Part 3 of 3
In our previous two articles on Ecclesiastes 9:11-10:7 under the theme, “Wisdom for living in a fallen world,” we considered the first two observations that the preacher makes from an under-the-sun point of view, namely, life is uncertain or unpredictable and wisdom has its limitations. In this article, we will look at his third observation – life is not as it should be.
Life is not as it should be (10:5-7)
Verses 5-7, “There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.”
The world is sometimes topsy turvy or upside down. Verse 5 tells us that the cause of this evil is due to an error on the part of the ruler. This error could be through negligence or forgetfulness or by accident but it has serious consequences because it is committed by someone in authority.
The next two verses describe the effects of the ruler’s error. Verse 6 speaks of a fool being placed in a position of great dignity, authority and responsibility. This is a clear case of the wrong person in the wrong position. A fool is one who should be given no honour or responsibility or authority. The one who sets a fool in such a place is only setting himself up for trouble and disaster. The reality, though, is that sometimes fools are placed in positions of great importance and dignity, and it is a terrible thing when that happens.
The preacher goes on to say in verse 6, “and the rich sit in low places.” In contrast to the fool who is elevated to a high station, the rich are placed in a subordinate position. It is interesting that the preacher contrasts the fool with the rich and not with the wise. Most probably, the assumption is that the rich person became rich because of his wisdom and skill, and thus he has proven himself to be capable for the office.
Sadly, this person with a proven track record and with all the necessary skills and abilities for a high office is set aside whereas a fool is given that place. What an awful thing it is when folly is elevated to a position that only wisdom should occupy!
Then in verse 7, the preacher continues this thought by presenting a vivid picture of social upheaval. He observes servants riding upon horses whereas princes are walking on foot like servants. In ancient times, the most important and honoured individuals usually ride on horses while their servants walk alongside them. Nevertheless, there are times when the slave rides on the horse while the nobleman or prince walks on foot like a slave. This is chaos and upheaval in society, and ought not to be.
And so in this third section of our text, the preacher observes the world in an upside-down state, and not as it should be.
Conclusion
As we draw these series of articles on Ecclesiastes 9:11-10:7 to a close, I’ll like to draw our attention to one lesson, namely, the knowledge of these things should not drive us to despair and frustration or even a life of pleasure seeking and enjoyment, but rather, it should drive us to Christ, who is the wisdom of God.
You see, both the believer and the unbeliever can agree on many if not all the observations which the preacher makes in our text. Everyone who is thoughtful and observant can see that life is uncertain and that things are often topsy turvy and not as they should be. But the big difference is how one responds to them.
Some unbelievers turn to the philosophy of eating, drinking and making merry for tomorrow we die and death is the end of everything. Enjoy your life now while you are able to. Grab for all the gusto you can. Life is unpredictable so enjoy it while it lasts.
Other unbelievers respond to these observations in fear, anxiety, frustration, despair and hopelessness. They are all subject to the ravages of chance and fortune and no one has control over the vicissitudes of time. And there are so many things that are out of place in this world and no one has to power to change them or straighten them out. Wise men, who have done great things, are forgotten. Tiny little things can destroy much good. Fools and unworthy persons are put in places of authority and so on. What is the point of living another day in such a world? Would it not be better if everything ended now?
But the person, who knows and believes God’s word, responds differently. In the face of life’s uncertainty and unpredictability, he commits himself to the care and keeping of His loving heavenly Father, who controls and orders all things. He is conscious that all his plans are in the hands of the Lord and if the Lord will, he shall live and do this or that (See James 4:15).
Furthermore, he constantly reminds himself that he is living in a fallen world or as one writer puts it, “a broken down house.” Many things are out of place. The righteous are often not rewarded or acknowledged while the wicked prosper and are honoured. Much time and effort and wisdom can be poured into building up something and in a moment of folly, everything comes crashing down. The believer has a realistic outlook and approach to life. He is not overly pessimistic but neither is he overly optimistic and unrealistic.
But more importantly, the believer doesn’t give in to despair. He remembers that His Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is in the midst and in the process of restoring and repairing this broken down house. The Christian rejoices in the hope that someday, all will be restored. He lives in anticipation of that glorious day when Christ will come again and set everything right forever.
The author Paul Tripp wrote, “We must recall again and again that this broken home is not our permanent address. By an extraordinary act of God’s grace, all his blood-bought children are guaranteed to be part of a much better neighborhood. Someday we will all live in the New Jerusalem on a street called Shalom, where brokenness will be no more.”
Is that your hope? If you’re an unbeliever and a stranger to Jesus Christ, then this hope does not belong to you. You must understand that the broken-down world you’re living in will not get better for you. Things will only get worse once you leave it, and you will have no possibility of escaping its brokenness. Life is unpredictable. You do not have a moment to lose. You need to seek the Lord Jesus right now and plead with Him to be gracious to you, and to grant you the gift of true faith that you may believe and be saved.
But if you’re a believer, then this hope of a fully restored world is yours. Yes, in the meantime, you will experience a world that is still being repaired and a house that is still under renovation. You will experience things like illness, pain, harsh words, misunderstandings, disappointments, disobedient children, unreasonable superiors, injustices, ingratitude, unpleasant surprises etc.
But do not lose hope. In the midst of all this, turn to the Lord Jesus for grace and strength to live well in this world. Serve Him faithfully and productively for His glory. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love. He will see to it that all things are working and will work together for our final good. Praise God for that. And may the Lord grant us all the wisdom that we need for living and working in a fallen world. Amen.
~Linus Chua