WEBVTT - Ecclesiastes 8

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening

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<v Speaker 1>to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge

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<v Speaker 1>and today we're in Ecclesiastes chapter 8 and we'll be

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<v Speaker 1>reading from the New Living Translation. How wonderful to be wise,

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<v Speaker 1>to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person's face,

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<v Speaker 1>softening its harshness. Obey the king since you vowed to

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<v Speaker 1>God that you would. Don't try to avoid doing your

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<v Speaker 1>duty and don't stand with those who plot evil, for

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<v Speaker 1>the king can do whatever he wants. His command is

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<v Speaker 1>backed by great power. No one can resist or question it.

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<v Speaker 1>Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who

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<v Speaker 1>are wise will find a time and a way to

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<v Speaker 1>do what is right. For there is a time and

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<v Speaker 1>a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble. Indeed,

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<v Speaker 1>how can people avoid what they don't know is going

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<v Speaker 1>to happen? None of us can hold back our spirit

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<v Speaker 1>from departing. None of us has the power to prevent

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<v Speaker 1>the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation,

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<v Speaker 1>that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness

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<v Speaker 1>will certainly not rescue the wicked. I have thought deeply

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<v Speaker 1>about all that goes on here under the sun, where

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<v Speaker 1>people have the power to hurt each other. I have

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<v Speaker 1>seen wicked people buried with honor, yet they were the

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<v Speaker 1>very ones who frequented the temple and are now praised

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<v Speaker 1>in the same city where they committed their crimes. This

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<v Speaker 1>too is meaningless. When a crime is not punished quickly,

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<v Speaker 1>People feel it is safe to do wrong. But even

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<v Speaker 1>though a person sins a hundred times and still lives

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<v Speaker 1>a long time, I know that those who fear God

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<v Speaker 1>will be better off. The wicked will not prosper, for

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<v Speaker 1>they do not fear God. Their days will never grow

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<v Speaker 1>long like the evening shadows. And this is not all

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<v Speaker 1>that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good

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<v Speaker 1>people are often treated as though they were wicked, and

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<v Speaker 1>wicked people are often treated as though they were good.

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<v Speaker 1>This is so meaningless. So I recommend having fun because

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<v Speaker 1>there is nothing better for people in this world than

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<v Speaker 1>to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will

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<v Speaker 1>experience some happiness along with all the hard work God

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<v Speaker 1>gives them under the sun. In my search for wisdom

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<v Speaker 1>and in my observation of people's burdens here on earth,

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<v Speaker 1>Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for the privilege of being able to

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<v Speaker 1>know it and understand it through faith in your Son,

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus Christ. And Lord, we know that the challenge that

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<v Speaker 1>we're given in chapters like this is a challenge to

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<v Speaker 1>fear you in the sense that we have a reverence

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<v Speaker 1>and respect for you, and we learn to obey you,

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<v Speaker 1>and we learn to put your priorities first in our lives. Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>you've also given us the privilege to enjoy blessings that

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<v Speaker 1>you have entrusted to us. But Lord, as we enjoy

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<v Speaker 1>the things you've blessed us with, we pray that we

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<v Speaker 1>would not idolize these blessings, but would rather look at

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<v Speaker 1>everything that you've entrusted to us as a stewardship that

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<v Speaker 1>ultimately belongs to you. Lord, we pray that throughout the

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<v Speaker 1>course of our days that we would seek to grow

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<v Speaker 1>in wisdom and that our faith in your Son, Jesus Christ,

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<v Speaker 1>would continue to grow as well. Lord, we want to

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<v Speaker 1>be people who put you first in all aspects of

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<v Speaker 1>our lives, but we know that we need your strength

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<v Speaker 1>and guidance to facilitate that. So we entrust ourselves to

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<v Speaker 1>your care today, and we thank you, Lord, for your

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<v Speaker 1>presence with us. We commit this all to you in Jesus' name. Amen.