Ecclesiastes 8

Ecclesiastes 8 reflects on wisdom, authority, and the mysteries of life and justice. The Preacher observes the importance of obeying authority, the unpredictability of life, and the seeming lack of justice in the world. Yet, he emphasizes the value of wisdom and the need to fear God in all circumstances, even when things seem unfair.

Ecclesiastes 8:1-5 (NKJV)
1 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.
2 I say, “Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God.
3 Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”
4 Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment.

The Preacher acknowledges the value of wisdom, which changes a person’s demeanor and helps interpret life's mysteries. He urges obedience to authority, especially kings, because their word carries power and must be respected. Acting wisely, especially before those in power, ensures safety, as wisdom helps discern the right time and judgment in every situation.

Ecclesiastes 8:6-8 (NKJV)
6 Because for every matter there is a time and judgment, Though the misery of man increases greatly.
7 For he does not know what will happen; So who can tell him when it will occur?
8 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.
The Preacher highlights the inevitability of time and judgment for all matters, though human misery may grow due to uncertainty about the future. People cannot control their life or death; no one can avoid death or escape its timing. Even wickedness cannot provide an escape from the reality of death.

Ecclesiastes 8:9-10 (NKJV)
9 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.
10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.

The Preacher reflects on how power can lead to harm when one rules over another unjustly. He also observes that even wicked people, who were once revered in society, are eventually forgotten after their death. This forgetfulness emphasizes the vanity and futility of human pursuits, even in power and wickedness.

Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 (NKJV)
11 Because the 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.
12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.
13 But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Delayed justice can embolden people to commit more evil, but the Preacher assures that those who fear God will ultimately find it well with them, while the wicked will face consequences. Though it may seem that sinners prosper, their days are fleeting like a shadow, and their disregard for God will lead to judgment.

Ecclesiastes 8:14 (NKJV)
14 There is a vanity which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

The Preacher observes an apparent injustice: sometimes the righteous suffer as if they were wicked, and the wicked prosper as if they were righteous. This contradiction highlights the futility of human understanding and the perplexing nature of life.

Ecclesiastes 8:15 (NKJV)
15 So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

In light of life's uncertainties and injustices, the Preacher encourages people to find enjoyment in simple pleasures like eating, drinking, and being joyful. These joys are gifts from God and offer some comfort amid life’s struggles.

Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 (NKJV)
16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night,
17 then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.

The Preacher reflects on his search for wisdom and understanding of God’s work on earth. Despite all human efforts and labor, the full scope of God's plan remains unknowable. No matter how wise a person becomes, the mysteries of life and God's purpose cannot be fully comprehended.