Ecclesiastes 3:17, commentary and pictures

God will judge both the righteous and the wicked, because a set time is appointed for every purpose and every work. It is spoken where human judgment is perverted and wickedness stands in the place of justice, but unlike human courts God's judgment is without partiality or mistake and will complete His plan. The set time for every purpose and work means the judgment occupies a period of time in which every case is examined personally, individually and in order, including motives, secret things and how each moment of life was used. The righteous are judged as truly as the wicked, for their records must be examined to show repentance and overcoming before their sins are blotted out and they are counted worthy of resurrection to immortality. That appointed judgment is future and certain, beginning before Christ comes, at the end of the 2300-year prophecy in 1844 when the investigative judgment began in heaven just before He returns to reward those accounted worthy.

Words and Injustice Context

God shall judge both the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. The saying is spoken where human affairs are perverted and wickedness can occupy the place where judgment, justice and righteousness should be. Unlike human courts, which may treat people unfairly and let wickedness prevail, God's judgment is free from partiality, mistakes and injustice. While this perversion lasts the regular cycles of life described earlier in the chapter continue, but God's judgment will bring His plan to completion, whereas human plans remain incomplete.

In its wider setting with verses 18-21, the statement that man hath no pre-eminence over beasts concerns mortal life in which both die. Both man and beast share present mortality in death. This shared present mortality does not deny a future resurrection for human beings, since the comparison concerns their present life and death.

Judgment Process and Purpose

The phrase for every purpose and for every work means the judgment occupies a period of time rather than occurring in a single moment. Adequate, well-ordered time must be given to consider every purpose and every work directly done, and also what was indirectly wrought upon the lives and purposes of others. Because every person's motives and life work must be examined in detail, including hidden things brought to light in their proper order, the judgment cannot be hurried. It is therefore more than a simple division into two groups, since it examines each person's deeds, including forgotten words and secret actions.

The judgment allows time for each case to be considered personally and individually, without confusion or disorder. Every person has a case before God and will give account to Him, and the great number of cases causes Him no confusion or difficulty. Every moment of life will be scrutinized at the final bar and how it was employed examined before a just decision is made, which requires adequate records and a well-defined system of operation because eternal destinies hang on its decisions.

The examination scrutinizes motives and conduct after the time of trial has ended, to determine whether each person has met the test. It brings to light motives and secret sins known only to God, hidden things, forgotten words, secret actions, and every moment of life and how it was employed. This extended time is not needed because God lacks knowledge or needs books to judge, for He already knows every heart and secret motive. The record is opened and the impartial records kept by holy angels are examined so that angels and people, including the relatives of the lost and minds made immortal, can see that His decisions are just and that He has done all things well, and all will recognize His judgments as true and righteous, vindicating His justice forever.

The righteous are judged as truly as the wicked. They must render an account of their sins and their record must be examined before it can be blotted from the heavenly record, to show that they have repented, confessed, forsaken and overcome. No record can be blotted out before it has been examined in judgment, and the Father counts a person worthy of having sins blotted out only after overcoming is shown. Through their High Priest their cases are presented before the Father, who accepts the evidence of their overcoming, counts them worthy, pronounces them just, and blots out their sins. This judgment of the righteous declares them worthy of the resurrection to immortality, proceeding individually from the earliest generation of the righteous to the last. The judgment day was appointed from the beginning, but it comes only when God's work is complete.

Appointed Time and Application

The judgment is future and certain, for God will judge both the righteous and the wicked. It has a specific, definite appointed time and period set apart for its work. In that time every person's case will be judged. That appointed judgment begins before Christ's coming and the resurrection, rather than taking place only at that moment. The righteous dead are judged and found worthy before Christ comes, when their sins are blotted out as their cases are presented before the Father through their High Priest and they are declared just and worthy of the resurrection to immortality.

The judgment is connected with Christ's second coming to determine everyone's destiny and vindicate God's character. It will address every work, including in the events at the end of the thousand years, even though the Bible does not give every detail of those events. A set time for the judgment to begin is to be distinguished from a definite date for Christ's second coming, which God has not revealed. That appointed time for judgment is 1844, at the end of the 2300-year prophecy. In 1844 the investigative judgment began in the courts of heaven, after the close of all definite prophetic time and just before Christ comes in the clouds of heaven to reward those accounted worthy with resurrection from the dead.

In this investigative judgment time is given first for the cases of the house of God. As on the yearly day of atonement atonement was made only for the children of Israel, because only those who by confession had transferred their sins to the sanctuary could come into its cleansing, so Christ's cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary is for those whose names have been recorded in the Lamb's book of life. Because God will in time judge the righteous and the wicked, His future justice gives hope when people suffer unjust treatment and human authorities fail to protect them. A person is blessed when willing to endure an unjust sentence rather than violate conscience and do wrong. The principle that every purpose and work has its proper time means each event should be judged by its character, purpose, spirit, motive and actions.

An event aimed only at indulgent amusement differs from one showing kindness, supporting the needy or expressing genuine friendship. Surprise parties that help people in need are good, and some less beneficial ones may still be harmless and help overcome cold formality.