Ecclesiastes 8

9–15 Still, there are meaningless things about life: arrogant and wicked people are buried in honor—people who pretended to be religious during their lives and then received praise at their death (verse 10). Wicked people commit crimes and aren’t punished (verse 11); what’s more, they live a long time (verse 12). The righteous and the wicked end up in the same place (verse 14). All this, says the Teacher, is meaningless.

Even so, there is meaning to life when God is considered. In verses 12–13, the Teacher expresses his faith that somehow it will go better with God-fearing men, and that even though the wicked may live a “long time” on earth, their days will not lengthen beyond the GRAVE; God’s justice will prevail in the end. In verse 15, the Teacher repeats his belief that meaning in life can be found if one simply resolves to eat and drink and be glad,¹⁹ and to rejoice in God’s gifts day by day (see Ecclesiastes 2:24–25; 3:12–13; 5:18–20).

16–17 Notice how the Teacher wavers between certainty one moment and uncertainty the next. Here his uncertainty returns. No one can comprehend life’s meaning²⁰ (verse 17). And yet the Teacher has already revealed to us some things which do give meaning to life, and we can be content with that. What God has not revealed, we don’t need to know; what He has revealed—through His word and through His HOLY SPIRIT—we need to obey (see Deuteronomy 29:29). If we do that, then our life will have all the meaning we could ever hope for.