Frustration with Injustice

Ecclesiastes 8:10-17
2007.11.18
one28 Sunday worship

I remember the first time I heard a story about significant injustice. I was in Junior High and our history teacher read the class a story about a man who fell through someone else’s skylight, broke his leg, sued for $1 million, and won. That seemed excessive to me, but what was truly over the top is that the man who fell through the skylight was trying to rob the house!

We hear stories like that almost on a daily basis. Because of that we’re probably desensitized to injustice to some extent, but I really remember that first time being more than just surprised, I remember being mad. How in the world is that possible? Where did they find a judge and jury that could make that decision? That is very frustrating, especially when something like that happens to you.

In the second half of Ecclesiastes 8 there are some repeated things; nothing is too surprising based on what we’ve already learned from Solomon. But this is necessary truth for our joy in this stupid world. We tend to think that joy is elusive, slippery, always on the move. And among joy stealers, injustice is near the top of the list. Solomon identifies a few common joy stealers connected with injustice. We think joy is out of the question when:

• those who do wrong get away with it
• those who do wrong seem to prosper
• we can’t figure it all out

These are things that frustrate us and make us mad. Under the sun, these are three injustices that frustrate us.

1. Wicked People Go Unpunished (vv.10-13)

In society the wicked aren’t always punished, at least not right away. This is a lack of social retribution.

The Immediate Outrage v.10

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.

Since verse 10 begins with Then we know that it is closely connected with the previous section. Many commentators actually think that verse 9 is better understood as the beginning of a new paragraph rather than the end of the previous section. Even though the subject shifts slightly, Solomon still has a bit more to say about those in authority.

He says, I saw the wicked buried. Obviously he’s referring to some sort of funeral or memorial service, but who are the wicked he has in mind? I think Solomon is specifically referring to those who had a least some measure of standing in society, and I think that for three reasons. First, the entire context of chapter 8 so far has been about authority, in particular those in positions of power over others to their hurt (v.9). Second, as the king, Solomon was probably not attending a lot of common man or criminal funerals. Third, the wicked here are visible, talked about people. What these people did was always on display; they were always in the news. What these people did caused a reaction; they were talked about throughout the city. So the wicked person in the picture is not Joe Hebrew, it is someone with authority and visibility in society.

It is interesting to observe the one thing Solomon mentions that those wicked did while they were alive, they used to go in and out of the holy place. The holy place is more than likely the Temple. You get the impression that this wasn’t just a one time deal, this was a regular practice. Normally we would think faithful worship was a righteous thing, but Solomon already labeled them as wicked. So we’re talking about religious hypocrites who made temple worship a place to show themselves. They were politicians, making an appearance in the right place so the right people could see them.

And even though everyone knew better, everyone knew they had done such things of injustice and hypocrisy and wickedness, now that they were dead some of the very same people they probably hurt praised them.

We’ve got to stop and deal with a translation issue in verse 10, because the NASB and the NKJV translate it completely different than the ESV. Here is the ESV again:

They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things.

And now the NASB (similar to the NKJV):

I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are soon forgotten in the city where they did thus.

In the ESV the wicked are praised (as well as the LXX), in the NAS (and NKJV) they are forgotten. The Hebrew words for “forget” and “praise” are the same except for one letter, but one fits better with the conclusion of vanity. It is really frustrating if the wicked are unpunished but forgotten. It is exasperating if if the wicked avoid penalty and then get praised.

Can you imagine sitting at the funeral and listening to a sparkling eulogy for the guy you knew was a jerk? Maybe they named a street after them or created a national holiday or named a library to honor someone they likely despised while they were living.

What a pain that not only did these wicked authorities get away with hurting others during their life, they apparently never had to face the music for their wrongs. And now, even when they’re gone no one will stand up and say what’s true. Not only that, they are being honored? Where is the retribution? Why don’t they get what they deserve? Where is the justice? That is outrageous. This also is vanity. No doubt.

The Subsequent Outcome v.11

If it that wasn’t bad enough there are other wider problems when the wicked aren’t punished.

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.

This is insult to injury. The situation is a little bit different in verse 11 because it seems like there is at least the possibility of punishment even if delayed. But whether avoided or delayed, other people are encouraged to disobey when they don’t seen any consequences.

Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily. Here we’ve got a wrong done, seen, judged as wrong, but the punishment not executed speedily; the retribution was delayed. And that results in the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. The children of man is a general, universal reference. This is not a limited or narrow group of other wicked people. It is built in to every human. This is total depravity. Their heart is looking for an opportunity, for any open door. Their heart is fully set to do evil and so without consequences they think they’re free to do as they please.

These aren’t people who are confused about the rules. They may say they didn’t know, but that is a total lie. It’s like students who deliberately violate the dress code because they think no one will confront them on it because their friend wasn’t confronted. It’s purposefully disobeying because no one is getting in trouble. One commentator observed,

It is amazing how we have the capacity to dismiss the consequences of our actions simply because they are not imminent.

We do different things when we know that punishment is in the pipeline. We respond to threats and pain. And when it looks like the threats are thin and the punishment postponed we are excited to see what we can get away with.

The Ultimate Outlook vv.12-13

But that is wrong and very short-sighted. The fact is–you can take this to the bank–no one will get away with anything.

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.

You may do the wrong thing over and over and never get stopped. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life.

But Solomon breaks in with a word of faith, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before Him. This is something Solomon knew, it may not seem like it or be visible or be our experience, but it is a fact. Those who fear God will be vindicated. And no matter how much it looks like the wicked are getting away with it (and they may be getting away with it under the sun), they are not getting away with it before God. In fact, the more patient God is with the wicked now, the worse their final judgment will be then. Whether the government or your parents or your teachers know, you live before God and He knows. Those who fear God and fear before Him are living smart because God is the One with whom we have to do.

In the end, it will not be well with the wicked. That is an understatement. It seems like they got away with it unpunished, but the time for judgment is coming. In fact, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow. That’s a unique statement. A shadow gets longer when the day is almost done. But when the wicked man’s days are almost done, he will not make them longer. In other words, the wicked will not be able to extend his days enough to avoid God.

This outlook requires faith, trust, and patience. If you don’t believe that judgment is coming, that God is paying attention, you will be wretchedly unhappy.

2. Wicked People Often Prosper (vv.14-15)

In life people don’t always get what they deserve. In particular, not only do wicked people often go without being punished, sometimes they prosper and the righteous suffer.

The Frustration v.14

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.

Verse 14 is all about frustration. It begins with There is a vanity and ends with this also is vanity. This is one of those age-old, universal truths that doesn’t really bother us much until it happens to us or to people we love.

There are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. If God is righteous and wants us to be righteous, shouldn’t righteous people get all the benefits and blessings? But righteous people suffer, they have it hard, their houses burn down, they get fired, their kids die young, they lose elections.

And then there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. They get the job/promotion, they live long lives and have big boats. It’s not that the wicked always prosper and the righteous never are rewarded, but there doesn’t seem to be a rhyme or reason.

This is wrong and we feel it. We’re not talking about wicked people getting more punishment than their wickedness deserves, we’re talking about them thriving. God made us in a way that knows it isn’t right. And especially when we measure it against God’s holy Word that contains God’s perfect standard that comes from God’s righteous character, it doesn’t fit. This also is vanity.

So what do you do with that reality? How are we supposed to respond to all these injustices in verses 10-14? Hurtful authority go unpunished and are given honor. Wicked people prosper and righteous people suffer. There appears to be no solution to the problems. Even if you’re not Eeyore it makes you want to die. Even if you don’t want to die it has to make you depressed. It makes some want to whine and others want to fight. But somehow, as pessimistic and irritable as Solomon is, the advice he gives is staggering.

The Recommendation v.15

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.

I commend joy. This is the word for “praise, to praise formally or officially.” Solomon endorses, advocates, and recommends joy. Are you kidding me? Is he really saying that someone can be happy, that life like this can be enjoyed? He’s told us about joy before (2:24-26; 3:12-13; 5:18-20). But the story has gotten even uglier since then.

For man has no good thing under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful. Could that be more simple? No good thing under the sun, at least that is guaranteed. The one thing you can do is enjoy the process. Even when the authority doesn’t listen, when the authority treats you unfairly, when the authority gets away with wickedness, when the wicked prosper and the righteous hurt, you can be joyful!

And absolutely no one can steal that kind of joy; no boss, no spouse, no president or government, no wicked person. If you fear God and look to eternity and enjoy the process, this will go with (you) in (your) toil through the days of (your) life that God has given (you) under the sun.

The answer is still not getting out of the process. The path to joy is not avoiding the difficult people or the hard work or the hurtful authority. But you can be thankful for the days He’s given you and the food and drink He provides. Senior Chris McAuliffe put it this way,

Don’t let the actions of others dictate the happiness of your heart.

That’s Solomonic. If you fear God, look beyond the sun to eternity, and trust Him, no injustice can steal your joy. Now don’t forget what we learned earlier about this joy, it is God given. But God gives it to those who fear Him. Can you imagine the power of that kind of joy?

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Read or listen to Part 2 of this message.