No Righteous Man Under the Sun

Rev. Joel Heckmann, pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Okarche, OK, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ecclesiastes 7:15-29. Solomon sees that the righteous man still dies and that the wicked man may live long. At the same time, Solomon still recognizes that the fear of God is a necessity, because there is no one who has righteousness of his own. As Solomon has looked for wisdom in this life, he knows that it remains far from humanity in our sin. Folly is far more common, for man often seeks after his own schemes rather than the righteousness of God. “Wisdom for Life Under the Sun” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon’s favorite word in Ecclesiastes paints a bleak picture: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!” Apart from God, life is nothing but vapor that does not last and can never be grasped. Yet Solomon does not leave us in despair. He shows us that life does have meaning in the faith and fear of God, from whom all things come to us as a gift.