Get Ready
Have you thought much about the possible circumstances of your death? Have you made any preparations for your eventual death, like a will, or a trust? Do you have a living will or advance health directive? Have you talked about this with your family?
The Word
8Who is like the wise man?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
Wisdom makes one’s face shine,
and the hardness of one’s countenance is changed.
2 Keep the king’s command because of your sacred oath. 3 Do not be terrified; go from his presence, do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is powerful, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 Whoever obeys a command will meet no harm, and the wise mind will know the time and way. 6 For every matter has its time and way, although the troubles of mortals lie heavy upon them. 7 Indeed, they do not know what is to be, for who can tell them how it will be? 8 No one has power over the wind to restrain the wind, or power over the day of death; there is no discharge from the battle, nor does wickedness deliver those who practice it. 9 All this I observed, applying my mind to all that is done under the sun, while one person exercises authority over another to the other’s hurt.
God’s Ways Are Inscrutable
10 Then I saw the wicked buried; they used to go in and out of the holy place, and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is meaningless. 11 Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil. 12 Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him, 13 but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.
14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people who are treated according to the conduct of the wicked, and there are wicked people who are treated according to the conduct of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink, and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun.
16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how one’s eyes see sleep neither day nor night, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that no one can find out what is happening under the sun. However much they may toil in seeking, they will not find it out; even though those who are wise claim to know, they cannot find it out. NRSV
Get into the Word
1. What is the value of wisdom, according to Solomon? What does it do for a person?
2. What issue does he take up next? What does he advise? What reason does he offer to support his advice? What role does wisdom play in this situation? Do you agree with his advice here?
3. What do we all have in common regarding our future? How do you feel about this conclusion?
4. How does the writer describe humans? How does he feel about this situation? What contradictions does he mention? What other examples does he identify? How does he feel about this state of affairs?
5. What is Solomon’s advice about living under these conditions? Why does he feel this way? What does he conclude about understanding what is going on?
Consider
Are you concerned about the injustice in our world? Does this make you confident about the future, or are you uncertain? How does God help you deal with apparent contradictions between what is right and what seems to be rewarded?
Notes . . .
8:1. Interpret — the Hebrew word here actually means “explanation.”
Shine — Solomon uses a figure of speech, not unlike the familiar blessing in Numbers: the Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace, [6:25-26].
8:4. Who can say to him — Isaiah expresses the same idea, but about God: Woe to you who strive with your maker, earthen vessels with the potter! Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay say to the one who fashions it, “What are you making?” Or “Your work has no handles”? [45:9].
8:5-6. Whoever obeys — Solomon here links wisdom with obedience to the king – wisdom will help the person find the right time and manner to act, even in a difficult situation.
8:7-8. No one — Solomon uses the person’s own death as the prime example of uncertainty: even though we know we are going to die, none of us can prevent or delay it – or escape the consequences of our own sinful actions and choices (“wickedness”).
8:9. Authority over another — injustice comes from humans’ ability to hurt one another.
8:11. Sentence against — the Bible mentions three types of punishment: death by stoning or burning, and mutilation. Other cultures included drowning and impalement.
Prison was used only for debtors or political opponents, or a person awaiting trail.
8:12. Yet I know — here Solomon affirms his own belief that our actions in this life do have consequences [v. 13, also check Proverbs 2:21-22 and 10:27], even though he must acknowledge the seeming contradiction in verse 14. He concludes that we cannot understand God’s approach to justice (“meaningless”).
8:15. Nothing better — Solomon concludes, yet again [check 2:24, 3:13, 5:18] that we should enjoy life. The key here is the phrase “for people in this world.” Solomon is not making any judgment about the future.
8:17. No one can find out — the Hebrew is even stronger, with three negative expressions: “a person cannot understand all that God has done; no person can discover its meaning; even a wise person cannot comprehend God’s plan, no matter what the person claims to know.”
Isaiah echoed this idea: For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts, [55:9]; as did Paul: O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? [Rom 11:33-34].
Memory Verse
Wisdom makes one’s face shine, and the hardness of one’s countenance is changed, [Eccl 8:1]
Next Lesson
Take life as it comes – Ecclesiastes 9
