◄ Ecclesiastes 8:13 ►
Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.
Study Bible
Yet it will not be well with the wicked
The phrase "it will not be well" suggests a future state of discontent or misfortune. In Hebrew, the word for "wicked" is "רָשָׁע" (rasha), which refers to those who are morally wrong or guilty. The Bible consistently portrays the wicked as those who live in opposition to God's laws and principles. Historically, the wicked have been seen as those who reject divine wisdom and pursue their own selfish desires. This phrase serves as a reminder that despite any temporary success or prosperity, the ultimate fate of the wicked is one of judgment and lack of peace. The conservative Christian perspective emphasizes that true well-being is found in alignment with God's will, and the wicked, by their nature, are outside of this alignment.

nor will he prolong his days like a shadow
The imagery of a "shadow" in this context is significant. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a shadow was often used as a metaphor for something fleeting or insubstantial. The Hebrew word "צֵל" (tsel) conveys this idea of transience. The wicked may appear to thrive for a time, but their days are as fleeting as a shadow that quickly passes. This phrase underscores the temporary nature of earthly life and the futility of living apart from God's eternal purposes. From a conservative Christian viewpoint, this serves as a warning that life without God lacks true substance and permanence.

because he does not fear God
The "fear of God" is a central theme in biblical wisdom literature. The Hebrew word "יָרֵא" (yare) can mean fear, reverence, or awe. To fear God is to recognize His sovereignty, holiness, and authority. It is the beginning of wisdom and the foundation of a righteous life. The wicked, by contrast, live without this reverence, choosing instead to follow their own paths. Historically, those who did not fear God were often seen as rebellious and self-destructive. In a conservative Christian context, fearing God is not about being afraid of Him, but about having a deep respect and love for Him that leads to obedience and trust. This phrase highlights the root cause of the wicked's downfall: their lack of reverence for the Creator, which ultimately leads to their demise.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Wicked
Refers to those who live in opposition to God's commandments and moral order. In the context of Ecclesiastes, the wicked are those who pursue life without regard for divine wisdom or fear of God.

2. Solomon
Traditionally considered the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon was the king of Israel known for his wisdom. He reflects on the meaning of life and the futility of human endeavors without God.

3. God
The central figure in the text, representing ultimate authority, justice, and the source of true wisdom. The fear of God is a recurring theme in Ecclesiastes, emphasizing reverence and obedience.

4. Shadow
A metaphor used to describe the fleeting nature of life. In the Hebrew context, a shadow represents something insubstantial and temporary, highlighting the brevity of life without God.

5. Fear of God
A key theme in Ecclesiastes, representing reverence, awe, and obedience to God's will. It is contrasted with the life of the wicked, who lack this fear.
Teaching Points
The Fleeting Nature of Wickedness
The life of the wicked is compared to a shadow, emphasizing its temporary and insubstantial nature. This serves as a reminder that living without regard for God leads to a life lacking true substance and permanence.

The Importance of Fearing God
Fearing God is not about being afraid but about having a deep respect and reverence for Him. This fear leads to wisdom and a life that aligns with God's will, resulting in true fulfillment and longevity.

The Consequences of Ignoring God
The verse warns that it will not be well with the wicked. This serves as a cautionary message that ignoring God's commandments and living a life of sin leads to negative consequences both in this life and beyond.

The Illusion of Success
The temporary success of the wicked can be deceiving. True success is measured by one's relationship with God and adherence to His ways, not by worldly achievements or pleasures.

Living with Eternal Perspective
This verse encourages believers to live with an eternal perspective, focusing on what truly matters in light of eternity rather than the fleeting pleasures of this world.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the metaphor of a shadow help us understand the temporary nature of life without God?

2. In what ways can we cultivate a healthy fear of God in our daily lives, and how does this impact our decision-making?

3. How do the themes in Ecclesiastes 8:13 compare to the teachings in Proverbs 10:27 about the fear of the Lord and the fate of the wicked?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure that our lives are not like a shadow, but rather grounded in the fear of God?

5. How can understanding the ultimate fate of the wicked influence our interactions with those who do not yet know God?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Proverbs 10:27
This verse echoes the theme that the fear of the Lord prolongs life, while the years of the wicked are cut short. It reinforces the idea that reverence for God leads to a more fulfilling and enduring life.

Psalm 37:10-11
These verses contrast the temporary success of the wicked with the enduring peace of the righteous, similar to the message in Ecclesiastes 8:13 about the ultimate fate of the wicked.

Job 20:5
This passage speaks to the fleeting joy of the wicked, aligning with the idea that their days are like a shadow, emphasizing the temporary nature of their prosperity.
Sermons
Retribution CertainJ. Willcock Ecclesiastes 8:11-13
The Perversion of God's PatienceW. Clarkson Ecclesiastes 8:11-13
The Certainty of RetributionD. Thomas Ecclesiastes 8:12-14
People
Solomon
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Doesn't, Evil, Evil-doer, Fear, Feareth, Fearing, Lengthen, Prolong, Shade, Shadow, Wicked
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ecclesiastes 8:13

     4846   shadow
     5726   old age, attainment

Ecclesiastes 8:12-13

     8335   reverence, and blessing

Ecclesiastes 8:12-14

     7150   righteous, the

Library
Misused Respite
'Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil'--ECCLES. viii. 11. When the Pharaoh of the Exodus saw there was respite, he hardened his heart. Abject in his fear before Moses, he was ready to promise anything; insolent in his pride, he swallows down his promises as soon as fear is eased, his repentance and his retractation of it combined to add new weights about his neck. He was but a conspicuous example of …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Five Fears
Now, you will notice that fear may be yoked into the service of God. True fear, not fearing, but believing, saves the soul; not doubt, but confidence, is the strength and the deliverance of the Christian. Still, fear, as being one of those powers which God hath given us, is not in itself sinful. Fear may be used for the most sinful purposes; at the same time it may be so ennobled by grace, and so used for the service of God, that it may become the very grandest part of man. In fact, Scripture has …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

The Wicked Man's Life, Funeral, and Epitaph
We shall this morning want you, first of all, to walk with a living man; it is said of him that he did "come and go from the place of the holy:" next, I shall want you to attend his funeral, and then, in conclusion I shall ask you to assist in writing his epitaph--"and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this also is vanity." I. In the first place, HERE IS SOME GOOD COMPANY FOR YOU; some with whom you may walk to the house of God, for it is said of them, that they did come and …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

Whether Christ Should have Been Circumcised?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ should not have been circumcised. For on the advent of the reality, the figure ceases. But circumcision was prescribed to Abraham as a sign of the covenant concerning his posterity, as may be seen from Gn. 17. Now this covenant was fulfilled in Christ's birth. Therefore circumcision should have ceased at once. Objection 2: Further, "every action of Christ is a lesson to us" [*Innoc. III, Serm. xxii de Temp.]; wherefore it is written (Jn. 3:15): "I have given …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether in Loving God we Ought to Observe any Mode?
Objection 1: It would seem that we ought to observe some mode in loving God. For the notion of good consists in mode, species and order, as Augustine states (De Nat. Boni iii, iv). Now the love of God is the best thing in man, according to Col. 3:14: "Above all . . . things, have charity." Therefore there ought to be a mode of the love of God. Objection 2: Further, Augustine says (De Morib. Eccl. viii): "Prithee, tell me which is the mode of love. For I fear lest I burn with the desire and love of …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Literature.
i. editions of chrysostom's works. S. Joannis Chrysostomi, archiepiscopi Constantinopolitani, Opera omnia quæ exstant vel quæ ejus nomine circumferuntur, ad mss. codices Gallicos, Vaticanos, Anglicos, Germanicosque castigata, etc. Opera et studio D.Bernardi de Montfaucon, monachi ordinis S. Benedicti e congregatione S. Mauri, opem ferentibus aliis ex codem sodalitio, monachis. Greek and Latin, Paris, 1718-'38, in 13 vols., fol. This is the best edition, and the result of about twenty …
St. Chrysostom—On the Priesthood

Concerning Jonathan, one of the Sicarii, that Stirred up a Sedition in Cyrene, and was a False Accuser [Of the Innocent].
1. And now did the madness of the Sicarii, like a disease, reach as far as the cities of Cyrene; for one Jonathan, a vile person, and by trade a weaver, came thither and prevailed with no small number of the poorer sort to give ear to him; he also led them into the desert, upon promising them that he would show them signs and apparitions. And as for the other Jews of Cyrene, he concealed his knavery from them, and put tricks upon them; but those of the greatest dignity among them informed Catullus, …
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

A Few Sighs from Hell;
or, The Groans of the Damned Soul: or, An Exposition of those Words in the Sixteenth of Luke, Concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar WHEREIN IS DISCOVERED THE LAMENTABLE STATE OF THE DAMNED; THEIR CRIES, THEIR DESIRES IN THEIR DISTRESSES, WITH THE DETERMINATION OF GOD UPON THEM. A GOOD WARNING WORD TO SINNERS, BOTH OLD AND YOUNG, TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BETIMES, AND TO SEEK, BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, TO AVOID, LEST THEY COME INTO THE SAME PLACE OF TORMENT. Also, a Brief Discourse touching the …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Ecclesiastes
It is not surprising that the book of Ecclesiastes had a struggle to maintain its place in the canon, and it was probably only its reputed Solomonic authorship and the last two verses of the book that permanently secured its position at the synod of Jamnia in 90 A.D. The Jewish scholars of the first century A.D. were struck by the manner in which it contradicted itself: e.g., "I praised the dead more than the living," iv. 2, "A living dog is better than a dead lion," ix. 4; but they were still more …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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