The events unfolding daily particularly in our clime is sufficient to trip even a true child of God. Practically every week, there is one financial scandal or another, the recent sad event of the explosion in the heart of Ibadan caused the loss of lives is an example. If you focus too much on this, you may not escape the unpalatable, murmuring and complaining! This is where the recorded wisdom of Solomon comes to view. Our scripture text reads:

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them. Moreover, the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field. He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them; So, what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes? The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep. Ecclesiastes 5:8-12 (NKJV)

**No doubt, Solomon wants to help us with this spiritual struggle. He uses money as his main illustration because everybody easily relates to it. However, he does not introduce the subject of money until Ecclesiastes 5:10. Instead, he writes of social injustice within the worldly system we live and function in. Why? Because the system itself is a constant source of distraction through its constant barrage of news reports in which we hear of social injustice. Most often, the poor are its targets.

Solomon cautions us not to be astonished by the vanity of all this injustice, but at the same time, he wants us to be aware of it. He does this in verse 8 by mentioning “a high official watches over a high official, and higher officials are over them.” He seems to be saying that from bottom to top, the entire system is corrupt; every stratum of the culture struggles to make its way by taking advantage of others. Nevertheless, none of this injustice is an excuse for us to involve ourselves in the “everybody’s doing it” routine and sin too.

A key to understanding what Solomon is driving at is the word translated “watches.” In Hebrew, the term can be used either positively or negatively. Positively, a person watches to protect or help, and negatively, he may have circumstances under surveillance to gain personal advantage from them. The present context is negative. Solomon is still describing the self-centered attitudes of those “working” the system. Like their political leaders, ordinary citizens also greedily watch to gain the best and most for themselves. Their approach is not to serve and share. Verse 9 confirms that this self-centered attitude goes all the way to the top—to the king. He, too, is served by the corrupt system.**Taken from Bible Study Tools

So beloved why are you amazed and will fall victim to a system that is rigged against the righteous? In Ecclesiastes 4:6, Solomon summarizes how to avoid the influence of the corruption. The answer lies in rightly facing the sinful drives that urge us to follow the world in its evil quests. Those living by faith will face the pulls of the corruption and endeavor to resist them as they strive to live above-the-sin live by faith. They will value contentment over grasping for more.

**God has deemed it our responsibility to prepare for His Kingdom by overcoming, growing, and being loyal to Him and His way within such a circumstance as Solomon describes in these last few verses. Our hope is promised in Isaiah 9:6-7.

The solution to this present evil world is on the horizon, but it will not come until Jesus Christ is here with us on earth. God has willed that we must deal with the corrupt and unjust system that now is, looking forward in hope to the relief of Christ’s return. **Taken from Bible Study Tools

Selah.

Pastor Afolabi Oladele