Solomon told us, “Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes, may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God.” Isa 3:10 said; Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. This is a consolation to be righteous.
8:13; “But it shall not be well with the wicked”. I think that the wicked always fill threatened in his life, fear always drive him to do bad things trying to protect himself because he does not believe in God neither does he wants to wait upon God to protect him. All the things he does cause him bad fillings and sickness within. No rest of mind. They live like shadow. Isa 3:11 Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be in torment in eternity. Matthew said their place is eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41.
Ecclesiastes 8:14-15. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth that affects both the just and the wicked; A wicked person who has power, authority, and influence who promotes the interest of unworthy men, and oppress persons of the greatest virtue and merit, punishes the just who do not support their evil. And the just punishes the evil doer who will not repent. Both receives punishment, this is a great disorder which are in the world. Solomon concludes that a man should quietly, cheerfully, and thankfully enjoy the comforts which God gives him. Eccl 2:24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. Job 21:6.
Do not envy evil people, and do not be jealous of the wicked. An evil person has nothing to hope for; the wicked will die like a flame that is put out. Proverbs 24:19-20. Most often we are tempted to envy the fame and wealth of God-rejecters, those who manipulate and take advantage of others.
For two reasons do not envy sinners. First, if we envy their lives, we will end up adopting their life style, plotting violence and speaking evil, how to defraud and cheat people. Second, the evildoers have no future, since they will perish in the end.
“When I applied my heart to know wisdom” —When Solomon diligently studied man’s wisdom and the restlessness of men’s minds and bodies in doing business, man does not sleep in the day neither does he sleep in the night all is to find a balanced and comfortable life, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ec 3:11.
Job said “But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him (because) He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted”. Job 5:8-10. The dept of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God is unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out. Rm 11:33.
Then I beheld all the work of God, but a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not be able to find it. God gave man wisdom to explore, man decided to explore outer space, what have they find? God has secured life from mortal mind. Secure, is life from mortal mind, God holds the germ within his hand, though men may search, they cannot find, for God alone does understand.
Conclusion:
Man cannot find out why and how God created life and all he has created; no man is able to fully and perfectly understand these things therefore, it is best for man not to disturb himself with endless and fruitless inquiries about these matters but quietly to submit to God’s will and providence and to live in the fear of God and the comfortable enjoyment of God’s blessings.
Life under the sun is not equal; it is enough to know that “the righteous are in God’s hand” (Eccl 9:1) this is Solomon’s submission.
May Almighty God add blessings to these words in Jesus Name, Amen.
Download Lesson
