Sip #1 – Read Chapter 8 of Ecclesiastes in The Message translation (MSG)
Sip #2 – Read my big takeaway from the day
Sip #3 – Add comments/thoughts/questions in the Comments Box (bottom of page). NOT REQUIRED
Sip #4 – Re-read any parts of Chapter 8 that impacted you
Sip #5 – Come back tomorrow as we we roll on with Ecclesiastes, Chapter 9

Sunday, Sunday! Yes, it’s another late edition for me. FULL day! Preached this morning, kicking off a brand new series. Over the next few months I’m preaching a 4-part series on Jonah, and, man, what a start!! It’s a great Book, filled with some surprises. Yes, Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale for a few days, but that is NOT what the main theme is. I’m thinking next year, Jonah might just end up in KafePK possibly. We’ll see.

It’s Ecclesiastes, Chapter 8… verses 2-7 are where we are heading tonight… Just a short one, though.

“Do what your king commands; you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don’t worryingly second-guess your orders or try to back out when the task is unpleasant. You’re serving his pleasure, not yours. The king has the last word. Who dares say to him, “What are you doing?” Carrying out orders won’t hurt you a bit; the wise person obeys promptly and accurately. Yes, there’s a right time and way for everything, even though, unfortunately, we miss it for the most part.”

The word “king” here basically pretty much signifies any…

…leader (president, governor, manager, supervisor, or any person in authority. 

Solomon is very much aligned with what the Apostle Paul would later write in Romans 13:1-2 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves…”

There is a right way and a wrong way to disagree with those in charge.

We do not have to agree, but we should respect them primarily not to honor THEM, but for the sake of our oath to God. In a New Covenant context, we do it as part of our obedience to God.

I will add something, though. If you are called by God to be a government leader, then, yes, there will be debating. That would still be honoring God, when done the right way. Those of us who are NOT called to be in any government structures, we should be respectful. Solomon (and Paul) make it pretty clear.

Now, I will also say. If any person in authority (whether government or non-government) attempts to force something that is not aligned with God’s standards, there are ways to stand on principle and refuse to participate… respectfully. 

We should recognize that we are always to obey God rather than man if the two contradict each other.

Daniel is a very good example for us.

He models unwavering commitment to God’s principles, particularly his refusal to compromise his faith in the face of persecution and political pressures. He stood firm on his beliefs by refusing to defile himself with the king’s food and wine in Daniel 1:8, “Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.”

In Daniel 6:10, in response to a law banning prayer to the God of Israel… “when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

And, he  ultimately trusted God for deliverance from the lion’s den, even though he wasn’t supposed to.

Bottom line… Social media platforms have made us all much bolder than we used to be, along with several resistance groups egging people on.

Be careful, God states His standards on respecting those in authority pretty clearly.

There is a time an place for everything… with respect.

We should avoid publicly airing our disdain for any leader.