Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they had done so. This too is futile. Then too, I saw the burial of the wickedThis phrase highlights the observation of the burial practices for the wicked. In ancient Israel, burial was a significant event, often reflecting one's status and reputation. The wicked receiving a proper burial suggests a societal failure to recognize or address their moral corruption. This can be contrasted with the fate of the righteous, who sometimes suffer unjustly ( Ecclesiastes 7:15). The burial of the wicked may also imply a temporary triumph of evil, as seen in Psalm 73:3-12, where the prosperity of the wicked is lamented. who used to go in and out of the holy place
The "holy place" likely refers to the temple in Jerusalem, a central location for worship and religious activities. The wicked going in and out of the temple suggests hypocrisy and a superficial adherence to religious practices. This behavior is reminiscent of the Pharisees in the New Testament, whom Jesus criticized for their outward piety but inward corruption (Matthew 23:27-28). The presence of the wicked in the holy place underscores the tension between true worship and mere ritual. and they were praised in the city where they had done so
The wicked being praised in the city indicates a societal blindness or complicity in their actions. This reflects a cultural context where reputation and public perception can be manipulated, often ignoring true character. The city, likely Jerusalem, serves as a microcosm of broader societal values. This situation parallels the lament in Isaiah 5:20, where good is called evil and evil good. It also foreshadows the ultimate judgment where true justice will be revealed (Revelation 20:12). This too is futile
The declaration of futility emphasizes the theme of vanity and meaninglessness that permeates Ecclesiastes. Despite the apparent success and honor of the wicked, their end is ultimately empty and unsatisfying. This echoes the broader message of Ecclesiastes that earthly achievements and accolades are transient and cannot provide lasting fulfillment. The futility here serves as a reminder of the need for divine justice and the hope of eternal truth, as seen in the ultimate fulfillment through Jesus Christ, who embodies true wisdom and righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). Persons / Places / Events 1. The WickedIndividuals who live in opposition to God's commandments, often engaging in sinful behavior. 2. The Holy PlaceLikely refers to the temple or a place of worship where religious activities are conducted. 3. The CityRepresents the community or society that observes and often praises the wicked despite their actions. 4. BurialThe event of the wicked being buried, symbolizing the end of their earthly life. 5. The Preacher (Qoheleth)Traditionally understood to be Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, who reflects on the futility of life. Teaching Points The Illusion of Earthly PraiseEarthly praise is fleeting and often misplaced. The wicked may receive accolades in life, but this does not equate to divine approval. The Futility of WickednessThe temporary success and recognition of the wicked are ultimately futile. True fulfillment and purpose are found in living a life aligned with God's will. The Importance of Godly LegacyConsider the legacy you are leaving. Unlike the wicked, strive to leave a legacy of faithfulness and righteousness that honors God. The Reality of Divine JusticeWhile the wicked may seem to prosper, God's justice prevails. Trust in His timing and righteousness, knowing that He will ultimately set things right. Reflecting on Our Own LivesExamine your own life and motivations. Are you seeking the approval of people or God? Align your actions with eternal values rather than temporary recognition. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the burial of the wicked in Ecclesiastes 8:10 reflect the ultimate futility of their lives? 2. In what ways can the praise of the wicked in society be a warning to us as believers? 3. How do the themes in Ecclesiastes 8:10 compare to the message in Psalm 73 regarding the prosperity of the wicked? 4. What steps can we take to ensure that our legacy is one of righteousness rather than futility? 5. How can we find comfort in God's justice when we see the wicked prospering in our world today? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 73This psalm also addresses the prosperity of the wicked and the struggle of the righteous in understanding God's justice. Proverbs 11:7Discusses the hope of the wicked perishing with their death, contrasting with the eternal hope of the righteous. Matthew 23:27-28Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their outward appearance of righteousness while being inwardly corrupt, similar to the wicked being praised in Ecclesiastes. Hebrews 9:27Emphasizes the inevitability of death and judgment, reminding believers of the ultimate accountability before God. People SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Acted, Buried, Entered, Evil, Forgotten, Futility, Grave, Holiness, Holy, Indeed, Meaningless, Praise, Praised, Purpose, Receive, Rest, Rightly, Thus, Town, Vanity, Whether, WickedDictionary of Bible Themes Ecclesiastes 8:10 5262 commendation
9023 death, unbelievers Library Misused Respite
'Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil'--ECCLES. viii. 11. When the Pharaoh of the Exodus saw there was respite, he hardened his heart. Abject in his fear before Moses, he was ready to promise anything; insolent in his pride, he swallows down his promises as soon as fear is eased, his repentance and his retractation of it combined to add new weights about his neck. He was but a conspicuous example of …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureFive Fears
Now, you will notice that fear may be yoked into the service of God. True fear, not fearing, but believing, saves the soul; not doubt, but confidence, is the strength and the deliverance of the Christian. Still, fear, as being one of those powers which God hath given us, is not in itself sinful. Fear may be used for the most sinful purposes; at the same time it may be so ennobled by grace, and so used for the service of God, that it may become the very grandest part of man. In fact, Scripture has …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857 The Wicked Man's Life, Funeral, and Epitaph
We shall this morning want you, first of all, to walk with a living man; it is said of him that he did "come and go from the place of the holy:" next, I shall want you to attend his funeral, and then, in conclusion I shall ask you to assist in writing his epitaph--"and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this also is vanity." I. In the first place, HERE IS SOME GOOD COMPANY FOR YOU; some with whom you may walk to the house of God, for it is said of them, that they did come and …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858 Whether Christ Should have Been Circumcised?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ should not have been circumcised. For on the advent of the reality, the figure ceases. But circumcision was prescribed to Abraham as a sign of the covenant concerning his posterity, as may be seen from Gn. 17. Now this covenant was fulfilled in Christ's birth. Therefore circumcision should have ceased at once. Objection 2: Further, "every action of Christ is a lesson to us" [*Innoc. III, Serm. xxii de Temp.]; wherefore it is written (Jn. 3:15): "I have given …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Whether in Loving God we Ought to Observe any Mode?
Objection 1: It would seem that we ought to observe some mode in loving God. For the notion of good consists in mode, species and order, as Augustine states (De Nat. Boni iii, iv). Now the love of God is the best thing in man, according to Col. 3:14: "Above all . . . things, have charity." Therefore there ought to be a mode of the love of God. Objection 2: Further, Augustine says (De Morib. Eccl. viii): "Prithee, tell me which is the mode of love. For I fear lest I burn with the desire and love of …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Literature.
i. editions of chrysostom's works. S. Joannis Chrysostomi, archiepiscopi Constantinopolitani, Opera omnia quæ exstant vel quæ ejus nomine circumferuntur, ad mss. codices Gallicos, Vaticanos, Anglicos, Germanicosque castigata, etc. Opera et studio D.Bernardi de Montfaucon, monachi ordinis S. Benedicti e congregatione S. Mauri, opem ferentibus aliis ex codem sodalitio, monachis. Greek and Latin, Paris, 1718-'38, in 13 vols., fol. This is the best edition, and the result of about twenty …
St. Chrysostom—On the Priesthood Concerning Jonathan, one of the Sicarii, that Stirred up a Sedition in Cyrene, and was a False Accuser [Of the Innocent].
1. And now did the madness of the Sicarii, like a disease, reach as far as the cities of Cyrene; for one Jonathan, a vile person, and by trade a weaver, came thither and prevailed with no small number of the poorer sort to give ear to him; he also led them into the desert, upon promising them that he would show them signs and apparitions. And as for the other Jews of Cyrene, he concealed his knavery from them, and put tricks upon them; but those of the greatest dignity among them informed Catullus, …
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem A Few Sighs from Hell;
or, The Groans of the Damned Soul: or, An Exposition of those Words in the Sixteenth of Luke, Concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar WHEREIN IS DISCOVERED THE LAMENTABLE STATE OF THE DAMNED; THEIR CRIES, THEIR DESIRES IN THEIR DISTRESSES, WITH THE DETERMINATION OF GOD UPON THEM. A GOOD WARNING WORD TO SINNERS, BOTH OLD AND YOUNG, TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BETIMES, AND TO SEEK, BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, TO AVOID, LEST THEY COME INTO THE SAME PLACE OF TORMENT. Also, a Brief Discourse touching the …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Ecclesiastes
It is not surprising that the book of Ecclesiastes had a struggle to maintain its place in the canon, and it was probably only its reputed Solomonic authorship and the last two verses of the book that permanently secured its position at the synod of Jamnia in 90 A.D. The Jewish scholars of the first century A.D. were struck by the manner in which it contradicted itself: e.g., "I praised the dead more than the living," iv. 2, "A living dog is better than a dead lion," ix. 4; but they were still more …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Ecclesiastes 8:10 NIVEcclesiastes 8:10 NLTEcclesiastes 8:10 ESVEcclesiastes 8:10 NASBEcclesiastes 8:10 KJV
Ecclesiastes 8:10 Commentaries
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