From Dust to Dust

 

Ecclesiastic 3:16-22

 

From Dust to Dust

Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.   I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.   I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.   For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.   All go to one place.  All are from the dust, and to dust all return.   Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward, and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?   So, I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?

 

In great knowledge and even wisdom comes great responsibility, and if not careful a man who God has blessed with knowledge, we would refer to them today as having higher education, can be deceived to believe they can explore folly.  If you arrive with the understanding, then you have grasped the foolish thoughts that came into the most gifted of men, Solomon's mind.  He tuned into channel One, the deceptive channel, it always tells you things that feed your fleshly desires, you can handle it, (you can’t) you deserve better, (you don’t) no one will know, and that is the biggest of lies.  For God has said, what you do in darkness, He will bring into the light.

Solomon was on target when stating that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, one only has to look at what an evil Judge and prosecutor did to General Flynn.  Solomon was ​correct​ when he said, I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.   I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.   For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other.  

Once again Solomon is 100% on target, for God has stated, in 2 Corinthians 5:10. ^“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.”  In that God did not give animals a soul they will not be in judgment, they like mankind turn to dust, and yet man has a living spirit in them and will be given a new body at the resurrection.

Solomon ends the chapter or thought with this; Who can bring him to see what will be after him?  In John 19:30, the last words from Jesus Christ on the Cross, “It is Finished!”   “The Greek word translated “it is finished” is tetelestai, an accounting term meaning paid in full. Jesus is saying in “It is finished” that the debt owed by man to his Creator on account of Adam’s sin is finally and forever dealt with. Jesus, with “it is finished,” is saying not only do it is finished, done, signed, and sealed because of the blood of Jesus.”  (Quote taken from Christianity.com.)  Hebrews 9:22, Indeed, under the law, almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.  I hope you have understood that until Jesus's blood was shed on the Cross, all of the other blood offerings were of temporary with a one-year-only guaranteed.  

 

All who have received by faith His grace offering, have this promise; in John 14:1-3, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.   In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice