Ecclesiastes 8 “Faith Seeking Understanding”

Ecclesiastes 8 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:      

• MercyMe – Even If
• Another In The Fire – Hillsong UNITED & TAYA
• I Surrender All – Reawaken Hymns

Resources for Family Worship (with Children)

• The Story of Christmas (Jesus is Born) by Saddleback Kids – Lesson for Younger Kids
• The Birth of Jesus: Luke 1-2 by BibleProject – Lesson for Older Kids
• Stand Strong | Kingdom Rock VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• In You Alone | Rocky Railway VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• He Is the Light | Stellar VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth are located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

Wisdom is knowing how things work. When one has wisdom, one gains peace (v. 1). That is the extent of what wisdom can do. Even with wisdom, one cannot change the world.

The Teacher explains how a wise person should relate to a king. In Israel, a theocratic nation, a coronation was an act of worship before God. In that worship, the king vowed to govern the people according to God’s will, and the people vowed to obey the king (v. 2). The Teacher urges the people to keep their oath of obedience to the king. When a king issues unjust commands, one must remember that he holds absolute power and should not act rashly (vv. 3–5).

Enduring a king’s tyranny is a painful experience because it feels as though such oppression will last forever. However, “there is a proper time and procedure for every matter” (v. 6). No one knows what will happen in the future (v. 7). Therefore, one should not act hastily in an attempt to resolve problems immediately but should wait for the right time. Everything has an end (v. 8).

The Teacher then confesses that he cannot understand what happens to the wicked and the righteous. Those who commit evil without hesitation prosper and are even praised by others after their death (vv. 9–11). We were taught that living wickedly brings punishment from God and living faithfully brings blessing (vv. 12–13). Still, in reality, it often seems that the righteous receive the punishment the wicked deserve, and the wicked receive the reward the righteous deserve (v. 14).

In such an absurd world, the only alternative is to enjoy life during the time given (v. 15). This does not mean falling into self-indulgence but instead being content and enjoying the present. The Teacher observed this unjust reality and tried to find a way to change it, but he failed (v. 16). God’s purposes in the affairs of the world and of human life cannot be comprehended by human beings (v. 17). If someone claims to know it all, that person truly knows nothing.

Meditation:

Faith is not something we have after understanding everything. Faith is not a matter of the head but of the heart. It is coming to know the invisible God with the heart, acknowledging His existence, and entrusting one’s life to Him. That is why the Apostle Paul said, “For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). “Living by sight” refers to living by reason. Faith is recognizing that there is a transcendent being beyond what human reason can fully comprehend and choosing to live in obedience to Him. We see God’s existence revealed within the created world (general revelation), and we have come to know Him through the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (special revelation).

Faith that begins in the heart draws the mind along. Through the eyes of faith, we seek to see the world, to understand it, to explain it, and to make sense of it. Without such effort, faith degenerates into blind belief. Anselm of Canterbury captured the essence of faith with the phrase, “Faith seeking understanding.” Those who believe in God, who created the whole world and continues to sustain and govern it through His providence, naturally seek to view and understand the world through that worldview. Yet we must not think that we can understand or explain everything. As David confessed in Psalm 139, with our small minds we cannot fully grasp what God is doing. In fact, what we truly understand is very little.

Faith is a mystery. Mystery refers to something that can be seen in part but not in its entirety, something that seems knowable, yet cannot be fully known. And so, we strive to know more. But the more we come to know, the stronger the sense of not knowing becomes. Strangely enough, as that sense of not knowing grows, we find ourselves more deeply captivated by the object of our faith.

Prayer:

Like the Teacher, there are times when we look at the absurdities of reality and find ourselves questioning You, Lord. We desire to live honestly and righteously, yet we fear that doing so may cause us to fall behind in this world. In those moments, help us to fix our eyes on You. Remind us that You govern all things and will set them right and steady our wavering hearts. Help us to entrust tomorrow’s worries to tomorrow, and to enjoy the measure of grace You give us for today. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Faith does not mean we understand everything. Faith means trusting God with our hearts, even when life feels confusing—and continuing to seek understanding with humility.

• For Preschool-Elementary:
  • When something feels confusing or unfair, who can you talk to—God, a parent, or a teacher?
    Can you think of a time when you trusted someone even though you didn’t understand everything?
  • What is one way you can trust God today—at school, at home, or with friends?
    
• Youth:
  • Have you ever felt that doing the right thing made life harder instead of easier? How did that feel?
  • Why do you think faith is more about trusting God than having all the answers?
  • What helps you keep trusting God when things don’t make sense—prayer, music, Scripture, or silence?