The Ministry and Limits of Human Government

As this third section of Ecclesiastes wraps up with its carpe diem statement in 8:15, Qoheleth has increased the complexity of his initial conclusions that God blesses the righteous and leaves the unrighteous in vanity (2:26). In chapters 5-8 we see that justice does not always appear in this lifetime. In chapter 8, kings (government) are given by God to mitigate evil in this life, but even the best king cannot prevent evil. Some kings even become evil. The wise person approaches governmental issues with submissiveness, wisdom and joy.