Ecclesiastes 8:10-13
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.
Tag: Fear God - Do Well
The book of Ecclesiastes is a journey by King Solomon to “test” all of the things of life. It is written to warn us about these things so that we can acquire wisdom and not be caught in their devices. However, before you study any portion of the book, including the above passage, we need to read the end of the book first. After Solomon pursues and visits all the things of life, here is his conclusion:
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
The “end of the matter” is to fear God. So, in light of that, the above passage fits perfectly. Solomon is observing life and notices that the “wicked,” although praised in life, would, eventually see death. The evil the wicked did (rejection of God’s truth and God’s Lordship) would eventually catch up with him/her. Solomon says that will be “executed speedily.” The thought is, at his/her death, the judgment for rejecting God will be immediate. In contrast, those who trust God and allow Him to be Lord of their lives, those who Fear Him, will have good will in their lives. To Fear Him means to have reverence and awe for Him. To have good will means to have God watching over them and empowering them through all of life’s struggles. If you read other parts of Ecclesiastes we will see that the one who Fears the Lord has similar life circumstances as those who reject God (that is the irony that Solomon discovers and writes about. But, the truth he unfolds to us is that even though the earthy life of the wicked and the righteous may look the same, their end is different. The wicked might look like they prosper and the righteous as though all the bad in life is coming to them. But, the truth is found in the “relationship” the righteous have with God during their life and the end they have with God after their life. The above verses simply tell us that Fearing God - worshipping Him in awe and splendor - is the one thing our life is supposed to have in order to have the blessings of life.
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