by Pastor Afolabi Oladele

The preacher in Ecclesiastes 8:5-7 NLT declares, a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment. But how? Is it through intellect and reasoning? No, certainly not according to human imagination, neither yet human expectation. That can only go so far as the Lord’s answer to the Pharisees several times showed (Matthew 12:39, Matthew 16:1-4 and Luke 17:20).

Apostle Paul further expanded on this in Romans 14:17 NLT and 1 Cor. 2:9-16 NLT to complete the argument that he started in 1 Cor. 1:19-20 NLT and a final admonition in 2 Cor. 10:5 NLT! Human reasoning and intellect in the un-redeemed man is deeply steeped in the domain of Satan (Ephesians 2:2 AMPC (see also Ephesians 2:2 CEV/GNT).

In the context of the preacher’s discourse in Ecclesiastes 8, the one who obeys the king comes to no harm. It is out of our total obedience and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ that He breathes discernment into our hearts (Psalm 25:14, Psalm 33:18) to know both when (time) and what to do (judgment).

We need that discernment now and we should pursue it in total obedience and submission to His will in what He bids us to. We cannot afford to get it wrong in the midst of the multitude of voices in the land and fail in our expected duty as His appearance draws closer.

Photo by Djim Loic on Unsplash