1 00:00:02,700 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 1: to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge 4 00:00:17,390 --> 00:00:21,970 Speaker 1: and today we're in Ecclesiastes chapter 8 and we'll be 5 00:00:22,030 --> 00:00:28,510 Speaker 1: reading from the New Living Translation. How wonderful to be wise, 6 00:00:28,870 --> 00:00:34,229 Speaker 1: to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person's face, 7 00:00:34,690 --> 00:00:39,590 Speaker 1: softening its harshness. Obey the king since you vowed to 8 00:00:39,670 --> 00:00:43,089 Speaker 1: God that you would. Don't try to avoid doing your 9 00:00:43,150 --> 00:00:46,630 Speaker 1: duty and don't stand with those who plot evil, for 10 00:00:46,670 --> 00:00:50,850 Speaker 1: the king can do whatever he wants. His command is 11 00:00:50,950 --> 00:00:55,070 Speaker 1: backed by great power. No one can resist or question it. 12 00:00:56,110 --> 00:00:59,540 Speaker 1: Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who 13 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,750 Speaker 1: are wise will find a time and a way to 14 00:01:02,850 --> 00:01:05,709 Speaker 1: do what is right. For there is a time and 15 00:01:05,790 --> 00:01:11,030 Speaker 1: a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble. Indeed, 16 00:01:11,630 --> 00:01:14,789 Speaker 1: how can people avoid what they don't know is going 17 00:01:14,830 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 1: to happen? None of us can hold back our spirit 18 00:01:18,819 --> 00:01:22,100 Speaker 1: from departing. None of us has the power to prevent 19 00:01:22,140 --> 00:01:26,420 Speaker 1: the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, 20 00:01:26,660 --> 00:01:30,429 Speaker 1: that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness 21 00:01:30,490 --> 00:01:35,069 Speaker 1: will certainly not rescue the wicked. I have thought deeply 22 00:01:35,170 --> 00:01:38,229 Speaker 1: about all that goes on here under the sun, where 23 00:01:38,290 --> 00:01:41,350 Speaker 1: people have the power to hurt each other. I have 24 00:01:41,430 --> 00:01:45,170 Speaker 1: seen wicked people buried with honor, yet they were the 25 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,820 Speaker 1: very ones who frequented the temple and are now praised 26 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:53,300 Speaker 1: in the same city where they committed their crimes. This 27 00:01:53,380 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 1: too is meaningless. When a crime is not punished quickly, 28 00:01:58,210 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: People feel it is safe to do wrong. But even 29 00:02:01,810 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: though a person sins a hundred times and still lives 30 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: a long time, I know that those who fear God 31 00:02:08,500 --> 00:02:12,220 Speaker 1: will be better off. The wicked will not prosper, for 32 00:02:12,260 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: they do not fear God. Their days will never grow 33 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,630 Speaker 1: long like the evening shadows. And this is not all 34 00:02:20,690 --> 00:02:24,570 Speaker 1: that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good 35 00:02:24,630 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: people are often treated as though they were wicked, and 36 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:30,959 Speaker 1: wicked people are often treated as though they were good. 37 00:02:31,780 --> 00:02:36,660 Speaker 1: This is so meaningless. So I recommend having fun because 38 00:02:36,700 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: there is nothing better for people in this world than 39 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will 40 00:02:43,910 --> 00:02:48,030 Speaker 1: experience some happiness along with all the hard work God 41 00:02:48,110 --> 00:02:52,329 Speaker 1: gives them under the sun. In my search for wisdom 42 00:02:52,650 --> 00:02:56,070 Speaker 1: and in my observation of people's burdens here on earth, 43 00:02:56,870 --> 00:02:58,710 Speaker 1: Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and 44 00:02:58,730 --> 00:03:00,630 Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege of being able to 45 00:03:00,650 --> 00:03:03,649 Speaker 1: know it and understand it through faith in your Son, 46 00:03:03,669 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. And Lord, we know that the challenge that 47 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,019 Speaker 1: we're given in chapters like this is a challenge to 48 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: fear you in the sense that we have a reverence 49 00:03:33,139 --> 00:03:35,839 Speaker 1: and respect for you, and we learn to obey you, 50 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:40,530 Speaker 1: and we learn to put your priorities first in our lives. Lord, 51 00:03:40,590 --> 00:03:43,950 Speaker 1: you've also given us the privilege to enjoy blessings that 52 00:03:44,010 --> 00:03:46,810 Speaker 1: you have entrusted to us. But Lord, as we enjoy 53 00:03:46,850 --> 00:03:48,730 Speaker 1: the things you've blessed us with, we pray that we 54 00:03:48,750 --> 00:03:52,170 Speaker 1: would not idolize these blessings, but would rather look at 55 00:03:52,290 --> 00:03:55,460 Speaker 1: everything that you've entrusted to us as a stewardship that 56 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: ultimately belongs to you. Lord, we pray that throughout the 57 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: course of our days that we would seek to grow 58 00:04:00,700 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: in wisdom and that our faith in your Son, Jesus Christ, 59 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,820 Speaker 1: would continue to grow as well. Lord, we want to 60 00:04:06,870 --> 00:04:09,950 Speaker 1: be people who put you first in all aspects of 61 00:04:10,050 --> 00:04:12,170 Speaker 1: our lives, but we know that we need your strength 62 00:04:12,230 --> 00:04:15,630 Speaker 1: and guidance to facilitate that. So we entrust ourselves to 63 00:04:15,650 --> 00:04:17,969 Speaker 1: your care today, and we thank you, Lord, for your 64 00:04:18,010 --> 00:04:23,130 Speaker 1: presence with us. We commit this all to you in Jesus' name. Amen.