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Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. – Ecclesiastes 12:12
It is a scary proposition to trust the words of a man…
Solomon says that there is no end to the number of different ideas men will invent. You can read and study for hours on end and never exhaust the full store of human knowledge.
Man in himself can never come up with anything that will take the place of the Bible.
As Charles Wesley put it, “A Bible is not a book that a man could write it if he would write it and he wouldn’t write it if he could write it.” Only God can tell where the Savior came from and know the future.
The climax of the book is found in verse 13.
Hebrews says, “This is the whole of man”:
- Fear God
- Know the Bible
- Do what it says
This is the essence of what a human should be.
The Westminster fellows included this idea in the heart of the Westminster Confession: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
God made you to know Him as the foundation for everything else in your life. On the basis of your intimate relationship with Him, get a job, get married, have kids, and build a life. But every aspect of your life should be bound together by the common theme of your faith and dependence on God.
You can’t study marriage to learn about marriage. Study God. Then you can know marriage as He gave it. You can’t study who you are by looking at you. Look at God, and then you can learn what He made you to be. You can’t learn about kids by studying kids. Study God and learn what He says about them.
All of life falls apart when we don’t know God. How do we know God? We know God through His Word. He reveals Himself to us in it. He transforms us from the inside out with it.
In verse 14, Solomon closes with the idea that only God and His Word are eternal. All of us will give an account to Him.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. – Ecclesiastes 12:14
The Bible can sometimes seem overwhelming. But the entire Bible was written to bring you to one point. The purpose of the Old Testament was to show the need for the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Gospels—the first four books of the New Testament—explain who He is. The Book of Acts shows you the power of His message. The Epistles—Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and all the way through Jude—explain exactly what He did and how we should live. The Book of Revelation tells us that He’s coming back.
The purpose of the Bible is to bring you to the person prophesied in the Old Testament, embodied in the Gospels, explained in the Epistles, and anticipated in Revelation—Jesus Christ.
Solomon’s conclusion gets to the heart of the matter. In a crazy, uncertain life, there has to be a source of wisdom that does not change and is never wrong. God has given us that wisdom in His holy Word. It’s our task to love it, learn it, and live it. If we do, we’ll find the joy that our souls have always longed for.
Parting Thoughts from Pastor Tommy Nelson
Timeless Principles from Ecclesiastes
Solomon shows us what wisdom looks like in the Book of Ecclesiastes.
1. Learn about God and obey Him.
The Bible is our only reliable source for knowing God. In the New Testament, there are 1,934 verses that quote the words of Jesus. Almost ten percent of these contain an Old Testament quotation or allusion. Jesus knew the Word of God.
If you will devote yourself to Scripture, you will become more like Christ.
2. Don’t assume that because you obey Him no bad thing can happen to you.
Even when bad things happen, they are still under the complete control of God.
Jesus, in the midst of His suffering, Jesus knew who was in control. We see this when He says, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). Even in His moment of agony, Jesus recognized that ultimately His sufferings were sifted through the kind hands of God. That’s why He could then say, “Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit” (Luke 23:46).
3. When bad does happen, you rest in a good God.
When bad things happen, be careful to watch your attitude toward God.
In all the suffering that Jesus endured, He never grumbled against God. Even in His greatest hour of struggle, His words to His Father show respect: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39).
G. Campbell Morgan used to say that the mists of our today will be cleared up by the brightness of God’s tomorrow. You rest in Him.
4. While resting in a controlling God, you stay poised.
Hold your course by “doing what’s right.” Maintain poise, even in hard times.
5. While poised, you live boldly.
Don’t wait for God to reveal your future; obey God and follow your heart.
Jesus walked confidently into the future. He was absolutely certain of the Father’s love. He knew that He loved the Father with His whole heart. So He followed His desires and let the chips fall where they may.
If you die, die well.
6. Don’t worry about things you can’t control, but enjoy your life today.
Smell the roses.
Bad things happen to everyone, not just those who don’t have enough faith.
Jesus had more faith than anyone. His relationship with the Father was one of perfect dependence and trust. Yet Jesus had bad things happen to Him.
The world has been broken by sin, and bad things happen just because we live in a broken world.
Of all people, Christians should have the most authentic fun.
New Testament verse record events that happened during only fifty-two days of the life of Christ. During those fifty-two days, He was accused six times of eating and drinking with outcasts or of having too much fun. Jesus had a pure enjoyment of people and life.
Jesus had fun because His life overflowed from His relationship with the Father.
We have to do the right things and let the chips fall where they may.
Jesus was courageous in the face of difficulty. He walked by faith in His Father and didn’t let circumstances dictate His actions. He never wavered in His faith.
God will determine the outcome. It’s our job to walk faithfully with Him along the way.
In a world that redefines truth every day, God’s Word provides a foundation that cannot be shaken. It’s a great place to build a life.
So be like Jesus and follow the wisdom of Solomon. Enjoy life. Trust God. And live for His glory.