Useful Bible Studies > Ecclesiastes Commentary > chapter 8

Nobody can prevent his own death

Ecclesiastes 8:7-8

You can appeal to a judge or even to the king for help. But even if they support you, your troubles may not have ended. Nobody can be sure about the things that will happen to them in the future. Nobody even knows how soon they will die.

But everybody knows that they must die. Even the most powerful person can only live as long as he is able to breathe. A person’s breath seems very weak when we think about the strength of the wind during a storm. An important person may be able to control other people, but nobody can control a storm!

Often, a wicked person believes that he has the power to control everyone and everything else. If he is very important, that wicked person may even be able to control the judges and the king.

But in the end, that wicked person will receive what he deserves. Paul wrote that the wages for evil behaviour is death (Romans 6:23). A soldier must fight in a battle and, in the same manner, a wicked person must die. There is no escape from death for anyone. Nobody can prevent his own death.

After death, God is the judge. And nobody controls God. He will certainly punish wicked people (Ecclesiastes 3:17). They may avoid punishment for their whole lives in this world. But their punishment is certain then.

In Ezekiel 18:21-23, God urges wicked people to change their behaviour and their attitudes. They should become loyal to God, so that he can forgive them. God does not want them to suffer. He wants to forgive.

Next part: The fate of powerful wicked people (Ecclesiastes 8:9-10)

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© 2019, Keith Simons.