A CHAPTER BY CHAPTER STUDY OF THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES......CHAPTER 12
"OBEY THE LORD, KEEP HIS COMMANDS"
The world, including most western Christians, live as though they have a special dispensation from God to act, say, believe and live as they want. They believe there will be no repercussions to anything that they do! They believe that as long as they "are not hurting anyone" they can do just whatever they deem fit. They remove the Ten Commandments from not just the public square, but their own hearts. But when they do that, is the Law of God really gone?
This self deception has extended itself to "McFaith" -they also think they can believe whatever they wish, as long as "they are sincere" about it! What they will discover on Judgment Day, before the Great White Throne of God, they were sincerely wrong! God has written, in indelible ink, His Law in the hearts of ALL mankind from Adam in the Garden until the End of Time. That includes the native in a Jungle who has never seen or heard of Jesus! The gist of this message, in this final of the twelve Plumbline series on Ecclesiastes, is found in the passage from Verses 9-14. God will bring every single thought and word and deed into Judgment. The only person who will escape are those who have not just said they were Christians but actually BORN AGAIN. The rest will have their mouths shut with no response, before Eternal Separation. How do people avoid this? Well, fear the Lord, keep His Commands and then accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
Ecclesiastes 12
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Remember God in Your Youth
12 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”; 2 before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; 3 in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and those who look through [a]windows grow dim; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will [b]sing softly. 5 Furthermore, [c]men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street. 6 Remember Him before the silver cord is [d]broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the [e]spirit will return to God who gave it. 8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”
Purpose of the Preacher
9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.11 The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like [f]well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the [g]writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotionto books is wearying to the body.
13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
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