“THE END OF THE MATTER”
(Ecclesiastes 10:1—12:14)
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. – Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
King Solomon summed up his life of extravagance this way: “I got whatever I wanted and did whatever made me happy” (Eccl. 2:10). You would expect that the next thing he would say is how satisfying life was. However, the main theme of his end of life journal is, “everything is emptiness.” The man who had everything was never satisfied. Solomon’s final words of wisdom and counsel is simple: “…all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments.”
- Take God Seriously.
Fear God. Respect Him. Honor Him. This is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). The great preacher and author, Oswald Chambers, wrote, “The remarkable thing about fearing God is that, when you fear God, you fear nothing else; whereas, if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.” - Take God’s Word Seriously.
Keep His commandments. Know them. Revere them. Love them. That was the heart of the Psalmist when he wrote, “I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love” (Ps. 119:47).
Why? Because a judgment day is coming that we will all face (v. 14). Take heed from the wisdom of Solomon. The conclusion of the matter is that life’s ultimate purpose is not wrapped up in “life under the sun.” We must look higher.
Application:
- Remember life is short and earthly pursuits are fleeting. We must focus on eternal things. Our fear and reverence of God should permeate all aspects of life and influence our decisions and behavior.
- Commit to obedient living, understanding and following God’s commandments, not as burdensome rules, but as pathways to a righteous, abundant life.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, teach me to fear You which will lead me to obedience and love. Help me to keep your commands and make them the foundation of my daily life. May my actions, words, and thoughts align with Your will and bring glory to Your name. Amen.
About our Author
John A Pra was born and raised in Queens, NY and has lived almost all of his life in the metropolitan area. After graduating from Bible college (now University of Valley Forge) he entered into full-time pastoral ministry. John and his wife, Diana, have been living in Carlstadt since 1990, pastoring Cornerstone Church and now at Transformation Life Church since 2022.
John and Diana have been married for 39 years and have three children and one granddaughter (who owns them). Besides loving time spent with family, he enjoys sports, reading, travel, and the golf course.
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