The Westminster Confession of Faith states that “The distance between God and the creation is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of Him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part…” (WCF 7.1). Here in chapter 8 of Ecclesiastes, the Preacher might agree: he seems frustrated that “man cannot find out” all the workings of God (Ecclesiastes 8:17). Several of the hymns in the first half of the service address this feeling. We confess to the Lord that though “the darkness hide thee” and that man cannot fully understand His glory, He is perfect in power, love, and purity (Holy, Holy, Holy). We encourage one another to be “patient and await His leisure” (If Thou But Suffer God To Guide Thee), to “wait on His time,” and to “leave to His sovereign sway” (O Put Your Trust In God) even in the darkest night of confusion. The service closes with two hymns, How Great Thou Art and O The Deep, Deep Love Of Jesus, which celebrate God’s incomprehensible greatness. Though we stand in “awesome wonder” at His works and His providence, we have been reconciled to Him through Christ. The love of Jesus is truly a “mighty ocean,” “vast, unmeasured, boundless, free.” —Henry C. Haffner
Key Words: Wisdom, Keep, Seek, Vanity, Righteous, Wicked
Keystone Verse: I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out. (Ecclesiastes 8:17)
Ecclesiastes 8:1-17
Who is like the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.
2 I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him. 3 Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. 6 For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. 7 For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? 8 No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. 9 All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.
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.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. 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. 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. 15 And I commend joy, for man has nothing better 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. 16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.