Ecclesiastes Lesson Sixteen

Ecclesiastes Lesson Sixteen: Ecclesiastes 8:10-13 – Reverence for God

In such circumstances, I saw the wicked buried. They came and went from the holy place,  and they were praised in the city where they did so. This too is futile. ¹¹ Because the sentence against a criminal act is not carried out quickly,  the heart of people is filled with the desire to commit crime. ¹² Although a sinner commits crime a hundred times and prolongs his life,  yet I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, for they are reverent before Him. ¹³ However, it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not lengthen their days like a shadow, for they are not reverent before God. (HCSB)

Let’s take a deeper look at this short passage.

Verse 10

• This is one of the most puzzling verses in Ecclesiastes, and it would be foolish for anyone to claim they fully understand it.
• The primary theme seems to be the author saying the wicked don’t get what they deserve, even in death.
• Scripture states that even criminals and enemies should have a dignified and honorable burial.
  • Deuteronomy 21:22-23 If anyone is found guilty of an offense deserving the death penalty and is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, ²³ you are not to leave his corpse on the tree overnight but are to bury him that day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse.  You must not defile the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
  • Joshua 8:29 He hung the body of the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take his body down from the tree. They threw it down at the entrance of the city gate and put a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day. 
• The next question is, what is the location of the holy place?
  • It could refer to the burial service, the body being carried from the place of worship to the gravesite.
  • It could be interpreted as an expression of satisfaction that the wicked have departed from God’s presence. They will now await the fate they deserve. However, this interpretation is unlikely since the verse ends with“futile.”
  • The most likely interpretation is that the holy place refers to Jerusalem, where the injustice occurred. Going deeper, the author may be referring to those engaged in religious activity, yet they are empty of true religion as they deal with others.
    • James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before our  God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
    • Matthew 23:27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,  which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity.
• The author points out that even the wicked are praised by some in the very location where they committed their atrocities.
• We are often taught not to speak ill of those who die. Yet, it can be hard to sit and listen to praise for those whose lives don’t deserve it.
• Maybe we attend a Christian funeral for a person who displayed no interest in the things of God.
• However, we shouldn’t pass judgment. 
• Instead, we should hope that the person has come to peace with God through Jesus Christ.

Verse 11

• When we look at this verse, we see it playing out in modern society. This is especially true of what is occurring in the United States today.
• Many people never look beyond today; they live for immediacy.
• When we consider the question of law and order, we must ask, “What makes a person obey laws?”
  • In many cases, it’s not the moral aspect of the law.
  • Instead, it’s the threat of being punished for breaking the law.
• If punishment is not given for breaking the law, or if it’s delayed, laws have little to no effect on society.
• Companies and individuals act illegally simply because they know they will either get away with it or the consequences will be so minor that there is no deterrent. 
• The root of the matter is contained in the second half of the verse, “the heart of the people is filled with the desire to commit crime.”
  • The delay or lack of punishment only encourages the wicked to commit crimes.
  • The modern-day fact is why I referenced what is occurring in the US now.
    • We constantly hear of crimes being committed, often brazenly, yet nothing is being done about it.
    • The legal system in some locations has weakened the authority of those charged with keeping and enforcing laws.
    • Additionally, some judges are making decisions that fly in the face of what the law says.
• The very idea that a holy and righteous God allows the wicked to prosper and, seemingly, get away with the behavior has perplexed people for generations.
• Peter captures the essence of the reason behind this apparent delay.
  • 2  Peter 3:9 The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
  • God extends grace to all people, hoping they will repent and believe the Gospel of Christ.
  • 2 Peter 3:10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.
• We now also need to go back to another theme in Ecclesiastes: the idea of “under the sun” thinking.
  • When viewed through “under the sun” lenses, there is no justice, and life is not fair.
  • However, when wicked behavior is viewed through the lenses of eternal consequences, judgment will be meted out, and the wicked will not escape.

Verse 12

• The beginning of verse twelve presents a challenge when the author says that a sinner commits hundreds of crimes yet prolongs his life.
• At the same time, the author says it will go well with God-fearing people.
• We look around the world today, either from a global perspective or a local one, and we constantly observe injustice.
• The injustices we observe can challenge us in many different ways.
  • Do we lose faith that God will eventually judge the wicked and they’ll receive what they deserve?
  • Are we tempted to take matters into our own hands against the wicked?
  • Are we tempted to join those committing wicked acts since we see nothing of consequence happening to them, and they seem to get ahead in society?
• Each of those reactions indicates a lack of faith and trust in God.

Verse 13

• Instead, we must stand firm on the promise of God that sin and evil will be vanquished.
  • Jesus’ death and resurrection accomplished triumph over sin.
  • Ultimately, evil will be punished, and the righteous will be rewarded.
• This thought is the timeless principle to carry from the Old Testament to our present age, where we live under the New Covenant.
  • The wicked are not reverent. Their actions spit in the face of an infinitely holy God.
  • On the other hand, the reverent will be rewarded for their faith.
• So how are New Covenant people reverent?
  • By placing their faith in Jesus Christ.
  • Jesus’ command was to “repent and believe.”
  • We are to turn away from our sinful behavior and follow God’s commands contained in Scripture.
  • We are to believe what Scripture says about Jesus.
    • The Father sent him.
    • He was fully God and fully man.
    • He was born of a virgin.
    • He lived a sinless life.
    • He was crucified, died, buried, and on the third day, rose again and sits at the right hand of the Father.
    • He will one day judge each of us.

Applications

• Respect each person who dies. They will spend eternity in one of two places: heaven or hell. Respecting them doesn’t mean we condone or applaud the actions of evil people. 
• Don’t lose faith when we don’t see justice carried out in the manner or timeline we’d like. God has a purpose, and we display our faith by trusting He is in control.
• Don’t try to take justice into your hands or be tempted to join the wicked in their actions.
  • Justice is the purview of God.
  • The wicked will eventually receive their condemning judgment. If we join them in their wicked pursuits, we will also face condemning judgment in the future.