It will go better with those who fear God
Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 - God’s justice is the ultimate governance in the universe, even in those situations where it may seem to be delayed or nonexistent.
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“When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him. Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.”
Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 NIV
Ecclesiastes is part of the Biblical wisdom literature, along with the Psalms, Proverbs, and the Book of Job. Biblical wisdom literature is usually characterized one of two ways. It’s either filled with practical advice for living a righteous life (Proverbs, for example) or philosophical reflection (Ecclesiastes and Job) that attempts to explain those easy questions like the meaning of life and why there is suffering in this world.
But Ecclesiastes has a different tone than most of the other wisdom literature. It’s skeptical (i.e., “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!” - Ecclesiastes 12:8), is written in a biographical style by “Kohelet” the Teacher, and tries to explore the meaning of life. The last detail is a way for the Teacher to try to get readers to think about things like the futility of most human efforts in the face of an inevitable death. An upbeat and happy guy, that Teacher!
The book was written about 300 BC, yet it still mirrors life in the world two thousand years later. Take the first verse as an example: “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong.” When someone is arrested for a crime and the wheels of justice turn slowly, there’s more of a chance that the accused will be set free… after spending time with other, perhaps more hardened criminals and learning “schemes to do wrong”. Carry out a sentence quickly and justly, and the populace knows that justice is swift and certain.
The Teacher notices that “a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time”, showing that career criminals are not a 21st-century phenomenon. But do those who live a life of crime necessarily have a better life? Most likely, no. They’ll always have to take part in “one more crime” to stay ahead in whatever lifestyle they have, they’ll always be looking over their shoulders for law enforcement or angry mobs to show up, and the company they keep is more apt to kill them than keep them as friends.
Kohelet (קֹהֶלֶת in ancient Hebrew) points out that the opposite is true, that “it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.” Does he know this for sure? Knowing the skepticism of Ecclesiastes as a whole, one might think he isn’t saying this with a great deal of certainty. Yet throughout the bulk of the wisdom literature, we’re presented with the theme that fearing God (respecting and acknowledging His sovereignty and justice) is associated with both blessing and increased wisdom. Kohelet isn’t being a skeptic here; he knows for sure that the lives of those who respect and worship God, and recognize His holiness and authority, will have better lives.
Looking ahead to the new covenant with God, we can see this reverence of God as being a type of Christ. If you’ve been paying attention to Barb’s ongoing deep dive into Hebrews, you’ll remember that typology is the study of how people, institutions, and events in the Old Testament foreshadow the realities fulfilled in the life and work of Jesus Christ. In the context of this verse, fear of God is a type of Christ, who was a perfect example of living in God’s presence and who taught His followers to do the same.
Kohelet ends this triplet of verses with a warning, “Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.” The wisdom literature drives home the point that true wisdom begins with the fear (reverence) of the Lord, and that a lack of that reverence creates lives emptied of both divine guidance and blessings. The short version? Disobeying and rebelling against God leads to negative outcomes.
The Teacher acknowledges in verse 12 that it sometimes appears that the wicked prosper, but the final verse is his realization that in the long — eternal — term, their end is not going to be pretty… God’s justice is the ultimate governance in the universe, even in those situations where it may seem to be delayed or nonexistent.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, when I pray I come before You seeking understanding. Your Word is a reminder that when justice is delayed, it can lead to wrongdoing. Teach me to trust in Your timing and the understanding that true justice is in Your hands alone. As I study the wisdom literature, grant me the wisdom to recognize the importance of fearing You. May my words teach others that righteous living will result in a peaceful and happy life, while the wicked will never prosper. Give me the strength to resist the temptations that appear when I see injustice, keep me steadfast in my faith, and comfort me with the knowledge that You will bring about justice in Your perfect timing. AMEN.
Thoughtfull analysis of delayed justice in Ecclesiastes. The parallel between ancient career criminals and modern recidivism is striking, though I've always found the Teacher's skepticism creates productive tension with his faith claims. When he says he "knows" it will go better for God-fearers, that certanty feels earned throgh observation rather than doctrine. The typological reading connecting Old Testament reverence to Christ adds depth most modern readers miss.