Lesson 377 - Senior

Memory Verse

"Behold, now is the accepted time;  behold, now is the day of salvation" (II Corinthians 6:2).

Cross References

I A Season for Every Thing

1. Life is pictured as a series of opposite actions, [ECC:3:1-8].

2. God has so designed all things that men might come to the knowledge of Himself, [ECC:3:9-14]; [PS:19:1-4]; [PS:40:5]; [REV:15:3-4].

II Eternity's Appointment

1. All injustices unrepented of will be dealt with in eternity, [ECC:3:15-17]; [ECC:8:11], [ECC:8:13]; [2TS:1:7-8]; [REV:20:11-15].

2. The righteous shall be rewarded for their deeds, [ECC:8:12]; [PRO:10:22]; Mathew 25:31-40.

III God's Love and Call

1. The Lord is a great God and is worthy of men's praises, [PS:95:1-6]; [PS:67:3]; [HEB:13:15]; [REV:7:9-10].

2. The Lord calls for the hearts of all men, [PS:95:7-8]; [ISA:49:7-9]; [2CO:6:2].

3. Not all men will serve God, [PS:95:9-11]; [1SM:8:7]; [LUK:19:14].

Notes

An Appointment

"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" [HEB:9:27]). God has decreed this appointment and has planted an awareness of that truth in the hearts of men -- a truth that cannot be erased. This truth has run the gauntlet of men's emotions. It has been thought about, talked about, written about, believed, denied, neglected; but none of men's actions, thoughts, or beliefs can in any wise change the appointment that God has unalterably fixed.

In many respects the Book of Ecclesiastes is a chart of the thoughts of a man on his journey to keep his appointment with God. It shows many of the wanderings and errors of the pilgrim's meditations as he travelled along life's pathway, until at last God's Word and love brought him to the only feasible conclusion as announced in the final few words: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole mater: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" [ECC:12:13-14]).

The Passing Scene

Solomon, through his backsliding, found that life became very distressing and difficult to understand. He could see the constructive forces of God at work in the world, but each constructive force seemed to have a destructive force that counteracted all gains. Birth was realised, only that death might have its chance; planting was accomplished, soon to be undone by reaping; and so forth. Life seemed empty. It is sad that men pass their time of sojourn on this earth and fail to notice that God has surrounded their life with many tokens of His love and goodness.

The true meaning of life, however, is not to count the sorrows or joys, but to use these as steppingstones to the better life in Christ Jesus. The true value of life is to carry into eternity a soul that has been moulded by God. If men would think less often of the hardships of their duties and of the heaviness of their burdens, if they would think more often of the loving purpose of God who appoints them all, life would become less difficult, less toilsome, and less mysterious.

The knowledge that God is sovereign and that man will answer to Him in judgment at the appointed time, should cause men to prepare for that day by thoroughly repenting of all sin. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" ([1JN:1:9]).

Worldly-Mindedness

If man were willing, God would bring him into a greater knowledge of Himself and His works, but man is not willing. "He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." In other words, the natural mind of man has gone so far astray from God and has become so much occupied with the thoughts of the present world that he cannot comprehend anything beyond.

No doubt Adam and Eve in their state of innocency, before their fall into sin, had deep insight into God's work and plans. But the knowledge of evil replaced the knowledge of good; fear replaced fellowship and friendship with God. Generations passed before men, with few exceptions, thought much about the loving-kindness of God. A man has to separate himself from worldly-mindedness if he desires to make contact with God, for godliness and worldliness will not mix. "Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" [JAM:4:4]).

Righteous Judgment

Most people make an attempt to pass in this world with a high rate in the opinion of their fellow beings. Many will go to great lengths to deceive their neighbours and friends into believing them better people than they know themselves to be. This is especially true in religious circles, and it has been true throughout the years of the Bible. No wonder Solomon said: "Moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there." One of the first to try this subterfuge was Cain, but God quickly judged him. Achan was another who tried to hide sin, but he, too, was soon found out. In later life King Saul tried to pass as a righteous man, but he became his own murderer. The Pharisees and Sadducees came to John's baptism, but God searched them out: "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Mathew 3:7). The Bible warns, "Be sure your sin will find you out" [NUM:32:23]).

Too often in these days do men practice wickedness in the place of judgment, and seemingly get away with it. The saying that men cannot live above sin in this present world has been worn threadbare, but the saying does not change God's Word. Heaven is still a holy place, to be occupied by those whose lives have been transformed and made sinless through the Blood of Jesus. Because iniquity has too often been noted in the place where righteousness should be found, many have turned aside from God, branding all church people and professors of godliness as hypocrites. How careful and exacting must be the walk and talk of those who are true Christians, that the light of the Gospel might truly shine to the world!

A time of separation is coming. "God shall judge the righteous and the wicked." This time of inequalities will be corrected. The Judge of all the earth will gather all people to His throne and judge righteous judgment. No lawyer will be there to plead an unjust cause and swing the verdict with his oratory. No jury will be there to be bought off with any amount of money, but each man will be judged by his actual works -" works that God has recorded in His Book [REV:20:11-15]).

Picking the Winner

Seeing that these things are true, it is not difficult to determine the winner in the course of life. An important thought is introduced here: "Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that . . . it shall not be well with the wicked." The Bible states emphatically in many places that the seeming prosperity of the wicked is not a true criterion or measure by which to judge between the value of worldliness and godliness. "It shall be well with them that fear God." The man who trusts God truly experiences trials, testings, and chastenings, but he has the arm of God to lean upon and an understanding heavenly Father to trust. The sinner often suffers more than the righteous, and he has no one to help him or in whom to trust, except the arm of flesh. The wicked do sometimes amass great treasures, but true riches as described by the Lord are those treasures laid up in Heaven. Earthly treasures will perish, but heavenly treasures continue throughout eternity. Then, of course, the final triumph of the righteous will be to inherit Heaven as their eternal home, while the traveller of the broad way will find that his manner of life leads to destruction.

Accepted Time

The Lord is a great God! Surely He is worthy of men's praises and worship. He has created all things, and he is now upholding "all things by the word of his power" [HEB:1:3]). Just think, a man can get a prayer through to God, and He will send an answer!

The illustration is given of the Children of Israel, that they heard God's voice time after time, saw miracle after miracle performed by Him in their behalf; yet they provoked God, tempted Him, and presumed upon His mercy. Forty years long was God grieved with that generation, saying, "They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways" [HEB:3:10]). It was the accepted time for that generation of Israel -" a time when God would have heard and answered their prayers, had they prayed correctly. Their refusal to seek and trust God resulted in their loss of the promised land. That generation of Israelites perished in the wilderness.

In like manner the Spirit of God calls to the hearts of men today. In many ways God has manifested to the hearts of men that He is, and that He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. When should men seek God? "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." The Holy Ghost saith, "To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts" [HEB:3:7-8]). "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near" [ISA:55:6]). The day is coming when the Lord can no longer be found. His Spirit will no longer be near the hearts of the children of men, trying to win them unto Himself. The present is man's accepted time with God. The present holds God's promise to answer prayer. The future holds no hope except to those who trust God here and now, except to those who make use of their acceptable time with God.

Questions

1. Name one of the reasons why God appointed times and seasons.

2. What can be the only profit of man's appointed time on the earth?

3. Why is it so difficult for mankind to understand the work of God?

4. Why is it a stumbling block to some to see iniquity in the place where righteousness should be?

5. Who shall judge the righteous and the wicked? When?

6. Why are the hearts of the sons of men fully set to do evil?

7. Why will it be well with the righteous?

8. Why will it not be well with wicked?

9. When is man's accepted time with God?