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Under this same head may be included 8: 12:--
"Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I
know that it shall be well with them that FEAR GOD, which fear before Him: but it shall
not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow;
because he FEARETH NOT GOD" (8: 12, 13).
What is there in this wholesome fear of God that can so compensate, so calm one in
the midst of the surge and strife of life?
3. THE TRUTH CONCERNING THE AGES.--
"I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for the AGE (olam ) . . . . . and God
doeth it that men should FEAR before Him" (3: 14).
Associated with this thought is the fact that:--
"God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time THERE for every
purpose and for every work" (3: 17).
and knowing this, the believer quietly holds on his way. Connected with the fear of God
is the keeping of His commandments. Israel was allowed to wander in the wilderness, to
suffer hunger, to experience the miraculous supply of their needs, that they may be
humbled, proved, and shown what was in their hearts, whether they would keep His
commandments or no. Ecclesiastes sees that every believer's life is typified in the
wilderness experience of Israel.
Psa. 19: 8 says, "The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes", and
this thought enters into "the conclusion of the matter". Dispensations change, and the
commandments of the Lord change with them, but to keep whatever is the truth for the
time is the one sure way of peace.
To fear God and to keep His commandments is the whole of man. The word "duty" is
not needed. Instead of vexing himself with the crooked things that God alone can
straighten, he fears God, keeps His commandments, lives his life as the Lord prospers,
and knows that a future day, a future life, a future judgment are a necessity and that there
all crooked places will be made straight, all inequalities rectified. So the book ends:--
"For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be
good, or whether it be evil" (12: 14).
"EVERY WORK."--Many saints hold such a view of grace as to preclude a judgment
of their works. The judgment of works is found in both sets of Paul's epistles, those of
the Mystery as well as those of the Acts. While it is right to ponder with chastened heart
the judgment of secret things that are evil, surely it is an encouragement to know also that
the secret things that are good shall also be fairly judged in that day?