Ecclesiastes 8:1-17
"To every purpose there is time and judgment" (v. 6). When a candidate takes an examination, there are two important days — the examination day, then the results day. The "time" which God allows us to live on earth corresponds to the first of these days, but the judgment day will inevitably follow. The sinner in his oblivion takes advantage of the fact that the "sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily" (because of God’s patience) to abound in evil (v. 11) and in misery (v. 6). "Man also knoweth not his time" (Ecclesiastes 9:12; Jeremiah 8:6-7), nor "that which shall be" (v. 7), whilst the wise man, taught by God, discerns all things (v. 1; 1 Corinthians 2:15-16). The thought of the judgment seat of Christ made Paul fearful. Realising the seriousness of the present moment and the gravity of judgment (v. 5), he fervently endeavoured to be pleasing to the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8-11). The Preacher did not have a revelation of the future as we do. Nevertheless he knew the importance of this fear of God and declares that "it shall be well with them that fear God" (v. 12). They may well experience persecution but nothing has the power "to retain the spirit" (vv. 8, 9). Nothing will be able to separate them from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35).