How many church services have you heard the words “in conclusion” and the preacher keeps on preaching for another 20 minutes? Solomon didn't do that here. He simply said, fear God and obey His commands. Simple and to the point, yes, but he did have one more verse after that where he gives us the reason to fear God and keep His commands. God is the judge. He is the judge, jury and executioner. He, not Santa Clause, knows every secret thing you do. He really does know when you've been bad or good. That should make you nervous, but thank GOD for His grace and mercy through Jesus Christ!
Isaiah 29:13 And so the Lord says, "These people say they are Mine. They honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. And their worship of Me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.
How many times have you said “Praise the Lord” just out of habit and because you know you should. But in your heart you really weren't saying the same thing. I am guilty of this just as bad as anyone else. We go to church and sing a few songs, clap our hands, say our words to satisfy the moment but our heart was a thousand miles in the other direction. We judge the Pharisees and Sadducee of Jesus time on earth but do we do the same? Do we fall into Jesus' words from Mark 7:6 when he said this generation? Was he just speaking about then? The prophet Hosea spoke these words in Hosea 4:6, “my people are being destroyed because they don't know me. Then Paul in Romans 1:28, Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to foolish thinking. Is this what we want for this generation? Or will our generation be one that is bowing their knees in humility and reverence of our Lord Jesus?
Ephesians 3:14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, (15) the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. (16) I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. (17) Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. (18) And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. (19) May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (20) Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Paul finishes this chapter with these great words in verse 21, Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus “through all generations” forever and ever! AMEN! This is what God wants for every generation of His church. He wants His church full of the most awesome, spirit filled people on the planet earth, worshiping and praising Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:23). But will we, like Paul, fall to our knees and pray? Is this generation capable of this great feat of humility? Can this generation of saints pray, as Paul did, for Christ to be formed in the hearts of people so they can get to know and comprehend just how high, how deep and how wide Gods love is for His people and also for the world? Will this generation be able to pass on to the next generation the fullness of life and power that comes only from God? Will the next generation be able to look back on us and say “ Glory to God” who has worked a mighty work through us, who was able to accomplish infinitely more than what we could ask or think? Would Solomon be able to say, we reached his final conclusion in our lives of “fear God and obey His commands”? Will this generation succeed in worshiping in Spirit and in truth? These are a lot of questions to answer and the only one who can answer is you. I can only answer for me. You have to answer for yourself. It is your life, your decision, your chance at fulfilling Gods will for your life. Remember Solomon started Ecclesiastes 12:13 with the words, That's the whole story. You will only get the whole story when you stand before Jesus. What will He have to say?
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