The Sovereignty of God.

The Sovereignty of God.

I dug a little deeper into Ecclesiastes 8 today. My understanding was “He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful” (verse 5 – where no harm would come to the believer). It was pointed out to me; this can’t be true for bad things happen to good people and this caused me to dig that little bit deeper into the passage.

This verse isn’t about keeping the commands of God, but of the rulers of the day (in this case, King Solomon). Here the passage isn’t talking about keeping the commands of the Lord, but of the lord. This sentence uses the lower-case h in his, pointing not to God but to the king of the nation. Although it could be used with the Lord our God. Still bad things do happen to good people.

The chapter itself begins by praising wisdom. It advises of the obedience to authority, in which things will go well for those who abide by the law of the land. That obedience protects one from harm. Don’t drink and drive, don’t break and enter, don’t murder. Things will go much better for you if you obey the law.

We were born to a fallen world. We live with broken hearts and broken minds. Calamity and sickness are ever knocking at our door. In keeping the laws of the land, in doing right, we can to a point, stave off troubles. In keeping to the laws of God,  in obeying laws and instruction, the Lord promises protection,  as it says in Psalm 91; no evil shall be for you. Psalm 91: A psalm of the particular importance to the believer, as we dwell in the shadow of the Almighty, nestled in the closeness of His bosom. 

Just as Job (from the biblical Book of Job) lost his family, wealth, home, and possessions through an attack of satan, he never lost his true dwelling place with God. The place of intimate worship, our secret place; the place turn to in times of difficulty. Although Job didn't understand his circumstances, although he had no good explanation for why this had happened, he did understand all things work together for good according to Hiss purposes.

The passage from Ecclesiastes then goes on to discuss the uncertainties of life, scrutinising the proper time and procedure in the ways of the world. There’s value in wisdom; in following God’s word, discerning the right time and right way to act. The wise not only understand what to do, but also how and when to do it. It pays to learn wisdom.

In practical terms, this verse encourages us to be mindful of our decisions and our actions. The limits of human control is the underscore that some things are beyond our control and are to be accepted as such.

The author reflects on the injustices of life where the wicked appear to receive honour while the righteous suffer. Even so, it reassures the reader that those who fear God will ultimately be rewarded, while at the same time the wicked will face dire consequences.

The end of the chapter puts forth the views on the paradoxes of life where the righteous and the wicked get their just desserts, while at the same time encouraging the people not to overthink the ultimate understanding that lies beyond human reach and into the divine realm.

Respect authority, apply wisdom, find contentment despite uncertainties and injustices and remember; some things are just out of our control. Overall; trust in God’s sovereignty whatever comes your way.