Revelation 16:1; 18 Every Island Fled Away (2)

Solomon has been analysing the make-up of a good life and he provides us the final analysis and gives to us a perspective of a good life. 

(1) Let It be Sweet (Eccl. 11:7-8) (2) Let It Be Joyful (Eccl. 11:9-10) 

Ecclesiastes 11:7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: 8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. 

How can life be sweet? When it is lived in the light. The portrayal of light is a picture of God’s presence. When God’s there in the human heart is light and there is sweet peace. This sweetness comes when man is reconciled to God through Christ. 

The word “Rejoice” is in the imperative, a command to live life joyfully. Let your life be happy! 

The word “man” is literally “the Adam”, the man whom God made from the dust of the ground and who fell into sin and will return to the dust as a judgment from God! 

God, it is literally “the God”, the living and true God. Knowing Him and His love will bring true joy to your life. 

Solomon exposed the vanity of pursuing the things of this world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and cautioned against such fruitless indulgences.

Rather, he advised in at the close of this life in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this isthe whole dutyof man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it begood, or whether it beevil.

Our love for God and our fellow men brings with it eternal rewards and blessings. It is the will of God for our lives and makes for true peace and joy.

Mark 12:30-31 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 

This is the recipe for happiness – Love God and love your fellow men! 

There is a way to enjoy life that will bring no rebuke at the end of life. This is the life in the spirit when we bear the Spirit’s fruit. There is not rebuke in such a life. A life lived not in the flesh. 

Galatians 5:22-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

Men in this world will not love their Creator God but will despise the One by whom they receive life and sustenance. Our goal is to know our God and to point men and women to know Him. This is the higher purpose for life that makes life meaningful.

Amen.