Thoughts on Ecclesiastes & Theodicy

This morning's Old Testament reading from "The Daily Office," which I use for my daily devotions is from Ecclesiastes, a book known for it's "what's the use" struggle in finding meaning in a world that is often unfair.

Ecclesiastes raises the question of theodicy, "why does a good and loving God allow bad things to happen?" It's a question that the Bible doesn't give a clear cut answer but it does wrestle with again and again. The Bible holds in tension two strains of theology. The first strain being the Deuteronomy theological perspective that claims if you do what God tells you to do, you will be blessed. This strain is often overemphasized by the prosperity gospel proponents who claim that if you are faithful to God, you will receive blessings.

The second strain which is strongly evident in the Book of Ecclesiastes counters the faithfulness/blessings approach of Deuteronomy by reminding us that life isn't always that simple. Sometimes, bad things happen to people who have been faithful to God. This strain often gets overemphasized by people who would say that God is irrelevant since the world is filled with so much unfairness.

The passage from Ecclesiastes below which is my Old Testament reading for today certainly emphasizes the "what's the use?" approach, but notice that there's a little of the Deuteronomy strain of thought mixed into these verses ever so slightly. Ecclesiastes 3:17 says, "I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work."

That's a key verse here because even though we can easily slip into despair because of all of the injustice we see in our world, the cynical writer of Ecclesiastes still acknowledges that there will come a time in the future when God will set everything right and God's righteousness will prevail. This is the eschatological biblical hope that reminds us that even though the world is broken by sin, unfairness, and death, one day God will renew the face of the earth.

This scripture is a good example of how the Bible acknowledges our unanswered questions about why bad things happen, and while it doesn't give us easy answers to our questions, it does hold up the hope we have that God is sovereign and will one day make all things new.

Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3

3:16 Moreover I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well. 17I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work. 18I said in my heart with regard to human beings that God is testing them to show that they are but animals. 19For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over the animals; for all is vanity. 20All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? 22So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them?

4:1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed—with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power—with no one to comfort them. 2And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are still alive; 3but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

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