The Evils of Oppression and Envy

1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. 2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. 4 And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 5 The fool folds his hands and ruins himself. 6 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

Introduction

I wonder if you would agree with me this morning that the world we live in is not at all lacking in expressions and examples of evil.

We can think of the great evils of history… and there are many of them...

Herod the Great – the same Herod the Great of the Bible that slaughtered male children to try and kill Jesus in the process – was definitely an evil ruler. The ancient historian Josephus recorded a good many of his wicked deeds, including killing three of his sons, killing his favorite wife of his ten wives, drowning a high priest, killing his mother-in-law, a few uncles

When the Roman Emperor Nero came to power after his adopted father died, he gradually went on a murderous rampage. First, he killed his mother Agrippina the Younger, and then he killed his first and second wives. Finally, he plotted to burn his whole city down, called the Great Fire of Rome, so he could rebuild it. Then, after it all died down, he blamed the fire on the Christians and had them persecuted, tortured, and killed.

Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq with an iron fist and had conquest on his mind at all times with visions of ruling over a unified Arab Empire. He wantonly invaded Iran and Kuwait, which devastated his army and economy. On his orders, friends, enemies, and relatives were murdered. He had his rivals and their children tortured and raped.

Muammar Gaddafi - As a tyrannical despot of Libya, he did all the things they usually do. He squashed political opposition by making it illegal. He banned private enterprise, freedom of speech, and any unsound books were burned. Despite Libya’s great economic potential, few of his people actually experienced economic prosperity as he squandered most of it on funding terrorist groups. His rule is considered one of the most brutal and totalitarian eras in North African history.

General Idi Amin overthrew the elected official Milton Obote and declared himself president of Uganda in 1971. He launched a ruthless regime for over eight years, expelling 70,000 Asians, massacring 300,000 civilians, and bringing out the economic collapse of the country.

Cambodia, Pol Pot rounded up academics, scientists, teachers, city residents, religious leaders and pretty much anyone educated and put them into concentration camps where they were mass executed. An estimated two million people died of starvation, execution, or disease during 1975 to 1979.

Many, many examples could be given of ruthless and despotic leaders in the world.

Many, many examples could be given of evils that have taken place, and that continue to take place even in our very day in the world.

Well, the world has changed little over the course of time.

And today, we will be looking Solomon’s observation of evil in his own day.

We will consider 2 evils that he saw abounding in his day.

And I trust that we will be suitably challenged to recognise that evil still exists just as much today, but that we will then be driven to the right response, as those who know Christ.

1. The Evil of Oppression (vv.1-3)

1.1. The Evil of Oppression Stated (v.1)

Preliminary Remarks

Begins by saying that he looked again, and "saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun

In all his evaluation of the world, Solomon looks to those who are under this yoke of slavery, and even others who are simply oppressed by others.

He is grieved as he considers all the oppression that he sees around him.

Before we delve into the further words of Solomon regarding the evil of oppression, just a few remarks about oppression itself.

What is it that he's talking about?

In a nutshell, oppression leads to the exploitation of the weak and vulnerable by the strong.

As we look through the Scriptures, we can find numerous examples of those who were oppressed by those who had power over them.

The weak were oppressed...

Psalm 10:2

2 In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

In prophesying to the Shepherds of Israel who were failing in their responsibility, God said through the prophet Ezekiel...

Ezekiel 34:4

4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.

The poor were oppressed...

Proverbs 22:22

22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court,

In pronouncing judgment upon Israel, God said through the prophet Amos...

Amos 2:6–7

6 This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.

7 They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed...

Widows and Orphans were oppressed...

Job 24:3

3 They drive away the orphan’s donkey and take the widow’s ox in pledge.

In Job's day, it was even apparent that children were taken away from their widowed mother due a debt that was owed...

Job 24:9

9 The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; the infant of the poor is seized for a debt.

Isaiah 1:23

23 Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.

Foreigners were oppressed...

Psalm 94:6

6 They slay the widow and the alien; they murder the fatherless.

Jeremiah 22:3

3 This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Ezekiel 22:29

29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice.

Servants were oppressed...

Exodus 1:11

11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

Exodus 3:9

9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.

I need to pause and just bring our minds to our current context.

Oppression exists today...

Every category of oppressed that I've mentioned is around today, and they are nearby... they are not far away.

They live among and around us....

The question is, are we aware of it, and are we sensitive to what is happening?

Note the two things that Solomon sees as he looks at those oppressed.

1.1.1. The Oppressed Shed Many Tears

As Solomon looks on, he says that he "saw the tears of the oppressed..."

Friends, if we've never been in a place of oppression, where undue power is wielded against us, we will struggle to truly understand and perceive the burden that it places on people.

Being under any form of oppression leads to a burden and hurt that is not easily described and conveyed with words.

Tears are a certain reality among those who are oppressed.

Psalm 42:9

9 I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”

Exodus 3:7

7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.

Judges 2:18

18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD had compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them.

Psalm 137:1

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.

The oppressed know what it is to carry a great burden on their shoulders, and very often the sense of hopelessness leads them to tears.

1.1.2. The Oppressed are Powerless

Solomon goes on to say that "...power was on the side of their oppressors..."

This is certainly a reality for those oppressed...

They have very little to no power to defend themselves, or to do much about their circumstances.

And so they are left at the mercy of those in power over them... which mercy very often is greatly limited.

Job 35:9

9 “Men cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.

The reason that the oppressed cry out is because they really have nowhere to go in order to save themselves from their oppressors.

Account of Sarai and Hagar...

Ex.16:6ff and 21:8ff.

Sarai was Abram's wife.

Sarai was Abram's wife, but could not fall pregnant.

Instead of waiting for and trusting in God's power to give them a son, Sarai instead gave her servant to her husband as a concubine / wife...

When Hagar became pregnant, and had a son, Sarai treated her harshly.

As a servant, she had no power... and eventually she ran away from her master due to the burden.

Jacob and Laban

This takes place in a "work" context...

Genesis 31:39

39 I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night

Again, Jacob had little power, until he ended up running away...

There are many examples in the Scriptures of this oppression, and the powerlesness of those being oppressed.

Even the nation Israel, on various occasions, was oppressed.

In that context that had a sense of utter powerlessness.

I'm convinced that we need to have proper empathy as Christians if we're going to be a sound witness for Christ to those who find themselves in such a situation.

Additional Remarks

Well, that is the oppression that was taking place...

What we need to realise further is that besides the actual pain of the oppression, the tears it caused, the sense of hopelessness due to having no power...

There was a further challenge as Solomon saw things...

For each of these statements on the oppressed, Solomon follows up with another statement: "...and they have no comforter..."

Besides being oppressed, Solomon says that these oppressed have no person to comfort them.

I will come back later to consider this statement more fully.

At this stage, we need to recognise the hopelessness that is experienced by those oppressed, and the fact that without relationship with God, there is no comfort.

This leads Solomon to draw a conclusion regarding those oppressed...

1.2. The Escape of Death (v.2)

Ecclesiastes 4:2

2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.

Solomon's answer to this is almost an enviousness over those who are dead...

They've gone through this life... they've had their share of oppression, and they are now blessed that they no longer need to endure it!

That's the response....

When Job's life was oppressed by Satan, this is the kind of reponse that He gave...

Consider Job 3:11–26

Job 3:11–13

11 “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?

12 Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed?

13 For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest

Have you ever been so burdened in life, that you considered those who are dead to be better off than you?!

That's a real low point in life!

1.3. The Misfortune of Life (v.3)

But Solomon goes even a step further...

Ecclesiastes 4:3

3 But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

In other words, rather don't even be born into this world, because such is the trouble that you will face.

Solomon speaks as though he is envious of those who are not yet born...

The reason: because the evil under the sun is so great.

The extent of the sin that entered into the world through Adam is extreme!!

Sin is not some small thing that is barely significant.

Sin is a terrible, terrible reality that has resulted in untold pain and suffering in the world....

Let us never underestimate the ugliness of sin!

1.4. Bringing God's Light to bear on Oppression

1.4.1. To those who have power

We've already seen that God is opposed to oppression

But note further two important points...

1.4.1.1 God Warns the oppressor

Jeremiah 7:5–7

5 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly,

6 if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm,

7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever.

1.4.1.2 God condemns the oppressor

Psalm 72:4 - "He will crush the oppressor"

Isaiah 10:1–3

1 Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees,

2 to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.

3 What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches?

Further comments.

As with any abuse of what God has entrusted, there will be a day of reckoning.

This must be a warning for anyone who holds a position of power or authority over another.

Any abuse of power, any abuse of authority over another, as an afront to God, and is a reckless use of the power untrusted to you by God.

We must remember that any power that we have in this life is delegated power.

God is the one who holds ultimate power...

Any power, and strength that we have comes from His hand.

The question then is how are we using that power?

Are we using that power wisely, in a God-honouring manner?

1.4.2. To those who are powerless

1.4.2.1. God will show mercy

Psalm 103:6

6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

1 Samuel 2:8

8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; upon them he has set the world.

1.4.2.2. God will defend

Psalm 72:4

4 He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.

Deuteronomy 10:18

18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.

Psalm 9:9

9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

1.4.2.3. God will delivery

Psalm 35:10

10 My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, O LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.”

Psalm 107:6

6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

Proverbs 20:22

22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

1.4.3. Oppression is mainly spiritual / sin related

We cannot merely see things in terms of physical world.

We must recognise that oppression is caused by sin!!

Oppression is a result of sin in the world.

But we must also realise that oppression in its most important dimension is a spiritual matter.

Man is deceived in sinfulness, and there is a power that holds sway of the life of a person.

The only hope for deliverance from this power is the Gospel.

We need to proclaim the Gospel, and live the Gospel to enjoy this freedom!

2. The Evil of Envy (vv.4-6)

2.1. The Evil of Envy (v.4)

Solomon now considers another evil that takes place under the sun.

It is the evil of envy...

Particularly, envy being the driving force behind achievement and work in the world.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

4 And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

2.1.1. The pervasiveness of envy

As Solomon observes, he realises just the extent of envy.

He understands that such a great extent of man's achievement, mans drive forward, comes out of envy, or a sense of needing to be greater than others, or to do better than others.

Instead of man cooperating with one another, and working together towards a common goal, instead there is fighting and disunity.

Galatians 5:19–21

19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;

20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions

21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

2.1.2. Examples of Envy

Cain envied Abel (Gen.4:3-5)

Esau envied Jacob (Ge.27:41)

Rachel envied Leah (Ge.30:1)

The Brothers envied Joseph (Ge.37:4)

Consider David and Solomon (1 Samuel 18:9 etc.)

The New International Version (1984) Saul’s Jealousy of David

9 And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

2.1.3. Results of Envy

Job 5:2

2 Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.

James 3:14–16

14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

2.1.4. The Author of Envy

What was it that brought about the fall of Satan?

His pride... the envy that he had of God's power and rule.

What was it that brought about the destruction of man...

The idea that he could be like God.

In a sense, there is a form of envy in that...

As Solomon considers the world around him, he sees that this envy is what drives people in their work.

They are essentially living a life of hatred towards one another.

Today is much the same!

Example of work...

HR issues in every day life.

How often don't I see people envious of others...

They will set each other up to get into trouble.

They'll treat each other nastily...

They'll threaten those who are going to succeed above them.

One man that I spoke to, and was wanting to help to grow and develop, suddenly had an about-turn and didn't want to be trained further...

Turned out others were envious of him, and he didn't want the friction that came with developing when others would look down on him... threaten him...

2.2. The Ruin of a Fool (v.5)

Having spoken of the evil of envy, driving much of people at work, Solomon will now consider an alternative...

Ecclesiastes 4:5

5 The fool folds his hands and ruins himself.

Standing in opposition to a craze-filled, envy-driven motivation of work, is laziness, where there is no work.

In a world in which envy is the norm, you sometimes get the man who just doesn't care, and so he sits back and does nothing.

Or perhaps envy, and despair from trying and the failing, leads a person to give up on trying to do work.

This is ultimately the escapist route...

But Solomon absolutely correct in saying that such a person is a fool.

A fool folds his hand... and the end result of that fool will be destruction for him.

Proverbs 6:6–11

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!

7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,

8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—

11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

Proverbs 12:24

24 Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

Proverbs 15:19

19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.

While envy seems to drive most of those at work, the answer is not to become a sluggard, and so sit and do nothing, and ultimately come to ruin.

2.3. The Wisdom of Work in Moderation (v.6)

Rather, there is a better alternative, according to Solomon.

Ecclesiastes 4:6

6 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

Here was a man whose life was balanced: he was productive in his work, but he was also careful to take time for quietness.

He did not run in the rat race, but neither did he try to run away from the normal responsibilities of life.

How many people today are caught in the rat race and don’t know how to escape?

The question is, why have both hands full of profit if that profit costs you your peace of mind and possibly your health?

Better to have gain in one hand and quietness in the other.

When a heart is controlled by envy and rivalry, life becomes one battle after another (James 3:13–4:4, and see Prov. 15:16).

Paul’s instructions about money in 1 Timothy 6 is applicable here, especially verse 6, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

The industrious man thinks that money will bring him peace, but he has no time to enjoy it. The idle man thinks that doing nothing will bring him peace, but his life-style only destroys him.

The integrated man enjoys both his labor and the fruit of his labor and balances toil with rest. You can take what you want from life, but you must pay for it.

Proverbs 14:30

30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Application / Conclusion

The solution: Love

We are to love God and love our neighbour.

Both oppression and envy stand in direct opposition to the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The imperative: Gospel Proclamation

There is no cure for the evils of oppression, envy, or any other relational disharmony or disunity than a radically transformed heart.

The only thing that will bring peace between people, is when people are at peace with God, and thus at peace with each other.

The only way for this to happen is a regenerated heart.

We can bring comfort to the oppressed...the church ought to be comforting those who are oppressed.

Primarily through Gospel proclamation

If you just think through some Scriptures, and the commands that God gives to Christians and how we should live our lives, if we lived like that, what a radically different place society would be.

At the very least, what a radically different place the church would be, and those places where Christians work and interact with society would be.

This is about being salt and light...

John 13:34–35 NIV84

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Romans 12:16 NIV84

16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Romans 13:8 NIV84

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

Romans 14:19 NIV84

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Romans 15:7 NIV84

7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Galatians 5:26 NIV84

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Ephesians 4:2 NIV84

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:32 NIV84

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

1 Peter 5:5 NIV84

5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

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