The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet #1738
Ecclesiastes Chapter 8

How can we be happy and find peace of mind while living in the flesh? The answer to that question is becoming easier and easier to understand as we continue to read the wisdom of Solomon which was poured out on him by our Father in more measure than any man. And we will see the Koheleth, the preacher, complete this chapter 8 with another conclusion of the matter.

But along with his final analysis, Solomon wants us to know that we can make our lives a whole lot less complicated by applying wisdom in our everyday affairs, which simply means to use a lot of common sense. There are many injustices and apparent inequities that we see in life that must be kept in their proper perspective in order to maintain our balance in thought [read sanity]. Just never forget that God's judgment is always fair, while man's often isn't. And guess what? Our Father will have the final say.

We begin chapter 8 with a leading question from Solomon:

Eccles. 8:1
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.
After all this [from the previous verses in chapter 7] who is a wise man and who can understand anything? You see, wisdom lights up a man's face and changes even a rough countenance. (This is not the same as noticing that someone is a "wise guy".)

Here now is some wisdom and counsel from Solomon concerning our relationship with our government, whether it be a king with a kingdom [which is the way presidents of these United States sees it] or any other form of government.

[2] I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.
Solomon says it is wise to obey the king's commands, which is to obey the civil laws and ordinances of the land, to which we have pledged our allegiance.
[3] Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
While we should not try to evade our duties as citizens, we also shouldn't stand up or support the wrong doings of the king (there's not enough space to list them here), or the bad laws of government, such as Roe vs. Wade.
[4] Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
The king, and hence the government, has the power to throw your buns in jail, or use the mainstream media to ruin your life and career. So watch how you "get in his face"!
[5] Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.
This is just good old common sense for which there are many examples.  For instance, if you pay your taxes you won't feel the evil thing [read IRS]. If you stop at the stop signs you won't feel the evil thing [read ticket].

You see, a wise person knows how to function and maneuver even within an oppressive system of government, which ours is fast approaching.

[6] Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.
"Still, the wise heart knows there is a time of judgment coming, even though today men may be crushed under the king in misery; for all there is an hour of judgment." (Moffat)
[7] For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?
As we just read, a wise man knows there's a time of judgment coming, and the oppressors aren't going to get away with anything. What will happen and when? Who knows. But it's going to happen sooner or later! (Obviously the latest it will happen is at the final judgment, but sometimes we see evil oppressors get thumped sooner.)
[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.
Most translations read that "man has no control over the wind", which is quite true. But since the Hebrew word for "spirit" is ruach, which also is used of the "spirit in man", we can also say that man cannot retain his spirit in his flesh body when it's time for it to depart, i.e. when his day of death has arrived and it's time for "the silver cord to be loosed" (Eccles. 12:7). And there is no getting around that struggle.
[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.
"All this I observe as I consider all that is done under the sun, whenever man tyrannizes over man to his hurt." (J.B.)
[10] 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.
"I have seen wicked men buried and as their friends returned from the cemetery, having forgotten all the dead man's evil deeds, these men were praised in the very city where they committed their many crimes!" (Living Bible)

Note: According to today's liberalism, this is as it should be, for liberals claim due to abuse or a bad childhood, or your lack of funding for a particular social program, that it is not the fault nor the personal responsibility of criminals for the crimes and acts of violence they commit. God's Word declares the wicked are going to pay for their own actions sooner or later.  So you can see there is no wisdom in liberalism.

[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.
Because sentencing on crime doesn't happen immediately, people think they can get away with their evil deeds. They cannot! For as it is written, they will receive their just rewards. God keeps detailed records of everyone's actions in His books (Dan. 7:10, Rev. 20:12). Again, a wise person knows that ultimately there will be judgment in the Highest Court.
Eccles. 8:12
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before Him:
Do that which is right and revere God, for in the end righteous will bring its rewards too! So do Matthew 6:20: "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:" When payday comes your rewards will be there!
[13] But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
Life in the flesh is short enough as it is, but then again, He can make it even shorter for you!
[14] There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
Yes, it seems all too often that the good die young and the wicked live out long lives, or the good face multiple calamities while the wicked seem to breeze through life. The problem is that our perspective of time is a whole lot different than God's. One hundred years in relation to eternity is but a fleeting moment. So in spiritual reality, the wicked don't get away with anything for very long, do they?
[15] Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
So I said, "With all this vanity and vexation of spirit, a man might as well enjoy the everyday pleasures of life common to man, i.e. eat, drink and be merry." (Hmmm, so that's where that phrase "eat, drink, and be merry" comes from.)
[16] When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)
Solomon, the wisest man to ever walk the earth, gave it his best shot, all he had, to analyze all of man's business on earth, man's ceaseless, restless, 24 hour a day quest for life's secrets!

And this is his conclusion of the matter:

[17] Then I beheld all the work of God, that 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 find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
There is positively no way that the man who walks under the sun (the flesh man), no matter how wise he is, can know the works and the plan of God. That can only come through His revelation which He imparts to those who love Him. Got it?

So if you understand that Solomon is addressing the flesh man, only the man who walks under sun, then you will understand the following:

Solomon just said: "... Seek, and ye shall not find." Eccles. 8:17

Jesus Christ said: "... Seek, and ye shall find;" Mat 7:7

This is really simple: Leave God out of the picture and you can seek all your life! But it will be a never ending game of hide and seek because you'll never find peace of mind, much less eternal life. Seek Him first and then you'll discover the priceless riches that are hidden and unavailable to the man who walks under the sun.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.
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