“One thing you lack” (Part-3)

Mar. 10:21- Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him and said to him, One thing you lack. Ecc. 12:13 (GNB) After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for.

Greeting Friend!,

The “ONE THING” that we study this week is a part of the Epilogue of the Book of Ecclesiastes. Based on the prologue of the Book, we know the writer of Ecclesiastes is Solomon (1:1&12). Solomon wrote this Book probably in the last years of his life, primarily to warn the young people to avoid human wisdom and to fear God.

The Key phrase that we see in this Book is “all is vanity”. Solomon, the Wise Man used this word 38 times declaring that many things life are difficult to understand and produce no meaning for life.

Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What is the profit to a man in all his labor which he labors under the sun? (Ecc. 1:2&3)

The Phrase “under the sun” is found 30 times in the Book. So as per the Solomon, all is vanity under the sun.

But we need to know that all is vanity only if we live our lives under the sun. We need to learn to live the life above the sun.

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Be mindful of things above, not on things on the earth. Col 3:1&2 

The Hebrew word translated “vanity” expresses the futile attempt to be satisfied apart from God. If we live our lives as per the worldly standards with worldly world view of life, all is vanity.

Happiness and the life’s meaning are not found Lower World but it is to be found in Heavenly places and heavenly things. 

Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity. And more than that, the preacher was wise; he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he listened, and looked, and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out pleasing words; and words of truth written by the upright. The words of the wise are like goads; yes, their collected words are like nails driven home; they are given from one Shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be warned: The making of many books has no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 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 is good, or whether evil. Ecc 12:8-14. 

The Wisest man who has ever lived, the king of Israel, after speaking on various issues of man’s life and human wisdom, tells greatness of God’s Word. Solomon tells us that there is no good profit for reading the books written out of human wisdom. All the books written by men will go away but only God’s Word will endure forever.  

God is our Shepherd, and the Preacher here uses the two Shepherd’s tools to explain us the importance of God’s Word. (1.) Goads.  (2.) Nails.  God’s Word motivates the reluctant sheep (like goads) and secures the sheep from wondering to enemy’s territory. 

At the end, the Wise man, one who had the best knowledge and experience of wealth, pleasure, power and wisdom tells about the ONE THING that a man need to do. 

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep His commandments. For this is the whole duty of man. (Ecc 12:13) 

Fear God:  

The same wise man talks emphatically about fearing God and its implications, in the Book of Proverbs.

1.      Pro_1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

2.      Pro_8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

3.      Pro_9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

4.      Pro_10:27  The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

5.      Pro_14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

6.      Pro_14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

7.      Pro_15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

8.      Pro_16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

9.      Pro_19:23  The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

10.  Pro_22:4  By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

What is the meaning of “fear God”?

Fearing God can be two ways; one may fear God because God may hurt him, which is the bad fear and the other may fear God because he may hurt God, which is the good fear.

We can know from the Bible that God can be hurt because of our wrongs deeds. Scriptures records in many places that, God was grieved. God is our Shepherd and we are His Sheep and we need to make him a happy Father all the time. (as I mentioned in the New Year’s Devotion)

So let us fear God and not hurt Him, because He sent His son, Lord Jesus to this world. Lord Jesus came and shed His blood for us. He gave His everything to me. God, help, that I may never hurt you. 

Keep His Commandments:

And Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first commandment. And the second is like this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. Mar 12:29-31 

Let us patiently read the few verses from God’s Word.

1.      Mat_19:17 And He said to him, if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.

2.      Joh_14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments.

3.      Joh_14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.

4.      Joh_15:10 If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

5.      1Co_7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

6.      1Jn_2:3 And by this we know that we have known Him, if we keep His commandments.

7.      1Jn_2:4 He who says, I have known Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

8.      1Jn_3:22 And whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

9.      1Jn_5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, whenever we love God and keep His commandments.

10.  1Jn_5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.

11.  2Jn_1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

12.  Rev_14:12 Here is the patience of the saints. Here are the ones who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

13.  Rev_22:14 Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city.

We need to fear God and keep His commandments so that we may stand boldly before the Judgment of seat and may enjoy the life in eternity with the Lord Jesus. 

That is why Solomon tells that, “Rejoice, in your youth, young man; and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment”. (Ecc. 11:9)  

May God helps and bless us so that we may get Lord’s appreciation on the Day of Judgment!

With Warm Regards, 

Parimal Kumar Yangala. 

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