Ecclesiastes chapter 8 and our theme this evening is Life under the sun and life under God who made the sun. Life under the sun and life under God who made the sun. This chapter seems to pose certain questions and problems and give the answers. In fact some have suggested that this chapter particularly, but other chapters too, consist of problems or questions and answers, that this is what is meant by the goads and nails toward the end of the book. Chapter 12 verse 11, the words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies which are given from one shepherd. that the idea would be that the problems posed or the questions asked are the goads to spur us to enquiry and the nails are the fixed truths, the answers to those questions. Be that as it may, this chapter certainly shows us the outworking of wisdom in confined situations and also in dealing with the great questions. It deals with wisdom as it applies to the day-to-day questions but also to the bigger questions and the longer run. First of all, wisdom and rulers in verses 1 to 5. Wisdom and Rulers verses 1 to 5. Who is the wise man and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? There we have the question. Who is the real wise man? How can you tell? What difference does it make? How can you tell the man that can interpret a thing, that can understand a situation? Well, first of all, his wisdom shows in his countenance. A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed. His face shines, that is, with life, with a grasp of things, with kindness, with understanding. And the boldness of his face, or the hardness, the arrogance, or the impudence of his face shall be changed. That is to say, there is in the truly wise man a work of sanctification going on and the fear of the Lord shows itself increasingly in the absence of that proud and haughty look, that hardness of expression which so often is found in the wicked. But then how does this wisdom show itself in the confines of the King's presence. Verse 2 to verse 5. First of all, the wise man, the godly, is obedient for the Lord's sake. Verse 2. I counsel thee to keep the King's commandment and that in regard of the oath of God. The oath of God, that is the oath made before God and in the name of God of allegiance to this King. and this also immediately puts a limit upon allegiance to earthly rulers that supreme allegiance is to God and whether spoken or not here is envisaged that the wise man has taken an oath of allegiance to the king but it is an oath of God and so any allegiance that is due to earthly rulers is never absolute it is always under God and we are not to sin against God in order to obey the commandments of even legitimate earthly rulers when they illegitimately ask us to do what is sinful. So in Acts 4 and verse 19, But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye, for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So any allegiance due to earthly rulers and indeed any oath or pledge of allegiance to an earthly ruler must always be limited because our supreme obligation and loyalty must be to God. But it does mean that in lawful things we obey, and we not only obey for fear of punishment, but we obey for conscience sake, that is, conscience before God. So Romans chapter 13, let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same, for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he bareth not the sword in vain, for he is a minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. Now there he gives two reasons to submit to the authorities in all things lawful. Firstly, he is armed with divine authority to punish evil in this world. But also, closely connected with that, the reason he has that authority to administer in a measure the judgment of God in this world is because God requires submission to the rulers. He has ministerial power to administer divine vengeance because God requires submission to the ruler. And therefore we are to be subject not only out of fear of the king's punishment but also because of conscience toward God because God requires it and we love the Lord if we are Christians. But then also this wisdom shows itself in the confines of the king's presence in not being impulsively disloyal. Verse 3 and 4 Be not hasty to go out of his sight, stand not in an evil thing, for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. Where the word of a king is, there is power, and who may say unto him, What doest thou? We are not to be impulsively disloyal, and here the wise man who is pictured as being a servant of the king he isn't impulsively disloyal, be not hasty to go out of his sight, that is out of his sight in the sense of angrily casting off loyalty and joining some rebel cause. So the wise man is not someone who when he is displeased with the king changes sides hastily. And then it says, stand not in an evil thing. That is, if momentarily carried along, don't stand in it, don't stay with it. And then he recognizes the King's power. Verse 4, Where the word of a king is, there is power. And who may say unto him, What doest thou? Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing. He recognises the power of the King. Now it is only the almighty Jehovah of whom it can be absolutely said that none can say unto him, What doest thou? But in a subordinate sense the King has authority and therefore it does not ordinarily belong to the subject to say what doest thou and here the wise man he fears for conscience sake and for wrath sake he takes due account of the terror to evil doers that lies the power to punish evil that lies with the king you remember that joab thought that he could do as he liked, he could ignore King David now and again as head of the army and because of his knowledge of David's sins but eventually he was punished but then fourthly under this wise man as a king's servant in the king's presence the wise man knows the right time The wise man knows the right time. The second half of verse 5. And a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment. He knows the time to act or to speak. He knows the time when it's right. And he knows when to correct what is amiss. That doesn't mean that we can ever delay obedience to God's commands. But there are some things that require judgment in correcting what is outside of ourselves. We need the right time, the right place, the right moment, the right situation. Sometimes people have right ideas but they have no idea as to when it is the right time and place to state them or to seek to put them into effect. This is saying that the wise man, the man who fears the Lord, he is not rash and hasty and foolish. We are to be wise as serpents, harmless as doves. So this is the wise man in a constricted situation. This is the wise man applying wisdom in the day-to-day situation, the confines of service to an earthly king. But then secondly, wisdom and death. Wisdom and death. Verse 6. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not what that which shall be, for who can tell him when it shall be? 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. Wisdom and Death Firstly, failure to observe the appropriate time or opportunity brings great misery. This is the problem stated. because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. Failure to observe the appropriate time or opportunity for things brings great misery. That's the basic problem. Men fail to seize the right time and bring much trouble upon themselves by hastiness they rashly rush in or else they sluggishly miss the boat. That is a fact of life. We blunder, we get things wrong. But then by way of answer it is always the right time to prepare for the unknown time of our death. Verse 7 and 8. For he knoweth not that which shall be, for who can tell him when it shall be? There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit. What this appears to mean is this. We do not know the future and therefore it is difficult, though needful, to seek to be prepared for certain eventualities. It is not assuming too much to prepare for possibilities, provided we understand that they are only possibilities. We must say, if the Lord will, we will live and do this and that. If the Lord will, our envisaged project will come to pass, but it may not. but it is legitimate with that sense of submission to the providence of God to seek to prepare for eventualities. But it is difficult and we often get it wrong to our distress because we don't know the future. But there is one thing that is utterly certain and that is the reality of death the timing of it is uncertain we don't know when it shall be but we do know that it shall be because we have no power over the spirit to retain the spirit that is the spirit within us neither has it power in the day of death and there is no discharge in that war neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it that is that it's like a war and there's no retreat where there's no way back we're heading, we're involved in it, we're dying and death will come and there's no pulling back no opting out of facing death and so this is telling us however difficult it may be for wise men to know the right time and moment to prepare for unknown, to engage in certain things, to speak about certain matters. Here's something that it's easy to know when to prepare for it, we should prepare for it now because it will come. And we don't know when it will come. However much we might struggle to know the right time to do some things. We don't need to struggle as to the right time to prepare for this because it is certain that it will come and it could come any time. Therefore, now is the time to prepare for death. Because we have no power to retain our spirit, no discharge from this war no way out of it it will come and when it comes we'll not be able to put it off and so all the time is the right time to prepare for this so wisdom prepares for the inevitable if wisdom prepares for the possible in this life Surely then wisdom will prepare for the inevitable that is the end of this life. And that's why the unbeliever is a fool. He's a fool in many ways. He's a fool in the sense that he loves darkness rather than light. He's a fool in the sense that he despises truth. But he's also a fool even in the sense of looking after his own interests. thou fool, this night thy soul is required of thee." He hasn't even the wisdom to prepare for what is certain. So the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is of the essence of wisdom to prepare for what certainly will come but could come at any time, death. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. O that they were wise, O that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. The scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. And the wickedness of the wicked will not deliver him from death, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. Though this is the man that made not God his strength, but strengthened himself in wickedness, for it will not deliver from death. Therefore, of the essence of this wisdom is not only the attempt to find the right time to speak about certain things, not only trying to make preparation for the possibilities of life, but above all seeking to prepare for the inevitable that will come at a time unknown. Whose hands can be strong and whose heart can endure in the day that I shall deal with thee, saith the Lord. So wisdom means preparing for death and the world to come. It is not wisdom to pretend that death will not come. That is utter foolishness. But we must prepare. We must prepare for the eternal world through faith in Christ Jesus. And of course a godly man will guide his affairs with discretion to the end and will prepare also his temporal things for the day of his departure. And that brings us thirdly, wisdom and the long view. Wisdom and the long view. And this takes from verse 9 to the end. The problem is that posed in verse 14 and 15. 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. 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." That is the problem given in the midst of the answer. First of all we have the injustice of it all, or the apparent injustice that will not go on forever. Verse 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. Here the oppressive ruler is envisaged as hurting himself. He hurts himself because not only may his oppression bring him downfall in this world, but because there is a judgment to come. So the wicked man oppressing those under him, he is hurting himself ultimately. This is saying in the end he is not benefiting, he is treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath. The wicked hypocrite in verse 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 also is vanity. The wicked hypocrite, the wicked man who came and went from the place of the holy, he went to the place of the worship of God, but he was wicked and no doubt as he went on in his wickedness and yet kept keeping up the pretence of going back and forth to the holy place, then he thought that he was really achieving something, but in the end he's buried and he is forgotten. The memory of the wicked shall rot. And he leaves this world unlamented and goes to give account to God. This also is vanity. What has he really done? What has he achieved? For a time he might have impressed people but he's soon forgotten and he's gone and he gives account to the Almighty. He has achieved nothing. It is vanity. All his hypocritical churchmanship is worth nothing. And then the assumptions that men make because of delay, verse 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 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. In Psalm 50, and verse 21 we have the assumptions that unregenerate men make on the basis of delayed judgment. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such in one as thyself, but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. The unregenerate assume that because God delays judgment he is not a god of judgment or if he is that they need not fear that judgment because he approves of them and is like them and has the same standards as themselves and so he strengthens himself in his wickedness he says God does not judge or he will not judge me if God were displeased with me he'd have done something about it by now but look he hasn't so either he doesn't judge or he agrees with my standards and isn't it so that the ungodly constantly they consider their standards to be high and they assume that God must approve them and when God doesn't judge them immediately they take courage in their wickedness and contempt of the gospel. 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 3, Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water whereby the world that then was being overflowed with water perished. Here we have the scoffer making assumptions by ignoring the past, drawing false deductions from the present and therefore making presumption concerning the future. They rewrite the past, they write the judgment of God displayed in the flood, they write that out of history, which of course is what the unbelieving evolutionist has been doing for many years. He's not the only one who's done it, but that is the common modern way of rewriting history so as to take out that remarkable judgment of God. So he rewrites the past and then he looks at the present and draws false conclusions concerning the future. He says that where is the sign of his coming? Where is the promise of his coming? Where is it? Since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. Nothing has altered everything is just uniform and it will just go on and on and of course that has a very contemporary ring about it that's exactly what modern unbelieving man is saying except that they say there was no real beginning or at least no real creation but they say everything is just uniform it just goes on and on And there's no end, there's no judgement. They deny the manifest judgement of the past and they assume that the present will just go on and on. As if the Lord is slack concerning his promise. But he isn't slack. It's simply that his timescale is very different from man's and with him one day, a thousand years is as one day. But there is an ultimate account, verse 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. But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he feareth not God. However long the ungodly man's life, there is the ultimate division. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times in his days be prolonged, yet surely I know it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him. However long the wicked lives, he will end up in the goats of the left hand of the king. Judgment will come. There will be an end. God will distinguish between him that feareth Him and him that feareth Him not. The flock of Christ, those who are born of the Spirit, because chosen in eternity and brought to faith in time in Him, they will be separate, distinct from those who are wicked. And the delay will not go on forever. And so in another sense, though it speaks of the wicked's days being prolonged, in another sense they will not be prolonged. It shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days which are as a shadow. There will be a time when that prolonging will no longer be prolonged and when he will face God in judgment and then his days will not seem prolonged after all. He may have been given a long life. Some wicked men do live long and they die in their beds, they live many days, they see children's children as Job speaks of it and they have a a problem free life comparatively speaking they have their troubles but only mildly compared with many and compared with many of the godly and so in that sense they prolong their days but they come to an end and their days at the end when they fall into the hands of an angry god their days didn't seem prolonged at all compared with the righteous, the people of God what he enjoys most in this world is prolonged forever. The joys of the people of God, if our cheapest joy is God himself, our joys will be forever. Whereas the wicked man, his joy in sin will not go on forever. He'll still be wicked in hell, He'll still love wickedness, but he will be perpetually frustrated from the expression of any pleasure in wickedness. Whereas the believer's joys will only be perfected and continue forever. And he reflects in verse 14 and 15 on his former conclusions. In verse 14 and 15 he's reflecting. This is the problem he's already answered when he was looking at things as it were in the guise of a secularist, looking at simply what was under the sun, he ended up saying well just make the best of it because there is no explanation. 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. 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." The secularist who simply looks at life under the sun rather than life under God who made the sun, this is his conclusion. There is nothing better than to just make the best of it, eat, drink and be merry, and enjoy the fruit of your labour and that's all there is to it. That's all he can see, that's the only conclusion he can come to from observing what is under the sun. And the reason is because man's knowledge from what is under the sun is so limited. Verse 16, When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth, for also there is that neither day nor night see asleep with his eyes, 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. This is saying simply this, that man seeking to understand the whole work of God, all that God is doing in his providence, as he preserves and governs all his creatures and all their actions is beyond the reach of man. Man cannot by his observation find out and understand the work of God. And that's why the secular philosopher is doomed to endless disappointment. He never arrives He never finds ultimate conclusions and answers, because he will not seek the answers in special revelation, in the Word of God. Deuteronomy 29, 29, The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, and that we may do all the works of this law. you see man wants to arrive independently he wants to be as God and therefore he says I'll start with me and my situation and I'll explore and search and find out answers but he never arrives he never arrives and his unregenerate heart resists the source of truth the word of God he loves darkness rather than light and so he searches and rummages in all his exploration that answers that make sense of it all evade him. He pretends to have answers, of course, but he hasn't, as we've said many times. All the pretensions of ungodly men to have ultimate answers are bluster. That's why they're usually incomprehensible, because they are disguising their own emptiness. When learned men seek to claim to have answers without the truth of God, without special revelation and the work of the Spirit in their heart, of course they make them incomprehensible because if you could understand them you would see how worthless they are. And so the secularist cannot provide the answers and here the wise man Solomon is reflecting upon that, that with all his efforts he couldn't get answers from what was under the sun. We need divine revelation, it doesn't answer all the questions of our curiosity but it tells us all that we need to know and in the light of the scriptures we begin to understand and see meaning in life under the sun. In the Lord Jesus Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. When a sinner is born of the Spirit and thus brought to repentance and faith in Christ he begins to understand He understands why he's here, where he's going, what it's all for, the glory of God. Whereas the secularist, however intelligent, though he is still depraved, he shuns the light, he gropes around in darkness and arrives nowhere until he is in outer darkness forever and ever. And that's why we are told all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, truly furnished unto all good works.