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joy in the vanity of abusive authority Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor Grace Church, Sunday Worship Ecclesiastes 8:1-17 May 1st, 2011
Ecclesiastes 8:1-17 ESV (1) Who is like the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed. (2) I say: Keep the king's command, because of God's oath to him. (3) Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. (4) For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, "What are you doing?" (5) Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. (6) For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lies heavy on him. (7) For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? (8) 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. (9) 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. (10) 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. (11) Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. (12) 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. (13) 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. (14) 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. (15) And I commend joy, for man has no good thing under the sun but 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. (16) 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, (17) 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 out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.
INTRODUCTION What is this difficult book about? As Douglas Wilson says – IT IS ABOUT JOY AT THE END OF A TETHER. Ecclesiastes is about joy with brains. It is about serious joy that asks the hard questions and grows in the fear of the Lord. It is about a rejoicing in and in the midst of vanity because of a faith in God – the fear of the Lord. Here is where we have been so far: SECTION 1 – Chapters 1-2 – Joy/satisfaction is unattainable left to man alone. This world appears as vanity, mist, vapor, frustration. SECTION 2 – Chapters 3-5 – God is absolutely sovereign over His creation including the vanity that we experience. God is God. SECTION 3 – Chapters 6-8 – God alone gives the power to enjoy life in the midst of vanity. And he gives it to the godly. The godly are called to respond in joy in the midst of this vain world. 8:1-17 is the end of this third section where he instructs the wise (godly – God-fearers) to live uprightly and with joy in the midst of abusive authority. Authority that gives us what we want or think we want is fairly easy to live with. But this world is filled with authorities (of all different kids) that are abusive – cruel, unfair, unwise, selfish, ungodly. Authority - God’s Good Creation Authority is God’s plan and design. It is not a result of the fall as some think. The ideal world is not a world without authority. This is to reject the Trinity. Authority structures:
The only absolute authority is God – all other authority is delegated authority. Every authority is called to be under authority, except for God. God’s way is authority in order to bless and bring peace, order, harmony, stewardship – to reflect his glory. Man was given authority and dominion for good. Authority Fallen – Genesis 3 In Genesis 3 we read of the Fall. Mankind fell into sin through Adam and everything was soiled including authority. Authority was in the hands of sinful people who used their headship to moved toward exploitation rather than service and goodwill. Authority became abusive and selfish and cruel in many ways. And we were also bent toward pushing against authority. Authority Redeemed - Christ In Christ, God has begun the work of authority redemption and He will continue this work. Authority is corrupt because people are corrupt. In Christ people are redeemed and are being changed into a Christ-like way. Jesus embraces His authority with justice and goodness. He is transforming people to embrace true authority in the right way.
HOW DO THE GODLY LIVE UNDER ABUSIVE AUTHORITY? The passage we are at deals with authority and abusive authority. It seeks to answer in part the question: How do the wise live with abusive authority? How do the godly respond and find joy when leaders are corrupt? Verse 1 is a transition from Chapter 7 to 8. The wise are rare and they have a face that shines even though they live in a fallen world. With the help of Jeffrey Meyers – I want to point out four steps in which Solomon instructs us to live under abusive authority. 4 Steps to Living Under Abusive Authority:
First he instructs us to godly submission with wisdom. Why because of God’s oath – for the Lord’s sake “Keep the kind’s command” – (2) “Be not hasty to god form his presence (3) “Do not take your stand…” (3) Context – “absolute” monarchy Secondary application:
WITH YOUR BRAIN: - Not talking about submission on order to sin - Or submission when you should get protection 20/20 Highlight of churches who covered abuse in the name of authority. The wise submit and discern when and how they must refuse. At times they will refuse because they recognize that no human has absolute authority. This will take wisdom. There are not any clear or easy rules in how you go about doing it. All authority (apart from God) is delegated authority. But we must not be quick to submit when we can. Romans 13:1-5 ESV Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. (3) For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, (4) for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. (5) Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. Examples of Godly men with abusive authority: · Daniel · Obadiah – Ahab (1 Kings 18) · Nehemiah · Joseph Principle: Authority is form God and he often puts ungodly and abusive people into this role and we are to submit with godly wisdom.
Here we see the limitations to human governments “no power to retain the spirit or day of death” (8) “their wickedness will not deliver them” They are buried (10) Their praise and glory will end (10) Delegated authority is limited by the One who has given it to them. Examples – Ahab, Nebuchadnezzar, Nero Daniel 4 Principle: The mightiest of human authorities will die and their vanity will be revealed. Psalms 2:1-4 ESV Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? (2) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, (3) "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." (4) He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Psalms 2:10-12 ESV Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. (11) Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. (12) Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
The godly will fear and trust the Lord that they will be vindicated. More easily said than done – yet this is the how the righteous live – by faith. The Lord is their refuge and strength. Injustices will take place with abusive leaders in this van world: · 11 – justice not executed · 12 “It will be well with those who fear (trust) God” (12) God will settle all accounts. He has made everything beautiful in its time – 3:11 The godly are called to wait upon the Lord in these times of suffering and injustices. Shadrach and Company: Vanity, vanity, vanity – yet those who fear God they will arise from the mist of the vanity. Principles: In this vain world injustices will appear bountiful yet those who trust God will be rewarded.
In the meantime the godly enjoy God’s gifts (familiar theme) and rest without all the answers. Here we see an enjoyment of the present in the midst of injustices and a lack of answers. Verses 15: Ecclesiastes 8:15 ESV And I commend joy, for man has no good thing under the sun but 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. Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 ESV (24) There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, (25) for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? (26) For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 3:12-14 ESV (12) I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; (13) also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil--this is God's gift to man. (14) I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. Verses 16-17 – We will never understand the ways of God in this vain world and we are humbly ok with that Principle: Those who fear God and trust in Him can enjoy this life of vanity and they do without needing to have all the answers.
CONCLUSION 1. Are you cultivated a heart that will respond to abusive authority this way? Growing in a genuine, experiential trust in God? Are you able to trust God and rejoice in His ways even though things are difficult and unresolved? 2. Are you in a difficult relationship where your authority is very difficult to follow? How does this passage relate? 3. Are you in authority? How are you using your authority? Are you submitting to your authority?
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