Qoheleth’s application of wisdom is limited to observing the things of this world. So faced with the reality of injustice, the Preacher resorts to the only advice that seems to make sense on earth – He commends, “joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun” (8:15). Of course, this offers no answer at all to the questions of injustice and suffering; however, embracing joy in life does free us to live and let God be God, His judgments unsearchable, and his ways, inscrutable and higher than ours.
At the end of the day, Qoheleth’s experience, observations, and instruction teach us that we should exercise wisdom in order to survive in this unjust, wicked world; however that wisdom does not enable us to know the reason for everything that happens. Much less does it teach us about the fathomless love and indescribable mercy of our awesome God.
