10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are soon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is futility. 11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear [i]Him openly. 13 But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.
14 There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it [j]happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it [k]happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. 15 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his [l]toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.
16 When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should [m]never sleep day or night), 17 and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot discover.
Solomon seems to be a walking contradiction in this, the second half of chapter 8. In v. 11, he bemoans that sentence for evil deeds is not executed quickly enough, thus enticing men to continue doing evil. Then in v. 12, he tells us that a sinner who continually does evil may live a long life, adding more fuel to the fire. “Still”, he says, “I know that it will be well for those who fear God… but it will not be well for the evil man.” (v. 13)
Further, he contradicts v. 12 and says , that the evil man “will not lengthen his days”. So which is it? Instead of answering the question, Solomon stokes the fire some more in v. 14. There are righteous men who seem to receive what the wicked ought to have for punishment, and evil men who seem to gain the rewards of the righteous. He sums up the whole mess with “I say that this too is futility”, and I’m inclined to agree. What is going on?!
In the end, Solomon sought to know every task done on the earth, and to find every work of God, and what did he find out? “I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun.” In v. 17, even though we seek “laboriously”, we cannot figure it all out, and even if a wise man say that he knows, he doesn’t really.
Ultimately, as Solomon so eloquently puts it, no one knows the plans of God, and why some seem to get rewarded when they shouldn’t, and some don’t when they should, but there’s a deeper problem here. It’s a trap we all fall into, that of comparison. Why don’t I have what so and so does? I’m certainly not partying on the weekends, and blowing my money on fast cars, and this, and that, and the other…
Stop! Go back to v. 15, “this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.” What will? To eat, drink, and be merry? Are we then to lose ourselves in worldly living? Not at all, but we are to enjoy and be thankful for what God has given to us. When we start looking at others, and their successes (or failures), we can easily lose sight of the gifts God has imparted to us.
He has given us exactly what we need, and what is good for us. We don’t know God’s plans, and we don’t know why He gives others what he does, but it isn’t for us to worry about. Our only concern should be, “what gifts has God given me?” Am I thankful for those, am I enjoying them and using them to help others, or am I too distracted by comparison? Put pointless comparisons aside, and embrace what God has for you–it’s not just good, it is His best for you.