And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless! (Ecclesiastes 8:14)
In the latter half of Ecclesiastes 8, Solomon declares the mystery of unfair consequences. The wicked don’t receive the judgment they deserve, and the righteous are treated unfairly. Who hasn’t wrestled with it?
But there’s a third mystery which Solomon also mentions, although it seems to be out of place.
“So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry” (Ecclesiastes 8:15 NASB 1995). One could say, “Sounds hedonistic to me. Live it up! Go for all the gusto you can get!” But wait—don’t miss the rest of what he writes: “and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun” (8:15 NASB 1995).
In a world of unjust triumph and unfair consequences, I see someone who personifies the mystery of untimely pleasure. Well, why not? The alternative is becoming bitter, cynical, questioning, never at peace, neurotic in one’s pursuit of answers to why, why, why. Instead of attempting to solve all the mysteries of heaven and earth, which cannot be done, the writer suggests a simple plan: “Eat, drink, and happily trust God!” God gives us this alternative in order to endure life’s circumstances. Throughout the days of our lives God will give us the ability to accept and cope with reality even though we’re at a loss to explain it.
Solomon offers us good balance with these words: “Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly” (8:12 NASB). There is no way to find any genuine relief apart from the truth of those words. Even though sin goes on a hundred times over, even though a life may be lengthened in spite of a sinful lifestyle, and even “though He slay me, I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15 NASB). Though I am without answers, yet will I believe in Him.
Let’s be painfully realistic. Neither you nor I can grasp God’s plan. We don’t know when it will reach its goal. It’s like we are looking through a thick fog and can’t see the sun, so we don’t know how or when God’s going to deal with wrong, but we do know this—we know God will keep His word. So until then we eat, we drink, we find happiness and contentment in this simple lifestyle. Though there are unfair consequences happening all around us, we trust our God to see us through. He is working it out.
That explains how the Christian can have joy in the midst of wild and crazy, mysterious and strained circumstances.
