Members Exclusive October 2024
Members Exclusive
Part 1: Fear God and Keep His Commandments
by Bruce Billington
Introduction
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 – “13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
This is the key to interpreting the whole book of Ecclesiastes. It comes at the end of the book, and it is the only conclusion that can be made after a long and extensive evaluation the author makes about the meaning of life. He is not just saying life is useless or meaningless – he is saying no matter what you have – it is all futile without a fear or relationship with God.
What It Means to Be Human
A lot of people, when hearing the phrase “fear God” think about keeping rules. Don’t violate the Ten Commandments, don’t do this or that or you will incur God’s wrath or judgment.
Now is this what a true fear of God is? Well sometimes “yes” – He is not someone to be trifled with – but mostly the answer is “no”.
The word “fear” often suggests we are afraid of someone and will seek to keep away from them, or at least from their notice of us. Or it may mean that we constantly worry about losing a loved one, or having a car accident, or getting cancer etc.
But a proper fear of God is actually a reverence for Him and an acknowledgement that His way is the best way and that His commandments are given because He is a loving Father, and He knows that our failure to keep them will bring harm to us and others. Yes – He may discipline us for our disobedience – but often the failure to walk in His ways has brought a far harsher result or hurt to us than God ever would. We need to get this.
Despite all the unsteadiness and unpredictability of life in a fallen world, we can trust God our Father to hold us tight. In all of life’s ups and downs—in all its terrible wonder and unimaginable pain and mystery – we can rest secure knowing that God loves us, that He’s our Father and further – that we are free to enjoy His gifts, whatever form they come in!
Exercise Restraint
But be careful here – it is so easy for our fallen nature to rise up and exploit these things. We can see this from alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling and eating disorders and on the list goes. These are classic examples of why we must always exercise restraint.
Also, these material gifts, as good as they may be – are only temporary. They don’t last. Most of them ultimately end up at the rubbish tip.
Ecclesiastes 5:19 – “Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.”
Many Christians who are very successful in business, feel guilty about the money they have made, even though they may have worked hard and been very generous. But if God has empowered you to make money, He also allows you and your family to enjoy what it can bring to you. But never forget, that you won’t find total fulfilment and abundant life in just pursuing money and material things.
This is where the Author arrives with a very strange verse.
Ecclesiastes 6:1-2 – “1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is prevalent among men 2 a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honour so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.”
There is a real contrast between this verse and our previous one.
Ecclesiastes 5:19 tells us to enjoy what we have been given – and Ecclesiastes 6:2 talks about the failure to enjoy any of it.
Chapter 6 explains that success with money, parenting, living a long life and other such things do not guarantee happiness or long-term security. Many people have been broken by everyday calamities that penetrate a fallen world. Some have never recovered, whereas others have been able to claw their way up and build new lives, often with less regard to the value of possessions.
Hebrews 10:34 – “For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.”
Psalm 104:15 tells us that God gave “wine that makes human hearts glad.”. Unfortunately, too many people use alcohol to drown any feelings, let alone be glad.
But of course, abstinence is much better than drunkenness, and the overuse of alcohol can lead to sexual violence, untimely death, and disease.
The key to all these things is moderation, and it’s up to us to understand what’s best for ourselves and those around us.
Under the New Covenant, in Christ, we can know the harsh reality of living in a fallen world, but we can also enjoy the temporal gifts God gives to us, and more fully understand what it means to fear God—to trust him as our Father—because we know that God became man on our behalf.
The Everlasting Kingdom
Luke 17:21 – “nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
This amazing Kingdom that is very precious and beautiful, while being all-powerful – which can only be accessed in Christ – cannot even be seen by the unredeemed (John 3). But once we do enter, we will partake in a most wonderful world, rich in hope, with rivers of love, joy and peace flowing through it. Everywhere in it, is to be found an expression of the glory of God.
What a tragedy for those who miss it. Often the reason for missing it is that we are focusing on the wrong world. We are not only looking at the wrong world, but we are pursuing it and making it our reason for living. As the author of Ecclesiastes says – this is all in vain.
Psalm 52:1 – “Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.”
A big part of our conversation can easily consist of how much evil is happening all around us, what was on the news last night (mostly all bad), and what a terrible place the world has become. But let the Psalmist describe the real world we live in.
Psalm 52:8-9 – “8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. 9 I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.”
God’s loving kindness endures all day long. It has not gone. It has not disappeared. Evil is not winning – not at all. God has raised a standard against it.
He made a brand-new world, where the least amongst His people are greater than John the Baptist. Wow! Look out world – we are here! He has done it. This new world exists today, and all who truly know Christ are part of it. We are a city set on a hill and a light in the darkness, and we can change things from one degree of glory to another, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The End of the World
There is much talk around today that we may be nearing the end of the world – will it be a plague; will it be a nuclear holocaust; will it be that the world will just run out of resources to feed and nurture us, so we starve to death – and on it goes.
This is heretical!
Matthew 13:38-43 tells us, that the wheat and tares grow up together and then the end comes.
There will always be wheat – that’s the good guys – and there will always be tares – that’s those outside of the Lord, living for themselves and those that are seeking evil.
There will be ebbs and flows at how the balance of numbers are at any given time, but nothing else. Most of what the bad guys do gets on the 6 pm news. Most of what the good guys do does not – it is hidden in Christ – but it is in Him in power – and even if what we do is as small as a mustard seed, God will water it and make it a huge tree.
God has never given human beings the authority, right or power, to destroy His world. That power remains with Him and Him alone. Read Psalm 2, which is just one passage about this.
We must learn to see the world through God’s eyes, and that is what we will cover next session.