Ecclesiastes 8:12-13 - The Final End of the Wicked

Ecclesiastes 8:12-13
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 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.

Message: The Final End of the Wicked

Time: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Yesterday, the message was on God's kindness. It is his kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). God is patient with us and the wicked will receive their consequence in just time, but we should be thankful that God is slow to judge.

In these verses is the reminder that those who fear God and fear Him openly will be well. A sinner may do evil a hundred ways and may lengthen his life, but the wicked do not fear God and therefore it is not well for them. Then in verse 13, he states that the evil man will not lengthen his days. This is a paradox or a statement that seems contradictory, but is actually true. How can being evil lengthen life, but not days? Although the wicked may seem to meet with great success, from the vantage point of eternity, it is only fleeting. Psalm 102:11 says, "My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass." For the wicked, their life may appear to be lengthening but their days are numbered.

There will be judgment for those that do not obey God's truths (Romans 2:6-11). It is hard, I admit, to watch wicked people succeed in this life. The wicked seem to have everything they need. They have wealth and the freedom to purchase things often and please their desires. It seems like an easy life. But, the righteous are often struggling. Man has always had trouble really believing that God is good. Even though God created man, man thinks he can do life better.

Promise: The fear of God will lengthen our days throughout eternity. We will be with God. Though fearing the Lord may not bring with it much earthly success, it will bring us to eternal life, where we will see justice win and evil vanquished.