CHAPTER 8

We have passed in review some of the outstanding features of this book, and while many and weighty passages

remain unexamined, we feel the key-thought of the book has been discovered and applied. The quest before the

writer was to discover `what is that good' that should be the aim and portion in this life. `Let us hear the conclusion

of the whole matter'. Ecclesiastes does not leave it to his readers to draw their own conclusions; he sets it out before

`Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into

judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil' (12:13,14).

`FEAR GOD'. - It is fitting that this book which so emphasizes the excellence of wisdom should conclude thus. In

Proverbs 1:7 we read, `The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge', and in Ecclesiastes the fear of God is the

conclusion of the matter. The outstanding features of Ecclesiastes may be said to revolve around the following

words and themes.

(1) VANITY. - We have already considered the reiterated cry of the Preacher, `Vanity of vanities'. The number of

references prevents us from citing them all again; and their scope takes in all the activities of this mortal span from

birth to death. Does Koheleth apply his `conclusion of the matter' to this? He does. `In the multitude of dreams and

many words there are also divers vanities; but fear thou God' (5:7). `A dream cometh through the multitude of

business', says verse 3, and therefore, instead of becoming entangled therein, `Fear God'.

(2) INEQUALITIES. - Over and over again the Preacher speaks of the righteous suffering as the wicked, or the

wicked prospering. He speaks of the vanity of the careful labour of a father being dissipated by a foolish son. He

further sees that the wise man dieth as the fool, and that one event happens to all, to him that is wicked and to him

that is righteous. Does Ecclesiastes find refuge in his `conclusion of the matter'? He does:

`There is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his

wickedness ... It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he

THAT FEARETH GOD shall come forth of them all' (7:15-18).

Under this same head may be included 8:12 :

`Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with

them that FEAR GOD, which fear before Him: but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his

days, which are as a shadow; because he FEARETH NOT BEFORE GOD' (8:12,13).

What is there in this wholesome fear of God that can so compensate, so calm one in the midst of the surge and

strife of life?

(3) THE TRUTH CONCERNING THE AGES.

olam) ... and God doeth it, that men should

`I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever (the

FEAR before Him' (3:14).

Associated with this thought is the fact that:

`God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time THERE for every purpose and for every work'

and knowing this, the believer quietly holds on his way. Connected with the fear of God is the keeping of His

commandments. Israel was allowed to wander in the wilderness, to suffer hunger, to experience the miraculous

supply of their needs, that they might be humbled, proved, and shown what was in their hearts, whether they would

keep His commandments or no. Ecclesiastes sees that every believer's life is typified in the wilderness experience of