Daily Devotions
Ecclesiastes
"For every matter there is a time and judgment"
Text: Ecclesiastes 8:6
PERSPECTIVE IS IMPORTANT
The commandments of the king would never please everybody in the nation. There would be some who will loyally support. But there will be some who may strongly oppose. There will also be those who are not bothered one way or the other.
“Because for every matter there is a time and judgment,
Though the misery of man increases greatly.
For he does not know what will happen;
So who can tell him when it will occur?”
Ecclesiastes 8:6-7
1. “Because for every matter there is a time and judgment”
a) “Time and judgment”
i) These two elements were mentioned in the previous verse (Ecclesiastes 8:5).
ii) Their impact is discussed here.
b) They are applied to “every matter”.
i) Every commandment would have these two elements in play.
ii) Each commandment is to be considered in this perspective.
2. “Though the misery of man increases greatly”
a) “The misery of man”
i) This may be a general reference to the lot of man.
ii) It may also be a description of the person upon whom the judgment falls.
iii) Misery is such a real part of life.
b) Increase of misery
i) Misery can lessen.
ii) It can also increase greatly.
iii) The thought of “time and judgment” can actually increase misery.
iv) Man realises that he may not be able to control his own fate.
3. “For he does not know what will happen”
a) This is a reference to “the future”.
i) One may be able to guess what happens in the “immediate future”.
ii) But no one knows the “ultimate future”.
b) Man is not given the ability to know the future.
i) This may increase man’s sense of misery.
ii) He is definitely not in control of the future.
4. “So who can tell him when it will occur?”
a) No seer or sage can predict the future.
b) Only God sees the future.
c) Only He has the power to affect the future.
d) Man finds his misery increase because he realises:
i) He is quite powerless when it comes to future events.
ii) Time and judgment will be the two elements that will reflect the future.