A God-Centered Life

Bible Passage: Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

I. Main Idea

A God-centered (The Triune God) life is the only pursuit that makes life and death meaningful.

II. Background

1. The OT has different kinds of literature—the Law, the Psalms, the History, the Prophets, and the wisdom.
2. The book of Ecclesiastes is grouped under a particular type called “wisdom books,” that includes Job, Proverbs, and Song of songs.
3. Scholars have identified two speakers within these 12 chapters.
4. The first wise person (i.e., The Preacher/Teacher) speaks in 1:12-12:8

a. He speaks in the first person (v.1:12-18 addressed as I the Preacher)

5. A second wise person (possibly a student of the teacher) speaks in 1:1-11 & 12:9-14

a. Speaker talks in third person (v.1-2)

6. The Preacher and his student are among the wise “who simply observe life and draws logical conclusion.” (Eerdmans handbook to the Bible)
7. Notice also that The Preacher is introduced as “the son of David, king in Jerusalem.”
8. It shows that the Peacher is an important public figure:

a. The son of David
b. King in Jerusalem
c. Wisest of all those who ruled before him (1:16).

9. Although, it is said that this could refer to Solomon (the king who ruled Israel in 10thc BC), there is no mention of his name even once unlike in Proverbs 1:1 and Songs of songs 1:1.

II. Text

13. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole (duty) of man. 14. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

III. Exposition

1. The end of the matter; all has been heard

a. The student having listened to all (whole) that The Teacher had to say has now arrived at a conclusion.
b. The student is telling these concluding words to his son, “My son” (12:12) almost like in the book of proverbs.
c. Before we deal with what the student told his son, let’s find out what the student heard from his teacher.
d. What did the student hear from his teacher?

i. He heard the reflections, the perceptions, and the conclusion of his teacher—about life.
ii. The Teacher investigated the different things that human beings chase after in life, having pondered and examined it, he arrived at some conclusions.

e. What are the things that the teacher observed about life?

i. The teacher examined work, wealth, power, pleasure, intelligence, wisdom, and love (Chapters 1-9)
ii. He also observed that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes/devices/inventions (Ecc.7:29)

f. What are the conclusions of the teacher?

i. Vanity of vanities (the preacher starts the book and ends it with this conclusion 1:2; 12:8)
ii. But the teacher also makes a recommendation

2. Based on these things that the student heard from his teacher, he arrives at a conclusion. He shares his conclusion with his son. This includes two commands and two motivations.

a. Two Commands

i. Fear God
ii. And keep His commandments

b. Two Motivations

i. For this is the whole (duty) of humanity
ii. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

IV. Theology of the passage

1. Creation: God the creator (12:1) made everything beautiful (3:11) and gave them to us as good gifts—wisdom, wealth, pleasure, power, love, intelligence (3:13, 5:18-19).
2. Fall: Sin corrupted the good gifts that God has given us—wisdom, wealth (greed), pleasure, power (oppressive), love (lust), intelligence (7:29).

a. We pursue the “good gifts” and leave out the giver of those good gifts (Romans 1:25).
b. Such a godless life leads us to emptiness, meaninglessness, vanity, vapor.
c. Life turned out to be hard (work), unfair (oppression, injustice, unrighteousness), mysterious (uncertain future), temporal (Death).
d. There is an increasing tendency to disregard the most important things in life—fearing God and obeying His Word.

3. Redemption: Life can become meaningful and enjoyable if the creator of all good gifts is in it (God-centered life, cf.2:24).

a. The wise man in Ecclesiastes showed us life as it is “under the sun”
b. By doing that he pointed us to a greater truth—a life “under the law, under sin” (Rom.2:12; 3:9; 3:19)
c. When we are “under the law” there is no human being who will be right with God (Romans 3:20).
d. We are all to be eternally condemned by the righteous judge and death should have been our final verdict (Romans 6:23)
e. But God being rich in mercy give us life by allowing Christ to take upon himself the judgement of God (3:21-26).
f. This is the grace of all grace—Greatest grace

4. Judgement: There is a day we will need to stand before God and given an account of everything we do on this earth—good or evil (2 Cor.5:10)

a. Everyone will give an account of all their words and actions (Romans 5-6)
b. Those who are in Christ will not be condemned (Romans 8:1)
c. Those who reject Christ are condemned already (John 3:18)

Take Away:

Fear God, obey His commandments, and enjoy His blessings because God will bring all things to judgment (Rev.14:7).

1. God will judge based on His revelation. So, it’s important that we learn and understand scripture (2 Tim.3:16-17).
2. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil.2:12-13)
3. Consider the eternal worth of knowing Christ rather than rejecting Christ and having other lesser things (Mt.16:26; Phil.3:8-11).
4. A pursuit of God in Christ through the Spirit is what brings lasting joy and satisfaction.
5. Leaving God out of the things we pursue, that is “the tragedy of tragedies.”