The Conclusion Of The Whole Matter

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

I was talking to Bro Paul Howell the other day and he quoted from this passage of Scripture.

My mind and study was in preparing a message for the spiritual battle. What better way to battle then to know the whole duty of our human existence. When we know the whole duty of man then it answers all the questions.

The entirety of this book is focused on Solomon, it is basically an autobiography of Solomon who, for much of his life, squandered God’s blessings on his own personal pleasure rather than God’s glory.he wrote this to warn coming generations of this tragic error.

Solomon’s searching and experience led him to view of life, in regards to the curse of the earth and humanity that we are all just chasing the wind.

He begins the book in verse 2 with Ecclesiastes 1:1-3 “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?”

The Hebrew word translated “vanity” expresses the futile attempt to be satisfied apart from God.

One writer wrote: “All earthly goals and ambitions when pursued as ends in themselves produce only emptiness.”

The fall of man and the subsequent curse that followed has made life on this earth of no value as far as eternity is concerned.

Satan has taken that and ran with it, deceiving humanity that the earthly goals and ambitions hold eternal value.

They do not, Solomon declares that they are an empty life!

This is basically the idea......... “One who looks to be satisfied apart from God will live with uselessness/emptiness regardless of their accumulations.”

Solomon did this for a time, but had discernment that revealed to him that this life “Everything under the sun....” is vanity/empty (has no value without God).

So, this brings us to the closing of this chapter........... “The whole duty of man”

This is the conclusion of Solomon’s search for earthly value..........This search produced the whole duty of humanity.

The KJV adds the word “duty” to this conclusion, it is not in the original manuscript.

The translators would do this sometimes to help the reader understand, but in this case if we leave it alone it says: “The whole of man.”

This really strengthens the text........This is the complete existence of man!

Every man and every woman are God’s creation whether they believe or reject Him.

When the earth is done, every man and woman will return to Him!

The whole of humanity then, is to “fear God and keep His commandments”

The responsibility of every human is unto God their Creator!

That responsibility carries a lot of weight, especially to a fallen life!

However, the whole of man is just as true today as it was in the OT.

Every humans will stand before God and He will judge, no one will be excused, everything will be exposed before God, everything that is good and evil!

How are we doing, with fearing God and keeping His commandments???????

Not very good....Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Thankfully,........1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”

Jesus became the “Whole Of Man” for us......not excusing sin and definitely not continuing to live in sin, but to call us out of our depravity and to follow Christ!

Jesus is the life lived unto God!

John 6:38 “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”

Our desire then should be to fear God and keep His commands and the only way we can is to see Jesus and follow Him!

Jesus kept what we cannot and He died for what we cannot!

So, the whole of humanity is found in Jesus Christ!

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He (God) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, Who (Jesus) knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus).”

Now, let’s bring this to a close......1 Corinthians 1:26-31..........

Let me read in the NASB translation...... “26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

The whole of man is to live unto God, we have failed because of the curse (the fall), Solomon saw this emptiness and despair!

Now, praise God.....we have Jesus Christ......the new life gained in Jesus makes us righteous, set apart for God, and redeemed before God!

To the outside world or to a mind fixed on this world, following Christ is not wise, mighty, noble.....

What the world deems foolish, weak, and base/worthless will be what ultimately shames the world when they stand before God.........

Because, what man could not do, God did through Jesus Christ, therefore man has no reason to boast........we as believers boast in the Lord!

The conclusion of the matter: Every humans will stand before God and He will judge, no one will be excused, everything will be exposed before God, everything that is good and evil!

Our responsibility here is to live unto God....fear Him and keep His commands......

I feel like this needs to be said....... God is pure, holy, undefiled, nothing that is defiled will be able to live in His presence, Nothing and NO one!

This is why this is the whole of man..........this is why I love Colossians 3:3 “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

It is no longer I that live but Christ lives in me and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me!!!

Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Lastly, what does this mean for our living? One writer wrote this about the entire book of Ecclesiastes: “This book shows that if one perceives each day of existence, labor, and basic provision as a gift from God, and accepts whatever God gives, then that person lives an abundant life......however, if one looks to live be satisfied apart from God will live with futility regardless of their accumulations.”

Jesus said this.......John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

This is a life lived unto God! That life of abundance is not solely based on the by-products of grace, but on God Himself!

The whole of man, therefore is this....Colossians 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”