There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile. There is a futility that is done on the earth:The concept of futility, or vanity, is a recurring theme in Ecclesiastes, reflecting the Hebrew word "hevel," which suggests a sense of meaninglessness or transience. This phrase sets the stage for the observation of life's apparent injustices. The Preacher, traditionally understood to be Solomon, speaks from a perspective of wisdom and experience, observing the world under the sun, a phrase indicating a focus on earthly life apart from divine revelation. This futility is a result of the fallen state of the world post-Genesis 3, where sin introduced disorder and frustration into creation. There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve:
This observation highlights the perplexing reality of moral inversion in a fallen world. The righteous, those who live according to God's commandments, sometimes suffer consequences typically associated with wickedness. This echoes the experiences of Job, who suffered despite his righteousness, and foreshadows the ultimate righteous sufferer, Jesus Christ, who bore the sins of the world despite His sinlessness. This inversion challenges the retributive justice system seen in Deuteronomy 28, where blessings and curses are tied to obedience and disobedience. and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve:
Conversely, the wicked, those who live in opposition to God's laws, often prosper and enjoy the blessings that seem due to the righteous. This is a common lament in the Psalms, such as Psalm 73, where the psalmist struggles with the prosperity of the wicked. This reality underscores the tension between the present age and the eschatological hope of divine justice, where God will ultimately set things right, as seen in Revelation 21:4, where God promises to wipe away every tear and eliminate death and suffering. I say that this too is futile:
The Preacher concludes with a reiteration of the futility of these observations, emphasizing the limitations of human understanding and the inability to find ultimate meaning in earthly experiences alone. This statement invites readers to look beyond the temporal and seek wisdom and understanding from God, who alone can provide true justice and meaning. It points to the need for faith in God's sovereign plan, as articulated in Romans 8:28, where all things work together for good for those who love God. This futility also serves as a call to trust in God's ultimate justice and the hope of redemption through Christ, who will one day restore all things. Persons / Places / Events 1. SolomonTraditionally considered the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon was the king of Israel known for his wisdom, wealth, and writings. He reflects on the paradoxes and injustices of life. 2. Righteous MenIndividuals who live according to God's laws and principles, yet experience outcomes that seem unjust or contrary to their actions. 3. Wicked MenThose who live in opposition to God's commands, yet sometimes receive rewards or outcomes that seem undeservedly favorable. 4. EarthThe setting for the observed injustices and paradoxes, representing the human experience and the temporal world. 5. Futility (Hebrew: ?????, hevel)A key theme in Ecclesiastes, often translated as "vanity" or "meaninglessness," indicating the transient and perplexing nature of life. Teaching Points The Reality of InjusticeLife on earth is marked by apparent injustices where the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper. This should not surprise us but rather remind us of the fallen state of the world. The Limitations of Human UnderstandingOur perspective is limited, and we may not always understand God's purposes. Trusting in God's sovereignty is essential, even when life seems unfair. The Call to FaithfulnessDespite the apparent futility, believers are called to remain faithful and righteous, trusting that God will ultimately bring justice. Eternal PerspectiveFocusing on eternal rewards rather than temporary earthly outcomes helps believers navigate the paradoxes of life with hope and perseverance. Encouragement in CommunitySharing experiences and supporting one another in a faith community can provide encouragement and perspective when facing life's injustices. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the concept of "futility" in Ecclesiastes 8:14 challenge or affirm your understanding of justice in the world? 2. In what ways can the experiences of the righteous and the wicked in this verse be seen in today's society? 3. How do the additional scriptures (Psalm 73, Job 21, Romans 8:28, Matthew 5:45) provide a broader biblical context for understanding the themes in Ecclesiastes 8:14? 4. What practical steps can you take to maintain faithfulness and trust in God when faced with apparent injustices in your life? 5. How can you encourage others in your community who are struggling with the seeming futility and injustice of life? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 73This psalm explores the prosperity of the wicked and the struggles of the righteous, echoing the themes of injustice and the seeming futility of life. Job 21Job questions why the wicked often live prosperous lives while the righteous suffer, paralleling the observations in Ecclesiastes. Romans 8:28Offers a New Testament perspective that God works all things for the good of those who love Him, providing hope amidst life's injustices. Matthew 5:45Jesus teaches that God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, highlighting the impartiality of earthly blessings. People SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Deeds, Deserve, Evil, Futility, Happeneth, Happens, Meaningless, Occurs, Ones, Punishment, Purpose, Reward, Righteous, Takes, Vanity, WickedDictionary of Bible Themes Ecclesiastes 8:14 5360 justice, God
5864 futility Ecclesiastes 8:12-14 7150 righteous, the 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 8:14 NIVEcclesiastes 8:14 NLTEcclesiastes 8:14 ESVEcclesiastes 8:14 NASBEcclesiastes 8:14 KJV
Ecclesiastes 8:14 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
