“The one who keeps a commandment does not know an evil thing; a time and a judgment the wise heart will know, because for every matter there is a time and a judgment for the evil of man is great upon him and because he does not know what is to be for that which is to be, who can declare it to him?”

(Ecclesiastes 8:5-7)

How do you know what to do when you are faced with making a decision? Surely, we do not know the end from the beginning…that is God’s purview (Isaiah 46:10). We do not know what tomorrow brings and there is no one who can tell us, for mediums and fortune tellers are an abomination to the Lord (Leviticus 19:31; Isaiah 8:19); they are charlatans and demon followers. So, where are we to turn when making judgments in life?

The only place we can faithfully turn is to the Lord, who is the maker of the heavens and the earth and who has ordained all things that are to take place. How shall we do that? We turn to His Word. Yet, when the word does not give us a clear indication on the decision we are to make, what then? The answer is that if we obey the commandments of the Lord that are found in the Word, then we will not be led into paths of evil. 

True, that is sometimes easier said than done. Nevertheless, that is God’s call upon his people and that is the counsel that Solomon is offering here — obey God’s commands and you will not know the evil thing. A wise man knows the time to act and that time is governed always and eternally by the very word of God. So, study the commandments that you might obey them and then obey them when you are faced with times of decision. Trust the outcome into God’s hands and know that evil will remain far from you.