Click or tap book name
Use <control> drag to
scroll
Bible Notes - Tabernacle Commentaries
About
Links
Home
"
Navigator
Ecclesiastes 8:12
Comments
Faith is not disturbed by this apparent inconsistency in the workings of justice. The headstrong rebel draws one conclusion, but the man of God draws another. No matter how long the delay before justice is executed, those who fear God are not persuaded to depart from the paths of life. Admittedly some seem to profit from sin for a time, and for it appears that their judgment has been suspended. They do evil again and again and still God does not act against them. They seem to make a mockery of his commandments and set an example in encouraging others to break them with impunity. Long life is promised to those who honour father and mother and yet these seem to ignore this holy commandment and still extend their lives beyond the norm. ‘Where is God’s justice?’, the righteous are tempted to ask, ‘and why do evil men get away with their transgressions?’The wicked fail to take account of the patience of God. Why should he hurry to impose a punishment which when it comes will last for all eternity? Why should God be in a hurry to judge when it suits his purpose to give license to sin for a time so that the sinfulness of sin should be made plain for men and angels to see. God has created a snare into which the wicked walk with open eyes, but they will not escape. But faith believes God when he threatens vengeance on the wicked, and it sees a Day of Judgment that is not yet visible. Without claiming to know why every event takes place, faith knows that God has his reasons for delay and is content to wait for that vindication which will come from him in the day that the righteous are declared just and rewarded for their patience in holding on to the paths of truth. God’s delay gives an opportunity for faith to operate and teaches Christians to distinguish between true and false signs of God’s favour. When the eternal sentence is passed, the wicked will not complain of the injustice of God’s former delays, and the righteous will not regret that they restrained themselves from evil. If this is the outcome, then we should live by faith and not by sight.
Application
God’s government of this world is in many ways mysterious. There is so much hidden from us, so much we are ignorant of, but we know that God is holy, just, and good, and he will judge the world in righteousness. We cannot read his justice by what takes place in a world under the curse. If we see things that seem inconsistent with justice in this world, we remind ourselves that nothing will be missing at the judgment seat of Christ and every matter will be brought to light. Then the wicked will realise how much they misjudged the Lord, and that his delay has not diminished his justice or his anger at sin in the slightest degree.
Questions
Outline
Purpose
Introduction