Jesus Revealed in Doctrine WISDOM FROM THE WISEST MAN
Remember now thy Creator in the days of the youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. Eccl. 12:1.
King Solomon was known as the wisest man who ever lived. He came to the throne before he was 18. He hauled in gold from Ophir, and silver from the mines in Spain. He imported precious stones and spices from Arabia, and ivory from India. Ten thousand people ate at his table every day. His fleets brought in resources from foreign shores amounting to $10 million annually. The queen of Sheba came to see his kingdom for herself, and when she left she said that the half had not been told. Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs--and he had to be old enough to die before he knew enough to live!
Near the end of his life he said, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter." Are you interested in what the wisest man who ever lived had to say as to the conclusion of the whole business? He had learned from God and from the school of hard knocks. Here is his conclusion: "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).
Notice the sequence. Fear God, and keep His commandments. Of course, this is talking about something more than just being afraid of God. Respect God. Hold Him in awe for who He is, our Creator. This is what Solomon was talking about. God had been very patient with Solomon. He should have been dumped from the throne as far as our standards are concerned. Have you ever studied some of his debauchery during the time that he rebelled? He tried to pack in all the so-called pleasures of this life, but they turned sour. He discovered that he could not keep the commandments without putting God first.
The problem that we all have with the Ten Commandments is that there is no power there. Have you found that out? Jesus' wisdom is revealed there, and the great lawmakers of all times have been unable to improve on the Ten Commandments. But there is no power in the law itself. The law reveals to us our need of a Saviour. It points us to Christ. It is in Christ that we find pardon and the power to fulfill all the demands of the law.
Remember now thy Creator in the days of the youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. Eccl. 12:1.
King Solomon was known as the wisest man who ever lived. He came to the throne before he was 18. He hauled in gold from Ophir, and silver from the mines in Spain. He imported precious stones and spices from Arabia, and ivory from India. Ten thousand people ate at his table every day. His fleets brought in resources from foreign shores amounting to $10 million annually. The queen of Sheba came to see his kingdom for herself, and when she left she said that the half had not been told. Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs--and he had to be old enough to die before he knew enough to live!
Near the end of his life he said, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter." Are you interested in what the wisest man who ever lived had to say as to the conclusion of the whole business? He had learned from God and from the school of hard knocks. Here is his conclusion: "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).
Notice the sequence. Fear God, and keep His commandments. Of course, this is talking about something more than just being afraid of God. Respect God. Hold Him in awe for who He is, our Creator. This is what Solomon was talking about. God had been very patient with Solomon. He should have been dumped from the throne as far as our standards are concerned. Have you ever studied some of his debauchery during the time that he rebelled? He tried to pack in all the so-called pleasures of this life, but they turned sour. He discovered that he could not keep the commandments without putting God first.
The problem that we all have with the Ten Commandments is that there is no power there. Have you found that out? Jesus' wisdom is revealed there, and the great lawmakers of all times have been unable to improve on the Ten Commandments. But there is no power in the law itself. The law reveals to us our need of a Saviour. It points us to Christ. It is in Christ that we find pardon and the power to fulfill all the demands of the law.
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