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Please enjoy this message delivered by Pastor Mark Hudson.
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LearningTranscript
00:00Years ago, Teresa and I had an opportunity to go to Kauai.
00:03I think it was our 25th wedding anniversary.
00:06Where's my wife at?
00:07I have no help today.
00:09No one's helping me at all.
00:10I think it was our 25th wedding.
00:11Anyway, we had a fun time in Kauai.
00:13We had an opportunity to do a lot of things on the island.
00:15And one of the things we like doing is we like snorkeling and we like hiking.
00:20We like all that kind of stuff, outdoorsy kind of stuff.
00:22So we decided we were going to take a hike one day.
00:25We went to a place called Waimea Canyon.
00:28There's a picture of Waimea Canyon that's up there right now.
00:30And if you'll notice, it's kind of hard to see because it's a little bit washed out.
00:35The dirt is really red.
00:37And if you've ever seen people run around and wearing these shirts that says red dirt shirt,
00:43that's where they come from, this area of Waimea Canyon.
00:45It's just red dirt.
00:47So we were going on a hike and we both had relatively new tennis shoes.
00:51And we decided we really didn't want our tennis shoes to get stained red
00:55because it will stain your clothing and your tennis shoes.
00:57So we bought a very inexpensive, well, may I say cheap, pair of water shoes to walk in.
01:04We thought, you know, we're going up to a waterfall.
01:06Maybe we can walk around in the water at the waterfall.
01:08But the problem with these water shoes were that the soles were extremely thin.
01:14So every little pebble, every little pebble on the road you would feel and you couldn't help it.
01:19So we marched off faithfully to the waterfall, I don't know, two, three miles away.
01:23It was nice.
01:24We got to the waterfall and walked back.
01:25And our feet are a little bit sore.
01:27But the last 300 yards back to the parking lot was a graveled road.
01:33And we're not talking just little pieces of rocks.
01:37We're talking about every now and then there'll be big rocks.
01:40So I'm trying to navigate through all of these rocks.
01:44And every now and then I would step on one.
01:46And it hurt so bad.
01:47I thought, I've got to pay better attention where I'm going.
01:50And so I'm walking and navigating along the way.
01:53And all of a sudden I look around and Teresa is taking the exact same step that I'm taking.
01:59And I said, what are you doing?
02:00She goes, make sure you walk right.
02:03Make sure you navigate correctly through these stones because I'm following in your footsteps.
02:09Wow.
02:11This is what Solomon wants to tell us today.
02:14He wants us to avoid the pitfalls of life as we walk in this world.
02:20How do we navigate in this world?
02:22There's going to be problems that we have.
02:24There's going to be circumstances that are unfavorable.
02:26There's going to be little tiny and big stones in the walk as we walk in this world.
02:31How can we navigate properly to make sure that in the end, God receives the glory.
02:36We love our neighbor as ourselves.
02:38All those things that God has asked us to do.
02:39How can we properly navigate in this world?
02:44Solomon says that through wisdom, we can navigate our way through this life to the glory of God.
02:50And that's what he wants to tell us today in Ecclesiastes chapter 8.
02:54He wants to help us.
02:56He wants us to say, look, I've walked this way.
02:59Follow my steps because I've avoided some of the pitfalls.
03:02And I want to make sure you also avoid the pitfalls of life.
03:07So in chapter 8 of Ecclesiastes, he wants to say this to us.
03:11Biblical wisdom allows us to navigate through life, avoiding the pitfalls and pain associated with foolish living,
03:19and thereby glorify God with our lives.
03:22And three particular areas he's going to talk about here.
03:25He's going to talk about authority, justice, and God's sovereignty in chapter 8 of Ecclesiastes.
03:32I'm not sure we really understand this concept of wisdom.
03:35I think we kind of generally get it.
03:38But I think far too often we have this idea that there's this template and no matter what circumstance comes my way,
03:46if it's the same each time, I do exactly what's on the template.
03:49Well, that may or may not be the case because every situation is different with different information that I need to assess
03:55and discern what would be the proper action.
03:58I think we like wrote things instead of actually having to think about what God has said in this word
04:04and then model our lives accordingly.
04:06Biblical wisdom.
04:08So these verses continue.
04:10We left off last week in chapter 7.
04:12He's discussing how elusive and how rare wisdom is.
04:17He could hardly find it.
04:18He couldn't find it in hardly any people in his society.
04:21It's extremely rare, Solomon in his age, to find people that had biblical wisdom.
04:27So he wants to talk more about that as he, remember when Solomon wrote this, he didn't put chapters in, right?
04:33The chapters came in later.
04:34So he's just continuing a thought at the end of chapter 7 as he led us, as we stopped last week.
04:40Look at verses 1 through 9 of chapter 8.
04:43Who is like the wise?
04:46And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
04:49A man's wisdom makes his face shine.
04:52And the hardness of his face is changed.
04:55I say, keep the king's command because of God's oath to him.
05:02Be not hasty to go from his presence.
05:05Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases.
05:11For the word of the king is supreme.
05:14And who may say to him, what are you doing?
05:18Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing,
05:21and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way.
05:25There is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lies heavy on him.
05:31For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be?
05:37No man has power to retain the spirit or power over the day of death.
05:42There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.
05:48All this I observed, I've seen these pitfalls.
05:52Let me help you navigate through life.
05:55All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun,
06:02when man had power over man to his hurt.
06:07Authority.
06:08How do we deal with authority?
06:10What is the wise way of walking with authority?
06:16True wisdom is difficult to attain, and it is a rare treasure in people, is what he is saying.
06:23The attainment of wisdom is possible.
06:25Who is a wise man?
06:26It's saying, well, there's not many of them, but there are some.
06:28So it is, we can't attain wisdom.
06:31We can't apply God's understanding, God's knowledge to our everyday circumstances
06:36and walk away with a wise decision.
06:37We can do that.
06:38It is attainable.
06:39And it brings several advantages if you are a wise person.
06:44He says, first of all, wisdom softens the features of the face.
06:48In other words, it's the opposite of the hardness of the face.
06:51In other words, what's in one's heart tends to come out on one's face.
06:55And so when a person is wise and they have been softened by wisdom,
07:00the features of their face changes.
07:02I don't know if you've ever seen that before.
07:04A person before they knew Jesus Christ as their Savior,
07:06then they come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, and they just look different.
07:09You notice that?
07:10They just look different.
07:11There's something about them that's different
07:13because wisdom is beginning to soften their heart.
07:17Person's face gives evidence of the wisdom that's within.
07:20See, the shining face is a testimony of God's favor.
07:23And evidence that a person has been with God.
07:27The shining face, this metaphor, this picture that he's giving us right now.
07:32It's God's favor upon us.
07:33Not only that, it's give evidence that we have been with him.
07:36Moses in Exodus 34.
07:38When Moses came down from Mount Sinai,
07:40with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand,
07:43as he came down from the mountain,
07:44Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone
07:47because he had been talking with God.
07:50He had been in God's presence,
07:51and God's glory was shining off him.
07:53He didn't know it.
07:54In fact, he even veiled it because it's a whole other story.
07:57He's diminishing.
07:58We can't get into that right now.
08:00But he didn't know.
08:01But because he was with God, his face glowed.
08:05In Psalm 34, we read this.
08:06Those who look to him are radiant.
08:09Look to him means trust him, hope in him.
08:12We're radiant people.
08:14And their faces shall never be ashamed.
08:17He's basically saying that the wise person does not go around grumpy all day long.
08:25How many people have you met and said,
08:27Oh, I'm happy.
08:28I'm happy.
08:29And we say to them,
08:30Well, you might want to inform your face because it doesn't show it.
08:33A wise person is not a grumpy person.
08:37Their face is radiant because they've been with God.
08:39Their faces shine.
08:43Solomon struggled to find a wise person.
08:45Now he deals with the problem that non-wise people are in positions of authority over us.
08:52What are we supposed to do with that?
08:54So he's talking about the loosen of wisdom,
08:56but now what do we do when God has placed non-wise people over us in positions of authority?
09:01That's what he wants to deal with here.
09:04He sets up a discussion about traditional court wisdom.
09:07In other words, of a court of his day.
09:09Think kings, courts.
09:10Think that idea, a monarchy.
09:12Not what we have as a constitutional republic, but a monarchy.
09:16How do we behave in the presence of a king?
09:19Now, he remains deliberately ambiguous here.
09:23Is he referring to the king of heaven?
09:25How do we behave in the presence of the king of heaven?
09:27Or is he talking about a king on the earth?
09:30It seems like from the text that he's talking about a king on the earth,
09:32but he doesn't directly say that.
09:34He's being a bit ambiguous here.
09:36But he deals with court behavior.
09:37That's what he's talking about.
09:40Wisdom determines how we're going to act with absolute authority.
09:45See, we have to remember in those days and in a monarchy,
09:48where the king is law, whatever the king says goes.
09:53If you displease the king one day, he could say,
09:56off with your head.
09:57You'll be one head shorter.
09:58Remember, he has absolute authority over life and death.
10:02We don't think that way because we don't have that kind of a government.
10:05But that's what he's talking about.
10:07How do we deal with those people who are an absolute authority over us?
10:10How do we deal with them?
10:13My attitude to those in authority is evidence that I am truly a wise person.
10:17How do I interact with them?
10:19What's my attitude towards them?
10:21That shows whether I have biblical wisdom or not.
10:23See, obedience to the king or the Bible in the New Testament calls them civil authorities.
10:30Obedience to the king or civil authorities is part of the wisdom literature
10:34that we've seen all throughout the Old Testament.
10:36In fact, in Proverbs 24, we read this.
10:39My son, fear the Lord and the king,
10:42and do not join with those who do otherwise.
10:44So this idea of my attitude towards authority
10:48is evident throughout all of wisdom literature.
10:51How do I deal with people in authority over me?
10:56My loyalty to God demands my obedience to earthly authority.
11:00Now, I'm going to qualify that.
11:01You've been here long enough.
11:02You know what I'm going to say.
11:05But let me just say this up front.
11:07My loyalty to God demands my obedience to earthly authority.
11:11God has placed authorities there for a reason.
11:16It's his pleasure there, there.
11:20Matthew 22, Jesus said,
11:22They said Caesar's.
11:22This question about coins.
11:25Then he said to them,
11:26Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's
11:28and to God the things that are God's.
11:30If I'm going to be loyal to God,
11:31I have to be loyal to the earthly authorities that are over me as well,
11:34that God has placed over me.
11:37Jim Winter said this,
11:38All government, whether just or unjust,
11:41democratic or despotic,
11:43comes under the providential care of God for the good of man.
11:47Our obedience to God is verified by our obedience to the secular authority
11:52that he refers to as his minister to you for good.
11:56Anarchy is always worse than bad government.
12:00How do we deal with those authorities,
12:02especially the king or our civil authorities that are over us right now?
12:05How do we navigate through this life with authority?
12:10The king has a position of absolute power and authority in Solomon's day.
12:17Proverbs 20 says,
12:18The terror of the king is like the growling of a lion.
12:21Whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
12:24He has absolute authority.
12:25Now, generally speaking,
12:28Now, I use this as a generality because there's exceptions to this rule,
12:31but generally speaking,
12:33quiet submission to civil authorities
12:35usually results in a quiet and peaceful life
12:39in terms of government interference.
12:41Generally speaking, there are exceptions.
12:44Paul told Timothy this,
12:46First of all, then,
12:47I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings
12:52be made for all people,
12:54for kings and all who are in high positions,
12:57that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life,
13:01godly and dignified in every way.
13:04This is good,
13:05and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.
13:07Generally speaking,
13:09generally speaking,
13:10quiet submission to civil authorities
13:12lends to a peaceful and quiet life.
13:15The wise in heart will obey the civil authorities
13:20as long as what they are asking is just.
13:24We must remember there is a higher authority that we answer to,
13:28and that is God.
13:30If what they are telling us violates the word of God
13:34or the commands of God,
13:35we must obey God first
13:37and disregard the civil authorities.
13:40Yes, we may suffer consequences,
13:41but that is what God has intended.
13:43There is a higher authority.
13:45This is what Peter said in Acts 5.
13:48But Peter and the apostles answered,
13:50we must obey God rather than man.
13:51They were told, stop talking about Jesus.
13:53Quit it.
13:54People are listening to you,
13:55and they're actually following your advice.
13:57Stop it.
13:57And they said, hey, listen, we can't do that.
13:59God has told us to go.
14:00I can't listen to you.
14:05When it comes to the matter of conscience,
14:07we have a duty to obey our conscience
14:10rather than the civil authorities.
14:12When the word of God is spoken,
14:14we cannot go against that.
14:16We've had actually a Supreme Court case this last month
14:19that dealt with this issue of conscience and religious liberty.
14:23I'm glad they cited on religious liberty.
14:28Thomas Jefferson said,
14:30resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.
14:33It's a bit harsh.
14:34I may qualify that a tad bit,
14:36but I'm not going to change his quote.
14:37That's what he said.
14:38Zhang Leng commented on this.
14:41The world is not all confusion.
14:44There is time and reason.
14:46They will appear at last,
14:47though misery so abounds.
14:49Therefore, be patient.
14:51Watch and wait.
14:52Obedience is indeed inculcated to lawful,
14:55not merely monarchical authority,
14:57but it is also intimated that it is not to be wholly passive,
15:02unreasoning, and blind.
15:04So wisdom says,
15:05I look at what the civil authority is saying to me,
15:08and if it violates the word of God,
15:10I must obey God rather than man.
15:12That's wisdom.
15:13I don't just submit to them
15:15when they tell me to violate God's law.
15:17I cannot do that.
15:20Wisdom teaches that a person should seek
15:22to avoid the displeasure of the king.
15:24In this case, the text is the king,
15:26the monarch,
15:27because the king has the power of life and death.
15:30Proverbs 14 says,
15:31the servant who deals wisely has the king's favor,
15:33but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
15:38We gain nothing in this life
15:40by exasperating those people over us
15:43who have authority over us.
15:44It's not wise to exasperate your boss.
15:48It's not a good thing.
15:50It's not wise to exasperate all those people
15:53that are over us in authority.
15:54It's not wise.
15:56It's not a good thing to do.
15:58It's not good to be discourteous to them.
16:00Proverbs 16 says,
16:03a king's wrath is a messenger of death
16:05and a wise man will appease it.
16:07We gain nothing by exasperating the king
16:09or civil authorities.
16:11Just to do it to poke him in the eye.
16:13That's not any good.
16:16Proverbs 18 and Proverbs 29 says,
16:18a fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
16:21but only in expresses his opinion.
16:23It's not wise to say everything that's on your mind.
16:26It's not a good thing to walk into your boss's office
16:28and tell them everything you think about your boss.
16:31That's never a good thing.
16:34That's why Proverbs says,
16:35a fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
16:37but only in expressing his opinion.
16:41Proverbs 29,
16:41a fool gives full vent to his spirit,
16:43but a wise man quietly holds his back.
16:45So it's not wise to say everything that's on your mind.
16:47That's not a good thing.
16:48It's not a good thing to do it
16:50in the presence of civil authorities as well.
16:51There's no reason to exasperate them.
16:56God will hold people accountable for their decisions,
16:59for what we decide.
17:02And he's talked about wisdom,
17:03but he also talked about being patient.
17:06Patience is a byproduct of wisdom.
17:08This is a great example.
17:16Bruce Boer sent that to me this week.
17:18It was perfect.
17:19I said, I got to use that.
17:20That is awesome.
17:22He's talking about being wise,
17:23but in that is patience,
17:26is a byproduct of wisdom.
17:27We're patient.
17:29You get it.
17:30I think it's good.
17:32If we seek through wisdom to influence those in power,
17:35we must move forward patiently.
17:39Don't exasperate those in authority over you.
17:41Move forward patiently.
17:42That's what we would like to do.
17:44That's wise.
17:45So being filled with wisdom,
17:46the Christian will know when to remain silent
17:48and when it's right to protest,
17:50when it's right to speak.
17:52That's wisdom.
17:53Sometimes it's better to just remain silent.
17:55Other times we need to speak out,
17:56for silence is consent.
17:58But wisdom says we know when,
18:00and we're patient with that.
18:03When it's possible,
18:05two civil authorities,
18:06again, when it's possible
18:07that they're not violating God's law
18:08or God's commands,
18:09when it's possible,
18:10we should say to them,
18:11just like in The Prince's Bride,
18:13as you wish.
18:18And if you haven't seen The Prince's Bride,
18:20I'm sorry, it's a great movie.
18:21Go watch it.
18:22Okay.
18:23Those of you who have seen it
18:24will know exactly what I'm talking about.
18:26As you wish.
18:28As much as it lies within us,
18:29that's what we say to the civil authorities.
18:31As you wish.
18:33In Israel,
18:34the people were obliged to obey the king
18:35because he was anointed by God.
18:37God placed him in that position.
18:38And it's the same with any form of government.
18:41God places governments in
18:42for his design in this world
18:45to work his plan through the ages.
18:48He raises up kingdoms
18:49and tears down kingdoms.
18:52God places those in authority
18:53according to his sovereignty,
18:55not our desires and whims.
18:59God chose or allowed this person to rule.
19:02And most of the time we're going,
19:03wow, why that person?
19:04I would have chosen somebody else.
19:06God chose them.
19:07God wanted that person to rule.
19:09He sets up kingdoms.
19:11He tears kingdoms down.
19:15So Solomon describes four things
19:16people are powerless to alter.
19:19You can't alter them.
19:20You cannot tell your spirit
19:21to stay in your body.
19:22When God calls your spirit home,
19:24there's nothing you can do about it.
19:25You lose your spirit.
19:26That's it.
19:27You cannot tell death to flee.
19:30Text says,
19:31until war is over,
19:32you are duty bound to remain in it.
19:34You're conscripted.
19:36And you cannot save your own soul.
19:37These are four things
19:38that he says in the text
19:39that man cannot do.
19:40We cannot do these things.
19:42Because when war happens,
19:43citizens often cannot escape
19:45the pillage,
19:46the disease,
19:47the capture or death.
19:50People cannot control
19:51their day of death
19:52or whether a nation goes to war.
19:55And there's so many things
19:56outside of our control.
19:57And for people like me
19:58who are recovering control freaks,
20:00we don't like that.
20:01But there are too many things
20:02that are outside of our control.
20:06No one can escape the law of death.
20:08He says,
20:09no one can escape that.
20:10You know he's talked about death a lot
20:11throughout Ecclesiastes.
20:12And again,
20:13it's to point us
20:13to a greater reality.
20:15And that is,
20:16we were not made for this world.
20:17We're made for another world.
20:18As C.S. Lewis says,
20:20no one can escape the death,
20:22the law of death
20:23that weighs on us all.
20:25Physically,
20:26hate to say it,
20:27humanity is terminal.
20:30We're all going to die.
20:31Unless Jesus comes back,
20:32that is the law of all of us.
20:34Humanity is terminal.
20:38But what about our spiritual death?
20:41Physical death,
20:42this body is going to die.
20:43I'm going to be placed in the grave.
20:44My spirit,
20:45my soul will go as a believer
20:47into the presence of God.
20:49I'll wait for the resurrection
20:50of my body.
20:51But what about the spiritual death?
20:53Can one avoid spiritual death?
20:55You can't avoid the physical death.
20:56It's going to happen to us all.
20:57But can you avoid spiritual death?
20:59That is,
21:00dying without knowing God as Savior
21:02and spending eternity
21:04in the lake of fire
21:04apart from Him.
21:06Can we avoid that?
21:07Can we escape that?
21:08And the answer is,
21:09yes.
21:10In Jesus Christ,
21:12we can escape
21:13the spiritual death
21:14that is posed upon
21:15every one of us
21:16as human beings
21:16because we are fallen,
21:18sinful creatures.
21:19We need a Savior.
21:20And can you avoid it?
21:22Yes.
21:23How?
21:23By faith.
21:25By faith.
21:26Not by what you do.
21:27But by your faith
21:29in the finished work
21:30of Jesus Christ on the cross.
21:32In John 11,
21:33Jesus said this.
21:34He said to her,
21:35Martha,
21:36I am the resurrection
21:37and the life.
21:38Whoever believes in me,
21:39though he die,
21:40yet shall he live.
21:42And everyone who lives
21:43and believes in me
21:44shall never die.
21:45And then he asked her,
21:45do you believe this?
21:46And she said,
21:46well, yes, I do.
21:47Of course.
21:47I do believe that.
21:49So what he's saying
21:50is that if we believe in Him,
21:51even though we may physically die
21:52and be placed in the grave,
21:53we will never die spiritually.
21:56We will be with Him forever.
21:58The writer of Hebrews
21:59tells us this.
22:01Since therefore the children
22:01share in flesh and blood,
22:03he himself likewise
22:04partook of the same.
22:05In other words,
22:06God became man
22:07that through death
22:09he might destroy
22:10the one who has
22:10the power of death,
22:11that is the devil,
22:13and deliver all those
22:14who through fear of death
22:15were subject
22:16to lifelong slavery.
22:17If you want to avoid
22:18spiritual death,
22:19faith in Jesus Christ
22:21is the answer.
22:21And I hope that you've
22:22trusted Him today.
22:23I hope that you know
22:23Him as Savior,
22:24that you have believed
22:25in Him alone for salvation,
22:27not upon what you do for God
22:29or do for other people,
22:30but what God has done
22:31for you on the cross.
22:33You can escape it.
22:35Not physical,
22:36but spiritual.
22:39And then he wants
22:40to tell us,
22:40let us know,
22:41wickedness is never
22:41a reliable strategy
22:43to avoid death.
22:45Being wicked
22:45is not going to keep you
22:47from death.
22:47It's going to happen
22:48the same.
22:49Remember he told us
22:50in Ecclesiastes 7, 17?
22:52Be not overly wicked,
22:54neither be a fool.
22:55Why should you die
22:55before your time?
22:58So verse 8 now
22:59is the conclusion
22:59to everything he said
23:00in verses 2 through 7.
23:02That is concerning
23:03disobedience and disloyalty
23:04towards those in authority.
23:06A wise person knows
23:07how to walk
23:08and is to navigate
23:08in this world
23:09in relationship to authority.
23:12Now,
23:13he continues his reflections
23:14on the problem
23:15of people who do
23:16wicked things.
23:17Look at verses 10,
23:18through 13
23:19of chapter 8.
23:22Then I saw
23:23the wicked buried.
23:24Let's go all the way
23:25to 15.
23:26Then I saw
23:26the wicked buried.
23:28They used to go
23:29in and out
23:29of the holy place
23:30and were praised
23:32in the city
23:32where they had done
23:33such things, okay?
23:35So a wicked person
23:36is going in and out
23:37of what we call
23:38the church.
23:38It was a temple
23:39in those days.
23:40They would go in
23:40and out of the temple
23:41looking super spiritual,
23:43super good,
23:43but we know in reality
23:44they're wicked.
23:45And the city
23:47loved him.
23:50He said,
23:51and done such things.
23:52This also is vanity
23:53because the sentence
23:55against an evil deed
23:56is not exercised speedily.
23:59The heart of the children
24:00of man
24:00is fully set
24:01to do evil.
24:03Though a sinner
24:03does evil
24:04a hundred times
24:05and prolongs his life,
24:06yet I know
24:07that it will be well
24:08with those who fear God
24:09because they fear
24:10before him.
24:11But it will not be well
24:13with the wicked,
24:14neither will he
24:15prolong his days
24:16like a shadow
24:17because he does not
24:18fear before God.
24:20There is a vanity
24:22that takes place
24:23on earth,
24:24that there are
24:25righteous people
24:26to whom it happens
24:27according to the deeds
24:28of the wicked,
24:29and there are wicked people
24:31to whom it happens
24:31according to the deeds
24:32of the righteous.
24:33In other words,
24:34it doesn't seem that justice
24:35has met it out correctly.
24:37I said that this
24:38also is vanity.
24:39It's empty.
24:40It's transitory.
24:43It's temporary.
24:44And I commend joy
24:45for man has nothing better
24:47under the sun
24:48but to eat
24:49and to drink
24:49and to be joyful
24:50for this will go well
24:52with him
24:53in his toil
24:54through the days
24:55of his life
24:56that God has given him
24:57under the sun.
24:58So now he's going
24:59to be talking about justice.
25:01Justice and wisdom.
25:03First we dealt
25:04with authority.
25:05What about justice
25:06and wisdom?
25:07How do we wisely
25:08walk in this world
25:09when we see injustices
25:11happening all the time
25:12or we see wicked people
25:14getting away
25:15with injustices?
25:16How do we handle that?
25:19I normally get angry
25:21when I see injustices
25:22not being executed.
25:24In other words,
25:24not being punished.
25:27These are like the Pharisees
25:28that Jesus talked about
25:29in Matthew 23,
25:30these people.
25:32They went into the temple,
25:33were wicked,
25:34faked it,
25:35but were really wicked.
25:37Woe to you,
25:37scribes and Pharisees,
25:38hypocrites,
25:39for you are like
25:39whitewashed tombs
25:40which outwardly
25:41appear beautiful
25:42but within are full
25:43of dead man's bones
25:44and all uncleanness.
25:45That's those kind of people
25:46he's talking about.
25:49Those who have given themselves
25:50over to wickedness,
25:51there's no escape
25:51from God's punishment,
25:53but it seems like there is.
25:54That's our problem.
25:56It seems like there is.
25:59Here is another reminder
26:00that the righteous
26:01and the wicked
26:02do not always get
26:03what they deserve.
26:05We would expect
26:05the righteous
26:06will be blessed
26:07with long life
26:08and prosperity
26:09in the Old Covenant,
26:10long life
26:11and prosperity
26:12and children
26:13and that the wicked
26:14would die off early.
26:15That's not always the case.
26:16How do we handle that?
26:20We must keep
26:21the eternal perspective
26:22in regard to evildoers
26:24not seemingly punished
26:25in mind.
26:26Remember Psalm 73?
26:28We've got to keep in mind
26:29what's their end.
26:30What really is their end?
26:31They may for a brief
26:32period of time,
26:3380 years,
26:34escape what we think
26:35is justice,
26:36but they will get justice.
26:38What is their end?
26:43Because justice comes late,
26:45if at all,
26:46in this life,
26:47the wicked increase
26:48their injustices.
26:50We've seen it.
26:53I don't know how many riots
26:54that I've seen
26:54starts off with just
26:55a trickle of people
26:56and then pretty soon
26:57when they notice
26:58that no police
26:59are arresting anyone
27:00that are breaking windows,
27:01guess what?
27:01It's a torrent,
27:02a flood of people
27:03that come in
27:04and behave improperly.
27:08Because of humanity's
27:09fallen depraved nature,
27:10they believe that
27:11if they're not punished,
27:12they've got away with it.
27:13Ah, no one saw.
27:15I got away with it.
27:16I'm good.
27:16I'll never be punished for it.
27:18No.
27:20Eternal perspective
27:21is important.
27:23There's nothing
27:24internal motive in them
27:25to do the right thing.
27:26They're just bent
27:26on doing evil.
27:28The delay of justice
27:29encourages others
27:30to act foolishly
27:31and break the law.
27:35It is important
27:36for any society
27:38that it has
27:39a quick punishment
27:41of breaking of the law
27:43because it is a deterrent
27:45for the rest of the society
27:46to break the law.
27:48When evil is allowed,
27:50others feel empowered
27:51to do evil as well.
27:53We have seen it
27:54in our own society.
27:59Injustices exist
28:00in this world.
28:01We know that.
28:02And God will address them
28:03according to His timetable.
28:05There is a time.
28:07It's not like always our time.
28:08We want it now.
28:09We want the evil person,
28:11the one who has violated the one,
28:12the one that has
28:13raped a person
28:14or molested a child
28:15or stolen.
28:16We want them to be punished immediately.
28:18But it doesn't happen sometimes.
28:19Sometimes they even,
28:20in our opinion,
28:21get away with it.
28:24But God sees it all.
28:28Proverbs 21 says,
28:29no wisdom,
28:30no understanding,
28:30no counsel can avail
28:31against the Lord.
28:32He sees it all.
28:34We can't,
28:34we can't trick Him.
28:35We can't fool Him.
28:38And sometimes the righteous
28:40do die young.
28:41And sometimes the wicked
28:42prolong their days.
28:44It happens.
28:46And what do we do with that?
28:48How do we wisely
28:49walk in this world
28:50and we don't get so frustrated?
28:51Even though Solomon saw
28:54the wicked prosper,
28:55he is convinced
28:56that it's far better
28:57to fear God.
28:58It's far better to fear God
29:00than to be a wicked person.
29:02In this life,
29:03there is often the reversal
29:04of reward and retribution.
29:06And we must learn
29:07to be patient with that.
29:09It doesn't happen sometimes
29:10in our life.
29:13Wisdom says we're able
29:14to experience extreme joy
29:15even though we are waiting
29:17for final justice.
29:19We can still be joyful people.
29:20He wants us to appreciate
29:24the daily pleasures of life
29:26that we are to experience.
29:28And not to be so frustrated
29:29that we just shut ourselves down
29:30or sequester ourselves
29:32in our homes.
29:34Remember he said
29:35in Ecclesiastes chapter 2,
29:36this seems to be a theme
29:37throughout Ecclesiastes.
29:38There is nothing better
29:39for a person
29:40that he should eat and drink
29:41and find enjoyment
29:42in this toil.
29:44This also I saw,
29:45it is from the hand of God.
29:46For apart from Him,
29:47who can eat
29:48and who can have enjoyment?
29:49It is what He wants
29:50us to do.
29:51He wants us to live
29:51and enjoy this life.
29:54Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote,
29:56Our life is not only
29:57a great deal of trouble
29:58and hard work,
29:59it is also refreshment
30:00and joy in God's goodness.
30:02We labor,
30:03but God nourishes
30:04and sustains us.
30:05There is a reason
30:06to celebrate.
30:07God is calling us
30:08to rejoice,
30:09to celebrate
30:10in the midst
30:10of our working day.
30:12So yes,
30:13we get frustrated
30:14because we see injustices
30:15and they don't seem to be,
30:16punishment is not met at out,
30:17but we can still enjoy
30:19this life
30:20and live in it
30:21because we know
30:22we are patient.
30:24God sees it all.
30:30Wisdom imparts joy
30:31to the soul
30:32because it places
30:32a person
30:33in a good relation
30:34to God
30:34and other people.
30:38Martha Washington
30:39said this,
30:39I have learned
30:40from experience
30:41that the greater part
30:42of our happiness
30:42or misery
30:43depends on
30:44our dispositions,
30:45that's the quality
30:47of mind
30:47or character,
30:48our attitude,
30:49and not on
30:50our circumstances.
30:52So if we look
30:53at the circumstances
30:53of injustice,
30:54we can get so depressed
30:55and so bummed out
30:56that we're not even
30:57living life.
30:58He said,
30:58don't do that.
31:00Be aware.
31:00God sees.
31:01He knows.
31:02He will take care of it
31:02in His time.
31:04Just wait.
31:06We cannot control
31:07adversity
31:08or prosperity,
31:09so each day's joys
31:11ought to be received
31:12as gifts
31:12from God.
31:14They're His gifts
31:15to us.
31:17Paul told Timothy,
31:18as for the rich
31:18in this present age,
31:19charge them not
31:20to be haughty
31:21nor to set their hopes
31:22on the uncertainty
31:23of riches,
31:24but on God
31:24who richly provides
31:26us with everything
31:27to,
31:28what?
31:29Enjoy.
31:30Enjoy this life.
31:33It's often difficult
31:34to figure out
31:35what's happening
31:35around us,
31:36so Solomon directs
31:37our attention
31:37to the sovereignty
31:38of God.
31:39Look at the last
31:39two verses,
31:4016 and 17.
31:41When I applied
31:42my heart
31:43to know wisdom
31:43and to see
31:45the business
31:45that is done
31:46on earth,
31:47how neither
31:47day nor night
31:48do one's eyes
31:49see sleep,
31:51then I saw
31:52all the work
31:52of God
31:53that man
31:53cannot find out
31:54the work
31:55that is done
31:56under the sun.
31:57However much
31:58man may
31:59toil in seeking,
32:01he will not
32:02find it out.
32:03There's some things
32:03that are just
32:04remaining a mystery
32:04to us.
32:05Even though a wise
32:06man claims to know
32:07it,
32:08he cannot find it out.
32:09Some things
32:09are just a mystery.
32:10They're part of
32:11God's sovereignty.
32:12We have to trust
32:13that he knows
32:13what he's doing.
32:14So here we're
32:15dealing with
32:15sovereignty and
32:16wisdom.
32:18There is a
32:18restless striving
32:19to discern the
32:20actions of God
32:21on earth,
32:21but they are
32:22hidden from
32:22us often.
32:23And we must
32:24trust the goodness
32:25of God that he
32:26knows what he's
32:26doing on this
32:27earth.
32:29Matthew Henry
32:29put it this way,
32:30leaving the Lord
32:31to clear up all
32:32the difficulties
32:32in his own time,
32:34we may cheerfully
32:35enjoy the comforts
32:36and bear up under
32:37the trials of life
32:38while peace of
32:39conscience and joy
32:40and the Holy
32:40Ghost will
32:41abide in us
32:42through all
32:43outward changes
32:44and when flesh
32:45and heart shall
32:46fail,
32:47leaving it up to
32:48God to clear up
32:49all the difficulties.
32:52The answer to
32:53people's frustrations
32:54under the sun,
32:54remember that's
32:55humanly speaking,
32:56the existence on
32:57this earth,
32:58is the divine
32:58revelation.
32:59It's to point them
33:00above the sun.
33:01So they're looking
33:02above the sun to
33:03God,
33:03what God has
33:04said.
33:06Augustine wrote
33:07this,
33:08Solomon gives
33:08over the entire,
33:09it gives over
33:10the entire book
33:10of Ecclesiastes
33:11to suggesting
33:12with such fullness
33:14as he judged
33:14adequate,
33:15the emptiness
33:16of this life
33:17with the ultimate
33:18objective to be
33:19sure of making
33:20us yearn for
33:21another kind of
33:22life which is
33:23no unsubstantial
33:25shadow under
33:25the sun but
33:26substantial reality
33:28under the sun's
33:29creator.
33:29That's what he
33:30wants to point us
33:31to.
33:33And wisdom
33:33allows a person
33:34to discern
33:35solutions properly
33:36and accordingly
33:37in this life
33:38whether it has
33:39to do with
33:39authority
33:40or justice
33:40or God's
33:41sovereignty.
33:44Proverbs 2
33:45says,
33:45God loves
33:46to give us
33:46wisdom.
33:47For the Lord
33:48gives wisdom
33:49from his mouth
33:50comes knowledge
33:50and understanding.
33:51And James
33:52says,
33:52if any of you
33:53lacks wisdom,
33:53let him ask
33:54God who gives
33:55generally to do
33:56all without
33:56reproach and it
33:57will be given
33:58to him.
33:58So if we lack
33:59wisdom when we
34:00deal with authority,
34:00we lack wisdom
34:01in areas of
34:02justice,
34:03if we lack
34:03wisdom in
34:04trusting God
34:04to do what
34:05is right,
34:06ask him.
34:07He will be
34:07happy to give
34:08it to you.
34:11Wisdom
34:11allows us
34:12to understand
34:13people and
34:13situations and
34:14makes good
34:15decisions on
34:16what is the
34:17right thing
34:17to do and
34:18when is the
34:18right time
34:19to do it
34:19and with
34:20what motivation
34:20we ought to
34:21do it.
34:23Now wisdom
34:23cannot explain
34:24every mystery
34:25or solve
34:26every problem,
34:27but it can
34:28help us by
34:28use of
34:29discernment to
34:29make good
34:30decisions in
34:31life,
34:32especially in
34:32areas of
34:33authority,
34:33justice and
34:35God's
34:35sovereignty.
34:37So a couple
34:39of questions
34:39for us this
34:40morning as I
34:40conclude.
34:42Is wisdom
34:43guiding our
34:43attitude towards
34:44those in
34:45authority over
34:46us?
34:47In other
34:47words,
34:47are we
34:48submitting?
34:50Is wisdom
34:51guiding our
34:52attitude towards
34:52injustices in
34:53society?
34:55Do we trust
34:55God enough to
34:56let him do
34:57what he knows
34:57is right without
34:58questioning his
34:59timing?
35:01And third
35:01question,
35:02is wisdom
35:03guiding our
35:04attitude toward
35:05the sovereignty
35:05of God?
35:06Do we trust
35:07God enough to
35:07let him do
35:08what he knows
35:09is right without
35:10questioning his
35:11sovereignty?
35:12That is how we
35:14navigate in
35:15this world.
35:17Trust me,
35:17we don't want to
35:18step on the
35:18rocks.
35:19They hurt.
35:20Wisdom allows
35:21us to navigate
35:23and avoid those
35:24pitfalls.
35:25Let's pray.
35:25Father, we thank
35:26you for what has
35:27been given to us
35:28today through
35:29Solomon, that he
35:31has been there,
35:31he has seen it,
35:32he is king
35:32himself.
35:33He knows all
35:34these things,
35:35he's experiencing
35:35it, he's
35:36telling us from
35:36wisdom how
35:37we're to walk
35:38in this world,
35:38how we're to
35:39navigate, that
35:41we can avoid
35:42the pitfalls
35:43that surround
35:43our lives in
35:45areas of
35:45authority and
35:46justice and
35:47your sovereignty.
35:48Father, help us
35:49to be wise
35:50people.
35:51And if we
35:51lack wisdom,
35:52you give it
35:53graciously, you
35:54love to give us
35:55wisdom.
35:55May we ask
35:56you, may we
35:57plead with you
35:57that we'll be
35:58wise people as
35:59we walk in this
36:00world, navigating
36:01properly.
36:02Oh, Father, we
36:03know that when
36:03that happens, you
36:05receive the glory,
36:06others are drawn
36:07to Christ's
36:08goodness and
36:09kindness, and so
36:10we thank you that
36:11you're going to use
36:12us in this
36:13capacity because we
36:14trust you, and we
36:16know that you have
36:16our good intent at
36:18heart.
36:18We pray in Jesus'
36:19name, amen.
36:20God bless you, amen.
36:21Amen.
36:22Amen.
36:23Amen.
36:24Amen.
36:25Amen.
36:26Amen.
36:27Amen.
36:28Amen.
36:29Amen.
36:30Amen.
36:31Amen.
36:32Amen.
36:33Amen.
36:34Amen.
36:35Amen.
36:36Amen.
36:37Amen.
36:38Amen.
36:39Amen.
36:40Amen.
36:41Amen.
36:42Amen.
36:43Amen.
36:44Amen.
36:45Amen.
36:46Amen.
36:47Amen.
36:48Amen.
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