31. Understanding Authority

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Hymns: 424 Where He Leads Me, 320 ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus, 333 Yesterday, Today, Forever 

Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes

(Remember Now Thy Creator)

Understanding Authority

Ecclesiastes 8:1-8

1 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed. 2 I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment. 6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. 7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? 8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

 

OUTLINE

  • Submission (v2-5)
  • Subjection (v6-9)

 

INTRODUCTION

Solomon imparts wisdom concerning our attitude and response toward authority, the government God has sets over us. Matthew Henry said well, “The wise man is the good man, that knows God and glorifies Him, knows himself and does well for himself; his wisdom is a great happiness to him, for it advances him above his neighbours, and makes him more excellent than they… Heavenly wisdom will make a man an incomparable man. No man without grace, though he be learned, or noble, or rich, is to be compared with a man that has true grace and is therefore accepted of God. It makes himself useful among his neighbours and very serviceable to them.”

Verse 1 provides for us an apt introduction, “1 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing?” The word “interpretation” means “solution, an explanation, how it should be understood and acted on, the hidden, secret, the not-so-obvious explanation of something”.

I could think of the countenance of young Daniel after he refused to defile himself with the king’s meat that was offered to idols, that’s divine wisdom in action, he would rather please God than to please man:

Daniel 1:8-10 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

Daniel 1:12-15 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.

Daniel 1:18-20 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

Truly, a man’s wisdom (heavenly wisdom) maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights with God alone in Mount Sinai – Exodus 34:29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

The strength of his face, the boldness of his countenance is alluded here by Solomon of a man who has met with God, received his wisdom to live life well in the sight of God. Swindoll says well, he has a clear mind, not muddled up. He is able to see through a matter an offers a comprehensive solubtion to a matter at hand.

  • Submission to Authority (v2-5)

2 I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

Swindoll said well, “The passage addresses primarily the responsibility of those under a leader’s authority to submit to that authority, but it also teaches us the importance of a leader’s words.”[1]

Obey the leader’s instruction, do such as are not contrary to the will of God – keep the king’s commandment.

The Apostle Paul puts it well in Romans 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

 

In the workplace, listen to the instruction of your supervisor carefully and do them as you are instructed.

In the king’s court, the officers in the kingdom give an oath of allegiance to obey the king’s instruction. In the church, when we come into membership, we affirm before God to obey the leaders whom God has set over this church as well as be subject to their discipline.

He tells us to have the right attitude toward authority.

3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

 

Be willing to be a blessing, be not hasty to do your own things. Realize that this authority is ordained of God and therefore willing to obey.

What does this entail? How shall we behave ourselves in our workplace?

1 Peter 2:12-15 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

Colossians 3:22-25 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

 

When we work and serve, we have the right perspective that we are serving God and therefore do all things with diligence and heart for the honour and glory of God.

In the Book “Spiritual Authority” by Watchman Nee, it is written, we need to realize that “all things are created through God’s authority and all physical laws of the universe are maintained by His authority. Hence the Bible expresses it as “upholding all things by the word of His power”, which means upholding all things by the word of the power of His authority. For God’s authority represents God Himself whereas whereas His power stands only for His act. Sin against power is more easily forgiven than sin against authority, because the latter is a sin against God Himself. God alone is authority in all things; all the authorities of the earth are instituted by God. Authority is a tremendous thing – nothing overshadows it. It is therefore imperative for us who desire to serve God to know the authority of God. The archangel turned into Satan when he overreached God’s authority, competed with God, and thus became an adversary of God. Rebellion was the cause of Satan’s fall.”[2]

  • Subjection (v6-8)

6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. 7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

Matthew Henry says well, “The wise man’s heart discerns time and judgment, that is, a man’s wisdom will go a long way… but few are ready for sudden evils and especially sudden deaths…even the wisest may yet be surprised by a calamity which they had not any foresight of, and therefore it is our wisdom to expect and prepare for sudden changes…” We are to realize that “All the events concerning us, with the exact time of them, are determined and appointed in the counsel and foreknowledge of God, and all in wisdom: To every purpose there is a time prefixed….”

The wise man will be willing to subject himself to such changes. Just like the example of Joseph who continues to be imprisoned for 2 more years even though God gave him the wisdom to judgment between the Pharaoh’s cook and butler. One died, the other forgot him after he was restored to the Pharaoh’s presence. It was not God’s time and he has to be at peace with his difficult circumstance to be still in prison.

8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

 Man is especially powerless when God summons him to eternity. He has no power over the day of his death. It that battle at the end of life, man always loses. He cannot avoid the day of his leaving this mortal world.

As such, Solomon brings us to the theme of our series – “Remember Now Thy Creator in the days of thy youth.”

Be ready to meet your Creator. Be submitted to the sound of the gospel that we may be freed from the bondage of sin and be granted eternal life. This is true wisdom.

CONCLUSION

May the Lord grant us understanding concerning authority! Amen.

 

[1] Charles R. Swindoll, Living on the Ragged Edge Workbook – Finding Joy in a World Gone Mad, W Publishing Group, 2005, 155.

[2] http://www3.telus.net/trbrooks/spiritualauthority.pdf