 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. Those Who Fear God Will Do Well 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. Man Cannot Know God's Ways 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. Meditation Now is the time to point to the just way. I love Queen Esther because she was not silent in the time God gave her to stand for truth. Esther was faithful in discerning God’s providence to discern when to speak with king Artaxerxes. Mordecai’s challenge to Esther echoes for God’s people throughout the centuries, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise up for the Jews from another place…who knows whether you have come into the kingdom for such a time as this!” (Esther 4:14) Esther embodies the plea of Ecclesiastes 8. Wisdom made Esther’s face shine (gave her favor) and gave discernment (1). She honored the authority of her land (2-5) and waited for the right time to share her burden (6), pointing to a just way. Justice is the work of God under the sun, invisible to those who do not know God (16-17). When we fear God we will experience blessing (10-13, especially verse 12) and when we reject God we have no real purpose under the sun (14-15). To live with an above the sun perspective is to point to the way of justice today. There is a proper time to point to the just way. Jesus indicates people obsessed with self-righteousness will ignore justice and miss the just way (Matthew 23:2-3). Esther waited for God’s time to point to the just way of life for her people. Will Christians today see the moment God has for us and point to the way of justice with our lips and our lives? Richly Dwelling -What is the path, or way, of justice from where you are sitting? -Are you afraid to stand in the moment of truth God has for you? Esther had Mordecai to empower her. Who is in your corner to give you strength to speak and stand for justice? -Christ laid his life down to stand for justice, offering mercy to those who are afraid to stand and point to the just way. God’s grace cleanses us and frees us to begin again! Ask the Lord to give you a discerning heart, to know the proper time and the just way, and to have strength to stand and speak in your moment of truth. Key Verse 5 … 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. Please check out this week's links on the Home Page. Comments are closed.
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