Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The cradle represents our entry point into this world and the grave represents our exit point, and thus, whatsoever you do in between those two points will ultimately determine your eternal destiny, and the legacy that you will leave behind.
Our first passage deals with the bottom line in life as to what our eternal destiny will be, and this, coming from a man who has tasted and witnessed firsthand many years of chasing after the wind, he now sums up the true meaning of life, with the hope that folks who come after, will consider carefully what they do between the entry and exit points.
Time flies so fast, for it seems as if it was just a few years ago when we were young and spritely without a care in the world. But as persons leave the cradle, life begins to take its toll on mind, heart, and body.
There are times when in the earlier years of our life experience, if we got injured, we would heal quickly and if we suffered broken bones the joints would be quickly reconstituted and healed. But as the years go by it takes longer to recuperate from injuries and the bones and sinews, do not respond as readily, as in former years.
That’s because, as we all head to the downside of the mountain, we grow old, and we’ll find ourselves becoming less and less resilient physically and thus, before you know it the teenage and the young adult years are behind us.
The wise man also mentions the fact that a gradual deterioration of the human frame is inevitable, no matter how hard, and how long you exercise, and train. Sooner or later all of us will have to come to grips with this inevitable fact, and because there is no escaping it, we would do well to consider what we do between the entry and exit points.
Hence, in retrospect, and after deep soul searching and evaluation of the true meaning of life, Solomon strongly advises us to do all we can, to serve God in the earlier years of our experience, for the tenor of the Bible is for folks to do the most amount of good for the longest time possible, before the inevitable comes knocking at your door.
Consider carefully what God is saying to the you and me in the here and now, especially to the youth who may often think of themselves as invincible. Sooner, or later, the gradual, and the eventual deterioration of the mental and physical faculties which you see in your parents, and other elderly folk, will be coming your way. So, consider carefully. Let’s read:
Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.
3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened.
5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goes to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.
6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
With these fundamentals, and inescapable facts in mind, the legacy that persons leave behind is what makes all the difference in life. If, after you carefully consider, and understand what Solomon is saying it is your choice and desire to do the most amount of good for the kingdom of God, for the longest time possible, then you may chart a course that would be productive of much good.
And if by the grace of God, you were to avoid some of the major pitfalls and failures along the way, you can leave a legacy of faithfulness and service behind so that the next generation could follow.
All the life experiences that are written in the Bible, with the victories, and failures of some of the best who have ever lived, are written so that folks might make choices that are commensurate with a humble and teachable spirit. We will take three examples to demonstrate what is being said so that persons may reach their fullest potential in the few years we have on this planet.
We begin with Abraham, who was called by God to go to a land that he would be shown. That call was a call to service, and even though he did make a few missteps along the way, Abraham found redemption in Christ, and he was able by the grace of God to do much good between his entry and exit points.
The Lord did not call him, first and foremost to leave a legacy of worldly wealth and secular achievements for although he was blessed with material things, he used these to build up God’s kingdom tremendously and by doing so, he left behind a legacy of service in godly things so that his life, for the most part was a blessing to the world.
Similarly, with us, even though God may bless us in the temporal realm, our main focus in life should be the building up of God’s kingdom upon the earth so that it could be said of you, that you did the most amount of good for the longest time possible.
The perspectives and purposes in life that are dearly cherished in the secular mind, are on the opposite end of the spectrum to God’s ideal. A great man, as far as the world is concerned, is one who has made it in life, who has probably invented good things, or may have been a great philosopher or scientist.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with these pursuits and achievements, if they are not applied in the building up of God’s kingdom, they fall short of the godly ideals set forth by Solomon in our first passages.
Abraham was very blessed materially, but he did not allow the temporal benefits to outweigh the eternal pursuits, which ought to be the focus of every true Christian. As we observe, and study his legacy, you will see that at every turn, and at every opportunity he got his one purpose was to build up the kingdom of God, and to lead as many persons to Christ as he possibly could, before his exit point. Let’s read:
Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee.
5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
7 And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, unto thy seed will I give this land: and there he built an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he built an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.
Genesis 13: 18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.
Genesis 22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
Question: Why is Abraham building an altar to God everywhere he goes? He is doing so because he has his priorities in the right order and thus, wherever he goes, the first thing he does is not to secure houses and lands, nor start up new investments, nor would you find Abraham betting on Kalshi or Polymarket, because his singular purpose in life is to build up God’s kingdom on the earth, for the longest time possible.
Whenever the remnant people of God may move to a new location, like faithful Abraham they should be earnestly seeking out a place where they can build an altar to The Lord, meaning that their singular aim and their highest purpose in life is to build up God’s kingdom upon the earth.
Some may do so by outreach ministry, some may do so by establishing a prayer line in the neighborhood, others may establish a health ministry, using the ton of information given to us in our health message, or some, who might not be specialists in these things may have a ministry such as Dorcas had.
The Lord has not called any disciple or believer to an idle, easy-going life in His kingdom, neither does He leave any person without at least one talent. Every person in His kingdom is to have a ministry where it is possible, with the aim of winning souls, for thus it is that each one can reach one.
But whatsoever you do, and wheresoever you may go, building an altar to the Lord must be the highest and the most urgent priority for as stated before we have limited amount of time between our entry and exit points. This is what faithful Abraham did, and by so doing he left us a legacy of service that all could, and should follow. Let’s read:
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 141] Abraham’s house- hold comprised more than a thousand souls. Those who were led by his teachings to worship the one God, found a home in his encampment; and here, as in a school, they received such instruction as would prepare them to be representatives of the true faith.
Thus, a great responsibility rested upon him. He was training heads of families, and his methods of government would be carried out in the house- holds over which they should preside.
It was necessary to bind the members of the house-hold together, in order to build up a barrier against the idolatry that had become so widespread and so deep-seated.
Abraham sought by every means in his power to guard the inmates of his encampment against mingling with the heathen and witnessing their idolatrous practices, for he knew that familiarity with evil would insensibly corrupt the principles.
The greatest care was exercised to shut out every form of false religion and to impress the mind with the majesty and glory of the living God as the true object of worship.
Abraham was so dead focused and consumed with ministry that he forgot about purchasing houses and lands, in so much that when his wife died, he had to purchase a piece of land to bury her. The souls who were under his care, and instruction is where most of his resources were prioritized.
Thus, it was also with the Waldenses and members of the Vaudois community who grilled their children from the cradle to the grave, to harbor a missionary mindset wherever they would go. Their kids wasted no time when they went to school, or university, for their highest purpose was to infiltrate the colleges with the gospel of Christ.
Yes, they would study sciences and math, and yes, it is true that they practiced reading and writing, but those writing skills they acquired were largely the result of writing out passages of Scripture to share with their school associates.
Note well their perspectives and practice, for they were taught by their parents to be on the look out for any opportunity to sow good seed, and as they prepared, God enlarged their understanding as well as their memory capacity, so that they could retain several gospels, and epistles, word for word. Let’s read:
[The Great Controversy pp 88] From their pastors the youth received instruction. While attention was given to branches of general learning, the Bible was made the chief study. The Gospels of Matthew and John they committed to memory, with many of the Epistles. Their garments were so prepared as to conceal their greatest treasure, the precious manuscripts of the Scriptures.
These, the fruit of months, and years of toil, they carried with them, and, whenever they could do so without exciting suspicion, they cautiously placed some portion in the way of those whose hearts seemed open to receive the truth. From their mother’s knee the Waldensian youth had been trained with this purpose in view.
They understood their work and faithfully performed it. Converts to the true faith were won in these institutions of learning, and frequently its principles were found to be permeating the entire school; yet the papist leaders could not, by the closest inquiry, trace the so-called corrupting heresy to its source.
The spirit of Christ is a missionary spirit. The very first impulse of the renewed heart is to bring others also to the Savior. Such was the spirit of the Vaudois Christians.
However, on the flipside of Abraham’s missionary spirit and that of the Waldenses, there’s an opposite view of life, where the focus is centered on the here and now, and where the accumulation of materials absorbs all of one’s interests. In some instances, the driving motivation, and the highest aim in life is just to make more and more money.
In the inordinate pursuit of temporal gain very many professed Christians forget their first love, and their desire for more becomes all absorbing. When left unaddressed, this perspective can expend your best energies, and before you know it, there is nothing left for Christ, except some scraps of service, here and there, only when it is convenient.
This is what occurred in the parable of the man who became all consumed with building up his temporal portfolios so that he could retire in prosperity, and ease. If a person’s highest aim in life is to retire with ease, then the time between the cradle to the grave will be fraught with anxieties, worries, and cares, so that acquiring would become the sole focus of their existence. Let’s read:
Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, take heed, and beware of covetousness for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.
16 And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.
17 And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, this will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
There are times when a person may have cultivated the perspectives and outlook on life, that the man in the parable had embraced. But God, who is rich in mercy gives time and opportunity that these views can be corrected.
There is something such as course correction, where God will grant us opportunity to change our legacy from one that was riddled with crime, sins, evils and rebellion to one where leading persons to Christ will become your main purpose in life, for the remaining time you have upon the earth.
It makes all the difference in the world and what we will do with our new lease on life could have eternal results if we stay the course with Christ. This is what God did for Solomon, for after chasing the wind for so many years, and after squandering many golden opportunities to build up God’s kingdom, the wise man finally came to himself.
And yes, he did try his best to retrace his steps, and instructed coming generations to track a different course. Better late than never, and thus, as Solomon stared into the great hereafter, and as he reflected on his past, he determined to redeem the time as much as possible, for the remainder of his life.
Another course correction took place with Paul who had his priorities entirely mixed up before he met Christ. After that close encounter with Jesus, on the road to Damascus, God gave Paul new aims and new purposes in life.
From there on out, it became Paul’s main goal in life to build up God’s kingdom wherever, and whenever opportunity presented itself. The same can be true for me and you, if formerly, our interests had been centered on the temporal aspects of life, instead of the mission God has given us. Let’s read:
Acts 26:13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come.
Like Solomon and Paul, we also could make a U-turn if for some reason our priorities got mixed up along the way, so that the ministry of saving others could become the chief aim in life. But to just go with the flow, without making any deliberate, and consistent effort to use your God-given talents in service to the Lord and to others, is not endorsed in the Bible.
As was stated before, we have limited time on this earth to do any amount of good for the benefit and advancement of humanity and therefore, we should begin with what we do best, or what comes to you naturally.
The words of the wise man that say, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” means that it is God’s will that we give Him the best, and the most productive years of service, before aging begins to take its toll, and like Solomon, we might regret not having done more for Christ, while we had the opportunity to do so.
Especially should all fathers and mothers teach their children from the earliest age to highly prize Biblical values, teachings, and principles. Lofty, worthwhile goals of missionary work and being of benefit to the world, should be instilled from the early years.
And the study of God’s word should be encouraged, not as something to do only in their spare time, but as an integral and indispensable part of daily living. In this way, several positive results would accrue, for they will have an active reference point of truth in their minds, even if they were to go astray later on.
The minds of the children will also greatly expand, and they will be enabled to approach science, math, and languages with an understanding that might be difficult to fathom. Studying the Bible is never to be viewed as time wasted. Daniel majored in Scripture first, before he majored in science.
In fact, it was the study and practice of deep things in Scripture, that helped pave the way for his later, and great successes in other branches of education, for when the mind is brought into contact with the eternal God, through a study of His word, all of the mental faculties spike tremendously in performance and problems in secular matters, will not baffle the mind as much. Let’s read:
[CT pp 441] A failure to study God’s word is the great cause of mental weakness and inefficiency. In turning from this word to feed on the writings of uninspired men, the mind becomes dwarfed and cheapened. It is not brought in contact with deep, broad principles of eternal truth.
[R.H Sept 28 1897] Nothing is so calculated to enlarge the mind and strengthen the intellect as the study of the Bible. No other study will so elevate the soul and give vigor to the faculties as the study of the living oracles.
As the mind is brought to the study of God’s word, the understanding will enlarge, and the higher powers will develop for the comprehension of high and ennobling truth. It is according to the character of the matter with which the mind becomes familiar that it is dwarfed or enlarged.
If the mind is not raised up to make vigorous and persistent effort in seeking to comprehend truth by comparing scripture with scripture, it will surely become contracted and lose its tone.
To those who are present at Bible study today, and to those who are listening online, God wants us to bear in mind that our entry point is already behind us, and now we must take into consideration that the exit is coming up, sooner or later.
The cradle is in the rearview mirror, and we all are heading for the exits, therefore, it behooves us to do the most and the best with whatever remaining time we have left, for we are here today and gone tomorrow, like the wind that passes by for a brief season.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should serve the purpose of encouraging us to do all we can, whilst we can, for at the end of the day, it is what you do for the kingdom of God that will last for eternity. Let’s read:
Psalms 90: 10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
God Bless!