8:1 Who is a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem? A person’s wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance.
Only the Messiah King is wise. Some men can approach wisdom by studying Bible doctrine. Those who study Bible doctrine can make divine-viewpoint decisions. They can find solutions for problems through their study of the written Word of God. Man is totally depraved and evil. He has a very harsh countenance. Bible doctrine can soften a man’s natural state and bring him into a more gentle and humble position about himself and his surroundings.
8:2 Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him.
According to Romans 13, governments have been placed on this earth to control evil and execute capital punishment against those who commit evil. Therefore, citizens are to obey their governments, unless the government forces them to do an act which is against the written Word of God.
The purpose of government is not to censor the Word of God in public education. It is arrogant and evil for politicians to create laws to censor the Word of God. It is foolish for the electorate to place these types of politicians into power. Knowledge and application of the Word of God is what keeps Satan and his demons in check.
8:3 Do not rush out of the king’s presence in haste—do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases.
Absolute rulers foolishly think that they are God or earth.
8:4 Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him, “What are you doing?”
Since man is so totally depraved and evil, then God gives nations the kind of leaders that they deserve.
8:5 Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure.
The absolute king expects absolute obedience.
8:6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, for the oppression of the king is severe upon his victim.
A wise person knows the proper time and procedure to disagree with the king. When Caesar asked the Jews to burn a pinch of incense to him as a god, then they refused. Their martyrdom brought down the Roman Empire.
8:7 Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen.
Only God knows the future. The Bible is the only book which records history in advance. These prophecies recorded in the written Word of God is how one can know that the Bible is absolute divine truth.
8:8 Just as no one has power over the wind to restrain it, so no one has power over the day of his death. Just as no one can be discharged during the battle, so wickedness cannot rescue the wicked.
No one can control the wind, except for God. No one has power over death, except for God. The Messianic King did not have His life taken away. He dismissed His own spirit when He was ready to return to the Father. Only God can do that! Therefore, the Messianic King is God.
8:9 While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.
Sometimes earthly kings will persecute their own people, causing them harm.
8:10 Not only that, but I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma.
Solomon noticed that wickedness was not always punished. He had seen that the wicked still had access to the Jewish Temple rituals. When they died, they were buried and praised in the city where they practiced their wickedness. At a funeral, sinful men will say a lot of good things about a sinful man who died foolishly.
8:11 When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged to do evil.
When liberal politicians who lack sound Bible doctrine do not make tough laws to punish the criminals, then crime will increase.
8:12 Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes and still live a long time, yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people—for they stand in fear before him.
God is slow and patient, but He will eventually judge the sinner. Time is on God’s side. He has all of eternity to execute the judgment.
8:13 But it will not go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.
Those who do not fear God will not prosper in life. They may have material objects and power, but they will not be satisfied. They will become bored with life. Their life will be nothing but an empty shadow.
8:14 Here is another enigma that occurs on earth: Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. I said, “This also is an enigma.
Sometimes, God in His infinite wisdom reverses this process. He allows the wicked to live long lives, while the righteous live very short lives. God alone is sovereign over all life and death. The Messianic King is the one who holds the keys to death and Hades.
8:15 So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.
The Epicurean belief of the Greeks was to “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you die.” This is the philosophy of satanism. Solomon taught that this kind of thinking is emptiness.
8:16 When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth— even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night— 17 then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood,
he would not really comprehend it.
As the wisest man in history, Solomon spent all of the days of his life attempting to figure out the philosophy of life “under the sun.” He attempted to find out what makes the satanic world tick, but he could find no answer. Even those with strong Bible doctrine will not be able to discern all of the intricacies and details of the divine plan. There is simply too much of a gap between God and man.