Introduction
Yesterday, we saw that Ecclesiastes presents God as the Great Judge. Today, we’ll see how we should respond to that truth.
Bible Reading
(Ecc 3:14) I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
(Ecc 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;
(Ecc 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. (Ecc 12:14) For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
(Ecc 5:1-7) Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words. 4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
God to be feared and obeyed
Solomon’s theology emphasized the fear of God. We should live in the fear of our Creator and Judge. We must be careful not to forget Him. If we fear Him, and we don’t forget Him, we will obey Him.
God expects us to keep our vows to Him
One area about which Solomon gave a stern warning was in the matter of vows. When we come before God, he said, we should not be quick to make God promises. If we promise God something, He expects us to keep our promise.
What About You?
- Do you fear God?
- Are you careful about making promises to God and about keeping them?