Injustice is expected

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 NASB 

 8 If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.

 These verses are difficult for me to digest, and I looked up a lot of different translations, and a couple of commentaries to help me grasp what God was trying to tell me. 

There is always going to be injustice and oppression. It's everywhere, always has been and always will be. This verse doesn't say we should like it, or tolerate it, but we should expect it. It doesn't tell us to take on the cause (that's in other passages), but to know that everything that happens will work for God's good.

The example used here is of a king owning a field. He has workers that grow the crops on their patch. Next there is someone to oversee several patches of land to make sure crops are growing and the fields are protected against marauders. Above this individual is someone reporting to the king, who will make decisions about his land and how to best utilize it.

Somewhere in the chain, someone will not be treated fairly or respectfully. That's human nature (our sin nature). In the end, all the people will be fed with the crops grown. Therefore all have a vested interest in the property.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Importance of Sharing With Others

Ecclesiastes 5:13-17 NASB 13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt. 14 When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him. 15 As he had come naked from his mother's womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil--exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind? 17 Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger. This Scripture passage brings to mind the movie "Click." Adam Sandler portrays a man who has a remote control for life. Anytime he encounters an unpleasant event, or has a deadline, he just punches the fast-forward button and speeds through it. At the end of the movie, he's an extremely accomplished and well respected man in business, b
Read more

Value of Friends

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 7 I observed yet another example of meaninglessness in our world. 8 This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, "Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?" It is all so meaningless and depressing. 9 Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. 11 And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. We depend too much on self. We believe we're the only one who can do a certain job and then we refuse to ask for help.
Read more

Money Brings Problems

Ecclesiastes 5:10-12 NASB  10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. 11 When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on? 12 The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. No matter how much money we earn, we tend to be left wanting more. The more money we receive, the more our burdens increase. Even the miserly millionaire has tons of worries. He worries how to make more money that he'll refuse to spend, or whether his investments are growing or shrinking. With these worries come bigger expenses. It cost money to make money.  Sometimes the love of money takes grasp of a heart and puts it into a choke hold. All that is important is gaining another dollar. It can become an addiction, or adrenaline rush. It's not just the poor and pover
Read more