Encouragement
The End of the Matter
13All has been heard; the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God's providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man. – Ecclesiastes 12:13 (AMP)
“That’s it”, “End of discussion”, “I don’t want to hear another word about it”, “Discussion over”, “That’s my final answer” are all terms that we have not only been faced with in our lives, but at most points, have despised. Coming to the place where you were actually faced with hearing this means, most likely, something had been discussed with some level of intensity. A point of pressure was reached to arrive at these statements.
I was a very curious child. I always wanted to know why? But, like most children, I recognized the influx in my mother’s tone and knew when enough was enough. I wasn’t disobedient or rebellious; I knew she meant what she said. It was just that for me, I too often, wanted more than, “Because I said so”.
Disrespect was never the intention in my pressing. There was just a needed peace that would settle the questions stirring inside of me. When it was settled, it was settled. I am still like that. I love that God allows us to ask.
Solomon was a man of wisdom. In 1 Kings 3:5-14, the Lord appears to Solomon in a dream and told him to ask what He should give him. He asked for an understanding mind, a hearing heart and discernment between good and bad. This pleased the Lord.
Solomon was starting out and he just wanted to please God in every way possible. In my opinion, I find Solomon’s desire here like that of a new Christian. Fresh in their walk with contagious exuberance, in everything they do, they want to please God.
It can also be likened to that of a young married couple that is assured of the strength of their love, it can get them through anything! They have so much love and passion at the beginning of their life together that they don’t believe it possible that anything can threaten that.
The dearest to my heart of Solomon’s wisdom is the story of the two mothers’. 1 Kings 3:25 reads:
25And the king said, Divide the living child in two and give half to the one and half to the other.
How can that rationale be wisdom? He knew the real mother would rather see her son live, even as another woman’s child, than to see him die.
How then does this great man of Godly wisdom parallel the seemingly dejected, author of Ecclesiastes? Where was the enthusiasm that Solomon had at the beginning of his reign? Did he lose his wisdom? Did God take it back?
The answer to both questions is a resounding no! How can I possibly state that? Look at Romans 11:29:
29For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]
What happened then? Solomon took his eyes off of God. It is just that simple. But there must have been more than that! No. He made deliberate decisions contrary to the known will of God; Period, “End of the matter”.
Where Solomon originally looked to God as the source of wisdom to fulfill his position, he began to look to himself as wise, as his position and power grew.
How often have we been faced with the same situation as Solomon in our own walk? Granted, you may not be a king or queen of earthly reign, but you are the Bride of Christ! That is quite a boast!
Did you start out with that driving love and excitement for the Lord that could never be shaken; only to find out it has? Did you find yourself wanting so much of His Spirit only now to find yourself so super-spiritual that you view others as beneath you?
Where you once relied solely upon Gods Word as your source, do you now flip to the next Scripture trying to find one to suit your needs or “fit” your situation?
If Solomon, a king, the son of David, a man of God’s Wisdom appeared to fail so miserably, what hope is there for us? There is every hope!
Solomon went full-circle. He came back to that which he knew from the very beginning. “The end of the matter” was the very beginning of the matter.
Solomon didn’t have to take the tough road, he chose to. He didn’t have to learn things the hard way, but he did. Praise God for the hope of the story of the life and Wisdom of Solomon.
Through highs and lows, obedience and disobedience, favor and failures, Solomon found his way. It is the path that we will all face and whether you stay on strong or veer off and follow the rough road, in the end, we will all face the same God.
The end result was the same as the beginning instruction and still remains today. Our duty and purpose today, as Solomon’s was then, is confirmed and summed up according to Jesus:
37And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect).38This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. 0These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets. – Matthew 26:37-39
And if you are just beginning your walk, or are trying to find your way back home to Him, that is, “The End of the Matter”.
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