The sentence against an evil deed

When there is a delay between action and consequence, we don’t get the feedback we need to act appropriately. For instance, you jump into the shower and the water is too cold so you turn up the heat and it’s still too cool and you turn up the heat ... and all of a sudden you’re in hot water. Check out this passage from my reading this week:

Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God. (Ecclesiastes 8:11-13; ESV)

So, why would God set things up like this? Doesn't it seem like stacking the deck against us for Him to delay punishing the wicked? Not really. If God were to smite every sinner as soon as we needed it and as much as we needed there would be no remnant. There would be no one left, and we know God can’t confound his own plans to work his will out through men.

So, be grateful for God’s mercy.

Here's a preview of Ecclesiastes 7 (I got mixed up and did Chapter 7 today instead of Chapter 6).

Say not, "Why were the former days better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. (Ecclesiastes 7:10 ; ESV)

This verse reminds me of my mom telling me as far back as I can remember, "There were no good old days. The old days were hard and painful and sad." Be grateful that you live in the good old days. It also reminds me of this old Carly Simon song - the lyrics are very Ecclesiastes:

We can never know about the days to come, but we think about them anyway...

Does excellence cause envy?

Ecclesiastes 4:4 is one of those interesting verses that is rendered very differently in different translations. Look at the difference between ESV and NKJV:

Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his eighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. (Ecclesiastes 4:4; ESV)

Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. (Ecclesiastes 4:4; NKJV)

In the first sense of the verse, envy of one’s neighbor is the cause of one’s toil and skill. In the second sense of the verse, one’s skill and toil causes the neighbor to envy. Which translation is better? Which is right? Certainly toil and skill may spring from envy and it may also create envy. This is one of those verses where the 1611 KJV seems to make more sense:

Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

In any case, this difference in meaning seems important in the light of Philippians 4:8 and Romans 14:13:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8; ESV)

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. (Romans 14:13; ESV)

Do we cause our brothers to stumble through our devotion to skillful toil and excellence?