Daily Devotions
Ecclesiastes
COMPLEX ISSUES
The ruling of a nation is a complex thing, even if it is a monarchy. All nations were ruled by kings in the ancient days. They were known as “despots”. They had absolute power.
“Do not be hasty to go from his presence.
Do not take your stand for an evil thing,
for he does whatever pleases him.”
Ecclesiastes 8:3
1. “Do not be hasty to go from his presence”
a) This sentence has to be understood very carefully.
b) There are a number of things to take note of:
i) The king may have issued a royal decree.
ii) There may have been dissenters.
iii) These could be a number of groups led by those who are vying for the throne.
iv) The individual may be courted by different groups.
c) A word of wisdom is given here.
i) Never be hasty in deciding which faction to follow.
ii) To go from the presence of the king may be a huge mistake.
2. “Do not take your stand for an evil thing”
a) If a faction has evil intention, wisdom warns against joining your hands with evil.
b) To take a stand for an evil thing in itself.
i) It is foolish.
ii) It is wrong.
iii) No good will come out of it.
3. “For he does whatever pleases him”
a) The king has the authority and power to do what he pleases.
b) A despot in those days, answers to no one.
c) He can strike against all his enemies.
d) One can lose so much when siding with an evil faction.
SOLOMON’S EXPERIENCE
1. Absalom was a son who rose up against King David, his father.
a) He drew many supporters.
b) He wanted to ascend the throne.
c) He was defeated and killed (2 Samuel 18).
2. Adonijah was another half-brother of Solomon
a) He also wanted to ascend the throne.
b) He had many supporters.
c) Solomon was appointed king instead of Adonijah.
d) He was slain on the orders of Solomon (1 Kings 2).
3. Bitter lessons of life
a) They helped shape Solomon’s understanding of what it means to be a king.
b) He learned that he would need much wisdom to rule well.