The Conclusion Of The Whole Matter
One of the highlights of every day that I live is to spend a portion of it in the company of wise men and women. I do this in person, but predominantly I spend time with them in the form of the written or spoken word.
This morning I’m spending it in the company of one of the wisest men who ever lived upon planet earth. He was a king. His name was Solomon, and he has written some powerful words that have been recorded so that I can learn from him in the 21st century.
Through the book of Ecclesiastes he calls many things that we strive for throughout our lives as vanity – with no real lasting effect. In his words, ‘Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.’ But I always like to read the end of books, and at the end of this book he concludes with ‘ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.’ Eccl 12:13,14
Throughout the ages, men and women have battled with this conclusion. But simple logic states that if the wisest man who ever lived on the face of the earth came to this ultimate conclusion, then doesn’t it make sense to follow those directives.
Here they are again:
Fear God and keep his commandments.
Why?
- For this is the whole duty of man
- For God shall bring every work into judgment
- And every secret thing will be judged – good and evil
Now that’s true wisdom, and that’s the conclusion of the whole matter.
