The End of the Matter
“Pleasure, Pain, and the Pursuit of Eternal Joy”
Ecclesiastes 12:9-14
Augustine of Hippo lived for life under the sun. He pursued wisdom, drink, and sex to fill his life with meaning, but it left him empty. He was striving to be happy, but happiness was out of his grasp. “Vanity of vanities says the Preacher; all is vanity.” The New International Version was where I first was exposed to Ecclesiastes, and it translates the Preacher’s words, “ ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Everything is meaningless!’ ” Is life meaningless?
Augustine chased after all the pleasures of life under the sun, only to conclude that life was meaningless or restless until he humbled himself before God and sought to live for the one who rules over the sun. His discovery led him to write one of the greatest sentences in the history of Christian thought: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” Life is not meaningless. Life only seems meaningless until we realize we were made for more than life under the sun. We were made for God, and we will only find meaning in life and rest for our restlessness when we humble ourselves and turn to God.
The Preacher’s sermon to the gathered assembly of Israel begins in Ecclesiastes 1:2: “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” His discourse ends with the same words in Ecclesiastes 12:8, but somehow those words mean something more to us after our journey with the Preacher to discover the meaning of life in this book. We are restless until we find our rest in God. I pray that our journey of discovery has led us to find rest for our restlessness and peace for our weary souls. We come to the end of the matter and learn the ultimate purpose of life: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” As we unpack these last words, we want to ask ourselves two questions; how did we get here, and how do we help others get here?
The Pleasure of Words
Ecclesiastes is a beautiful book with a beautiful perspective on life. Solomon took great care to bring forth words of delight to push towards true and lasting beauty. Ecclesiastes 12:9-10 says, “Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.” Many scholars believe these last verses in Ecclesiastes were penned by an editor upon reflection of the book. It may be an editor, or it may have been Solomon writing in the third person. Regardless, we can see how the Preacher took great care in giving us beautiful words to lead us to truth.
Words matter. Living in a day when words are many, it would be wise of us to remember that what we say and how we say it matters to God and matters to the souls of men. The Preacher did not merely sit down to write the meaning of life but studied, analyzed, and carefully arranged the words in this exhortation. His words were arranged carefully and thoughtfully so that we would discover how life under the sun is a gift from the One who rules over the Sun. He wrote words of delight. “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccles. 1:9). “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Eccles. 3:1). “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” (Eccles. 4:9-10). “Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them” (Eccles. 9:11–12). “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days” (Eccles. 11:1). “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment” (Eccles. 11:9). Ecclesiastes is full of delightful words that have helped expose our restlessness so that we would find our rest in God. They are delightful and truthful.
Solomon has given beautiful and truthful words to lead us to God. He took great care in thinking through these words so that we would see that life is a mist, a breath, and a vapor. He wants us to see and savor each and every day as a gift from God's hands. His words are meant to push us to live for God and for others. In giving ourselves away, we would actually be benefitting our own souls. Solomon is being a good pastor to us. He is being a good father to us. Have his words led you to delight in God? Have you been led to rejoice in the simple pleasures and gifts from God’s hand? Are you taking the same great care in studying, weighing, and arranging these words to teach to your children, friends, and disciples?
I have thoroughly enjoyed preaching through Ecclesiastes. I have worked hard to take great care in my words through these messages to help lead you to live life under the sun with an eye fixed on the One who rules over it. The themes throughout this book have ministered to my own soul. Life is precious, and it will be quickly gone. Enjoy the life God has given you. Do not worry about what is to come, for we cannot know the times and seasons of our lives. God is in control of them all. Death comes to us all. Our coming death should not undo us but liberate us to live with purpose and meaning. I pray that you have delighted in Ecclesiastes and found more joy and beauty in God’s Word. I pray that you have seen God’s creation as more and more beautiful and his words as more and more precious. And I pray that you will share them with others.
Parents, are you sharing these truths with your children? Are you helping them embrace all the gifts from God’s hand? Are you helping them live in light of their own death? Are you helping them remember their Creator in the days of their youth? Are you training them to trust God in the midst of uncertainty? Of course, this task is not only for parents. We should all give this truth to others. We first hear God’s word and apply it to our own heart. We internalize it and then share it with others. I pray that as a congregation we never only listen to God’s Word for our own hearts but that we would take great care to learn of God and his truth so that we could make it delightful to those in our lives.
The Pain of Words
God’s Word is beautiful, but it also stings. It humbles us with truth. There are times when we must experience pain in order to experience healing. Ecclesiastes 12:11–12 says, “The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” A goad was a long stick with a sharp point on the end that was used to force stubborn animals back on the right path or to spur them on when they had stopped. The aim was not to hurt the animal but to correct it. And yet, we all know that sometimes correction hurts.
Beloved, we need correction. Correction is a gift from God. Of course, correction may hurt, but it is meant to put us back on the right path of serving the Lord. One of the greatest dangers that I see in our public discourse is our inability to receive correction. People are very unwilling to listen to ideas that may cause them to correct their path. Are you willing to be corrected? Are you willing to allow God’s word to sting you as to turn you back on the right path? Remember, Solomon has taken great care to speak words of delight and truth to lead us to see the world rightly and to live in fear of God. They are words of love. When was the last time you invited words of loving correction into your life? Are we going to be a church full of people who are easily upset when people disagree with us or the kind of church who will allow ourselves to be corrected for the glory of God? Are you willing to be corrected? Are we willing to speak words of love? I want to be one who both lovingly listens to correction and who lovingly gives correction. I pray you do as well.
The words of the wise do not only correct us like goads, but they firmly establish us like nails. There are some who view the nails as referring to the sharp nail of the goad, while others believe Solomon is referring to nails that would firmly fix a tent in place. Although both are viable options, I believe Solomon is referring to how the word of God firmly stabilizes us in his truth. When we hear and heed the word of God, our feet are firmly fixed on the rock. As Jesus said at the end of the sermon on the mount in Matthew 7:24–27:
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
Note the emphasis on the fact that it’s whoever hears the words and does them. We must not be hearers of the word only but doers of the word.
The Word is good for us because it is given to us by a loving shepherd. The end of verse eleven mentions “they are given by one Shepherd.” In most translations, Shepherd is capitalized, as most scholars see this is a reference to God. The great Psalm of David, Psalm 23, reminds us: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Psalm 80:1 says, “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock.” God is our Shepherd and promised to send a shepherd to us. Ezekiel 34:23 reminds us of this fact: “And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them; he shall feed them and be their shepherd.” Jesus said in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” 1 Peter 2:23 states, “Jesus himself bore sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” God is our Shepherd. Jesus is our Shepherd. The Holy Spirit is our Shepherd. Our triune God is the One who has given us his word so that we would be corrected and firmly established in beauty and truth.
If you have yet to put your faith in Jesus Christ, do you realize that you need a shepherd? Do you realize that you need to be corrected? Are you restless trying to find purpose in life, only to end up unsatisfied? The Bible says we all have gone astray like sheep and need to be goaded, or provoked, from our sinfulness to God. We are all sinners who need a Shepherd. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep. He came to rescue us when we were not in his fold. He bore our sins in his body on a tree so that we might turn from our sins and trust in his righteousness on our behalf. Jesus proved to be the good shepherd by not only dying for us but also by being raised from the dead for us. If you would turn from your sins and trust in Jesus Christ as your shepherd, you will be forgiven of your sins and saved to eternal life.
Solomon provides a warning for us. He says, “My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is weariness of the flesh.” Solomon is trying to help you by showing you that the answer is in front of you. In our day, Tim Keller is right when he says, “It is cool to search for God, but uncool to find him.” There are some who continue to look for God but are really not actually looking to find him. Our culture loves the seeker but not the Savior. There are endless books talking about the meaning of life, but studying all the answers will only lead to more and more restlessness until you come to the conclusion to humble yourself before God and say, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” Will you find rest in God? Will you come to the Shepherd?
Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” If you seek to save your life, you will lose it. But if you are willing to lose your life for Jesus and the gospel, you will save it. End your search. Come to Christ.
The Pursuit of Eternal Joy
We come to the end of our study. The Preacher has said all that needs to be said and leaves us with a simple, beautiful purpose for life. Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 declares, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” All has been heard; all has been studied; all has been said. Now, we must make a choice. Will we fear God and keep his commandments? To love God is to obey God. To honor God is to do what he says.
Solomon has told us to fear God at least six times throughout his discourse. To fear God and keep his commandments was how Israel viewed all of life. Deuteronomy 6:1–5 states:
Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
We are called to love God by keeping his commandments. The whole duty of man and purpose of life is clear: fear God and keep his word. It is simple, yet profound. We are called to live every second of every hour of every day before the face of God. We cannot compartmentalize our lives but must give every aspect to God for his glory.
A friend of mine shared a wonderful illustration regarding the fear of God. He was on a African safari and, after a period of rain, the animals came out of the bush to the pavement to find a warmer surface. He was in a jeep without doors when he saw the king of the jungle: a glorious, majestic African lion. He said there was a mixture in his spirit of both awe and wonder, while at the same time fear and terror. He did not want the lion to leave, but he also did not want to be eaten. The fear of God is like that. Fear is reverential awe of power and strength, while fear is also terror of what that power can do to those who stand against it. If you were to come face to face with a lion, every one of your moments and actions would be in response to his presence. This is the fear of God. When you rightly understand who God is, every one of your decisions, every one of your actions, every one of your words, in every moment, will be in response to his presence.
If you want to have joy in this life under the sun, you must live in every moment for the One who rules over the sun. Living in the fear of God is the pursuit of joy. We receive his blessings with gratitude because we fear him. We respond with thankfulness and not condemnation. We respond with humility, not pride. We respond with faith and not distrust. God is good and a delight to the eyes, therefore, our life’s calling is to taste and see that the Lord is good. God’s way is the way of joy in life under the sun. Fear God and keep his commandments, and you will be blessed and at peace. Reject God and live in disobedience, and you will experience pain and frustration both now and for all time.
One of the motivations to fear God and keep his commandments is that every deed, good or evil, in secret or in public, will be brought into judgment. God’s judgment gives life meaning. “Meaningless! Meaningless! All is meaningless!” That is only true if God does not exist and if God does not judge our lives. God’s judgment gives meaning to this world. Many read Ecclesiastes and think, “Nothing matters. All is meaningless!”, while the message of Ecclesiastes is the exact opposite. Everything matters: every thought, every deed, every dollar spent, every word spoken, every eye roll, every whisper, every click of the mouse, every tweet, every bite of food, every act of justice or injustice, every cursed and every blessed action. For God will bring every deed into judgment. Everything matters to God.
God’s judgment is one of the major themes of the Bible and one that is too often left out of our lives and conversations. Romans 2:16 declares, “On that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.” Acts 17:31 also says, “Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given us assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” God has assured us that judgement is coming through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ from the dead. Jesus Christ is the judge of the living and dead. And the resurrection of Christ and the coming judgment is why we have been commanded to preach the gospel.
“And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to judge the living and dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:42). “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:1-2). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Cor. 5:10-11). Our whole life and ministry should be wrapped up in fearing God and keeping his commandments in light of the coming judgment. We fear God and keep his commandments ourselves and teach others to do the same. This is the whole duty of man. Beloved, do you fear God? Do you keep his commandments? There is a judgment coming. Everything we do in this life matters to God. Ecclesiastes has been imploring us, in view of our short lives and coming death, to be ready for judgment. Are you ready? Are you helping others get ready? If you are ready and you are not helping others get ready, you don’t really understand the gospel and the calling it has on our lives. Fear God and keep his commandments, and help others do the same.
Praise God that we stand on this side of the cross. Jesus came to take our judgment for us. He came to die for every careless word and every thoughtless deed. He knew we could not stand in the judgment, so he came to be judged for us. Hear this word in Hebrews 9:27-28: “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” Beloved, we do not fear death. We do not fear judgment. For Christ has been offered once to bear our sins in his body on a tree as our Good Shepherd so that we are now freed from the fear of death to live for his glory. We no longer use our freedom to do evil, but in thankfulness to God, we live in righteousness and hope, waiting for his return to save us finally and fully from judgement.
I saw a video this week of a little boy playing soccer. He saw his father, having just returned after being deployed for military service, on the sideline. There was no fear of judgment in the boy’s actions. He joyfully sprinted toward and jumped into the arms of his returning father. Beloved, let us not fear the coming judgment, but let us rejoice to know that Christ has paid it all! And because of Christ's sacrifice, we are eagerly waiting and prepared, like that child was for his dad, to run to him as fast as we can and jump into his arms. We yearn to hug our Savior who has given us meaning and purpose along with a rich welcome to the eternal joy of life beyond the sun.