Ecclesiastes 12:9-14: a reflection

9Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth. 11The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.

At the very end of Ecclesiastes, after all its searching reflection on the vanity of so much in life, the Preacher gives his conclusion, the sum of the whole matter: fear God and keep his commandments. This is the end of the matter, he says; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. After exploring so much, the pleasures, the labors, the pursuits that so often prove empty, the Preacher arrives at what abides, the one essential thing: to fear God and keep his commandments. This, he says, is the whole duty of man, the heart of it all, that in which our life finds its true meaning and purpose. This shows that the whole duty and heart of life is to fear God and keep his commandments. The sum of it all is to fear God and keep his commandments. Fearing God and keeping his commandments is the whole duty of man. After all else proves empty, this is what abides. The heart of life is to fear God and obey him.

Notice how the Preacher, after all his searching, arrives at this conclusion. He has explored so much: pleasure, wealth, work, wisdom, achievement, and found that so much of it, pursued for itself, proves empty, a chasing after wind. And having explored it all, he sums up the whole matter in a few words: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. This is where all his searching lands: not in any of the pursuits that prove empty, but in the fear of God and obedience to him. This is the one thing that abides, the essential thing, the heart of what our life is for. And he adds a reason: for God will bring every deed into judgment. Because we are finally accountable to God, and because he is the one abiding reality behind all the vanities, the fear of God and keeping his commandments is the whole duty of man, the thing that matters above all. This clarifies life for us. Amid all the pursuits and pleasures that so often prove empty, the one essential thing, the heart of it all, is to fear God and keep his commandments. We do well to make this the center of our lives, the thing we build on, rather than the pursuits that pass away. The heart of life is to fear God and keep his commandments. Amid all that proves empty, this is what abides. Make the fear of God and obedience the center of your life. This one essential thing is the whole duty of man.

That is worth taking to heart, for the whole duty and heart of life is to fear God and keep his commandments, the one thing that abides amid all that proves empty. We can spend our lives on pursuits that prove empty, pleasure, wealth, achievement; but the Preacher, having explored it all, concludes that the whole matter comes to this: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. This is what abides. Make the fear of God and keeping his commandments the center of your life, rather than the pursuits that pass away. Make the fear of God and the keeping of his commandments the center of your life, as the one essential thing that abides amid all that proves empty, for at the very end of Ecclesiastes, after all its searching reflection on the vanity of so much in life, the Preacher gives his conclusion, the sum of the whole matter, that we should fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man; for after exploring so much, the pleasures, labors, wealth, and pursuits that so often prove empty and are a chasing after wind, the Preacher arrives at what abides, the one essential thing, to fear God and keep his commandments, which he calls the whole duty of man, the heart of it all in which our life finds its true meaning, adding that God will bring every deed into judgment, so that because we are finally accountable to God and he is the one abiding reality behind all the vanities, the fear of God and keeping his commandments is the thing that matters above all, which clarifies life for us amid all the pursuits and pleasures that prove empty, so that we do well to make this the center of our lives, the thing we build on, rather than the pursuits that pass away.

Lord, at the very end of Ecclesiastes, after all its searching reflection on the vanity of so much in life, the Preacher gives his conclusion, the sum of the whole matter: fear God and keep his commandments. This is the end of the matter, he says; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. After exploring so much, the pleasures, the labors, the pursuits that so often prove empty, the Preacher arrives at what abides, the one essential thing: to fear you and keep your commandments. This, he says, is the whole duty of man, the heart of it all. Show me how the Preacher, after all his searching, arrives at this conclusion. He has explored pleasure, wealth, work, wisdom, achievement, and found that so much of it, pursued for itself, proves empty. And having explored it all, he sums up the whole matter in a few words: fear God and keep his commandments. This is where all his searching lands: not in any of the pursuits that prove empty, but in the fear of you and obedience to you. This is the one thing that abides, the heart of what my life is for. And he adds a reason: for you will bring every deed into judgment. Because I am finally accountable to you, and because you are the one abiding reality behind all the vanities, the fear of you and keeping your commandments is the whole duty of man. This clarifies life for me. Amid all the pursuits and pleasures that so often prove empty, the one essential thing is to fear you and keep your commandments. Take that to my heart, for the whole duty and heart of life is to fear you and keep your commandments, the one thing that abides amid all that proves empty. Keep me from spending my life on pursuits that prove empty; help me make the fear of you and the keeping of your commandments the center of my life, Lord, the thing I build on, rather than the pursuits that pass away.