Ecclesiastes 8:10-13 says,....Bible reading week 9, day 1

Today's verses are Ecclesiastes 8:10-13, which read,

v.10 - So then, 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.  This too is futility.

Solomon is just stating the fact that we all die.  The bad or the wicked die and also the good or those who serve in the temple die.  It doesn't escape any whether you are on the pendulum swung to the foolish end or swung all the way over to the wise end.  I have a very high regard for the late Billy Graham and the late R.C. Sproul but they too died even though they did much in the name of Jesus Christ.

We not only die but we are also forgotten.  Probably never forgotten in the sense of some record of our lives, especially those who are famous and maybe in the history books of the world but forgotten as someone giving immediate response to a current situation.  We move on to others who are living that fill their roles in our lives.

Solomon goes on to say...

v.11 - Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.

Sometimes an evil person gets away with their evil without punishment on this earth before they die.  They got away with it and justice was not administered in their case during their lifetime.  They went to the grave without paying the price and others notice this.  Some are disgusted by it but others see that it is possible and pick up motivation to do the same.  They see there is a possibility to do evil and not get caught so they take that road.  They dodged the bullet because they think this life is it and the justice of this world ends with the grave.

Solomon goes on to say...

v.12 - Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

The evil man's actions seem to be an advantage.  Maybe it even lengthens their physical life to do what is wrong and therefore seem to be the right thing to do.  Solomon knows differently.  He knows that fearing God and fearing Him openly is more important than the length of our physical lives.  It would be better to fear God and live short than to mock God and live a long time.  

Evil does present itself as a benefit to us.  It presents itself in a way to make it easy to rationalize the behavior to even seem holy or good for us and others.  It makes us look at fearing God as something we can do later or that it is just another way or many ways to find fulfillment.  Solomon brings us back to the book of Proverbs and its overarching theme to fear God above all else and the wisest thing you could do.

Solomon ends this paragraph or thought with...

v.13 - But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

Solomon sees through this thought and is teaching us to disregard the value system of this world.  It will not be well for this one who does evil and though he dies and maybe dies never paying the punishment for the sin here on this earth or maybe even his life was lengthen on this earth because of the evil that person is a shadow to God.  A shadow is here when the sun shines but it disappears when the sun is gone.

When the Son, s - o - n is here are lives our can have a reflection of of Him.  When the Son, s - o - n is absent because we are not in His presence, we are not fearing Him then the shadow is gone, our lives are gone from His presence.  The shadow is not lengthen because the death of him means he is absent from God.  His eternal life is in hell and not in heaven where the Son, s - o - n is the light that illumines us forever.  The reason the evil man is in the state he is in is because he doesn't fear God.  

You have to deal with this issue of God.  Everyone does.  You have to deal with this issue before you die and better sooner than later.  The sooner you do the more you can express back to Him how much you love the One who has loved you so much already.  You have the opportunity to live for Him even if it means a shorter life here physically but an eternal life with Him spiritually.  The evil man is satisfied with here but the wise man knows the God who has control of it all.  Don't be taken in by evil advantages that seem to be hidden by the grave or the length of a physical life.  Fear God with your very life so that your shadow may be long on the other side of the grave.  Let us pray.

"Lord, the sin of this world is so inviting and puts up so called benefits but help us to see Your truth through it all.  Help us to see our lives in light of eternity rather than just the years we have on this earth.  May today matter to us in light of You and therefore we live it in the fear of the Lord to glorify You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam