Ecclesiastes 8: Knowledge and the King

“Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?”

Ecclesiastes 8:4

This is one of my favorite chapters in Ecclesiastes. The sermon presentation, however, is NOT. It has been edited as thoroughly as possible to make for good listening, but the delivery is one of my worst. Godspeed as you give it a listen.

Sermon notes:

This chapter is directed against the primary issue of man: pride. It is called the “pride of life.” (1John 2:16) Pride is retroactive to the very primal sin of mankind. Adam just had to know more… and it killed him.

In this chapter, God is the king. He has sole power over life and death. “I kill, and I make alive.” (Deuteronomy 32:39) The most vital thing for us to know then, is Him.

There are four totalitarian truths in three categories about the throne of God as it overshadows the pride of man– and they show how we should submit to it.

I. One Inescapable Truth

A. The Authority in the King’s Word, verses 1-5

“Who may say unto him, What doest thou?”

Ecc. 8:4b

• Solomon’s first case as the judge of Israel- dividing by the sword (1 Kings 3:16-28)

1. Keeping His words will make you feel no evil (Ecc. 8:5)
2. Honoring His presence will cause you to fear no evil (Ecc. 8:3, Ps. 23:4)
3. Profaning either will cut you both ways (“twoedged” Heb. 4:12)

II. Two Individual Truths

B. My Abjection to the King’s Sentences, verses 6-11

“Because to every purpose there is time and judgment…”

Ecc. 8:6a

1. His Sentences on Time
   • Limitation on Misery and Mirth
   • Longevity of Misery or Mirth
2. His Sentences on Judgment
   • An Example: War, v. 8
   • An Exception: Wickedness, v.9,11
   • An Execution: Wasted Life, v. 10

C. My Attitude to the King’s Choices, verses 12-15

“Yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God.”

Ecc. 8:12

1. Observation– to agree is right, but to trust is restful, v. 15
2. Optional– a man does not have live according to his caste, v. 14
   • “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither…” (John 9:2-3a)

III. An Invitational Truth

D. Man’s Application for the King’s Good Graces, verses 16-17

“When I applied my heart to know wisdom… “

Ecc. 8:16

• We may know many things, but the cost of knowing will kill us.
• By faith we must know Him

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
That I may know him…”

Philippians 3:7-10a

Just the time I feel that I've been caught in the mire of self
Just the time I feel my mind's been bought by worldly wealth
That's when the breeze begins to blow, I know the Spirit's call
And all my worldly wanderings just melt into His love

Oh, I want to know You more
Deep within my soul, I want to know You
Oh, I want to know You
To feel Your heart and know Your mind
Looking in Your eyes stirs up within me
Cries that say, "I want to know You"
Oh, I want to know You more

When my daily deeds ordinarily lose life and song
My heart begins to bleed, sensitivity to Him is gone
I've run the race but set my own pace and face a shattered soul
Now, the gentle arms of Jesus warm my hunger to be whole

Oh, I want to know You more
Deep within my soul, I want to know You
Oh, I want to know You
To feel Your heart and know Your mind
Looking in Your eyes stirs up within me
Cries that say, "I want to know You"
Oh, I want to know You more

-Steven Lee Fry

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