Proverbial Joy

Introduction to Ecclesiastes 8

The book of Ecclesiastes is designed to show the pointlessness of life without God. It breaks down your worldview by demonstrating how everything under the sun is vain and meaningless apart from Him. This depression serves a purpose: to lift you up by revealing that true joy and happiness come only through a relationship with God.

Who is like the wise? Who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

I say, Keep the king's command, because of God's oath to him. Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lies heavy on him; for he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.

All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.

Basic Proverbs That Produce Joy

Ecclesiastes 8 begins with a question reminiscent of Paul in 1 Corinthians: “Who is like the wise? Who knows the interpretation of a thing?” Wisdom makes a person's face shine; it softens the hardness of their face. A hard face evokes no joy—no warm feelings from a rock or gloom like in antidepressant ads. But wisdom brings light, like sunshine associated with happiness.

The passage then offers wisdom literature focused on authority, illustrated by the king. Obey the king's command because of God's oath to him. Do not hastily leave his presence or take a stand in an evil cause. The king's word is supreme; who can say to him, “What are you doing?” This applies universally: submit to authorities as ordained by God, unless it involves sin.

As Christians, our King is Jesus Christ, whose Word is supreme and gives life direction. Keeping His commands keeps us from evil. The wise heart knows the proper time and just way, echoing that there is a time for everything, though troubles lie heavy on man.

No one knows the future or has power over the day of death. There is no discharge from that war. Yet for believers, death has lost its sting. Jesus said, “The one who believes in me will never die, though he dies.” Death becomes a release into unhindered joy with God.

The Vanity of Sinful Living

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 vanity, because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily. The heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Solomon saw the wicked buried after lives of praise in the holy city. They appeared praiseworthy—perhaps doing good works or even evil ones lauded by people. Yet they end the same as the righteous: in the grave. All praise is vanity.

Because judgment is not speedy, hearts are fully set to do evil. Sinners prolong life without immediate consequences, like Adam and Eve who received their sentence but did not drop dead. God's patience is not license to sin but an opportunity for repentance.

Yet it will be well with those who fear God—they live before His face, cautious and aligned with His will. The wicked cannot prolong days like a shadow; they fade without fearing God.

Why Bad Things Happen to Good People

There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. And I commend joy, for man has no better thing under the sun than to eat and drink and be joyful. For this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one's eyes see sleep, then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it.

Righteous people suffer like the wicked, and vice versa—this is vanity under the sun. Without God, it's pointless. But with God, bad things happening to good people serve a purpose: it goes well with God-fearers. God works all for good, making them stronger and more dependent on Him.

Solomon commends joy: eat, drink, and be joyful in toil through the days God gives. This is simple life with God—meeting physical needs and finding spiritual joy in Him. Apart from God, endless seeking yields nothing. Only fearing God brings true wisdom and joy.