Once talking to a couple of boys and girls in my home town I asked them: “What happens next after you have achieved all you plan to achieve?” They quickly replied, “We will enjoy our toils then…” I went on to ask, “so after you enjoy your toils then what next?” They sat in thier seats and it was almost obvious from their faces the next event; death.
Death is thought to be the end of everything by some. Others think otherwise and refer to death as the beginning of reality; Where we really and vividly will see life as it is.
Death is both the end and the beginning. It is the end of our life on earth here and the beginning of life in eternity. After our toils and sweat, we will leave every (single) thing behind and open our eyes in another world.
A teacher who once lived cried, “vanity upon vanity” referring to our toils on earth. Vanity upon vanity we also echo but does vanity mean all that we did are cancelled and become vain and null having no consequences? Does it mean after all the things we did in this world death comes and takes us to another place where we start afresh? Is eternity a new beginning all together indeed?
The same teacher who cried vanity upon vanity also cried concerning the times and seasons in everything. He taught on a time to be born and a time to die, a time to sow and a time to harvest. A time for everything under the sun. He said in one place “Young man, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it! Do all you want to; take in everything” but he soberly said before he signs off. “Here is my final conclusion: fear God and obey his commandments, for this is the entire duty of man. For God will judge us for everything we do, including every hidden thing, good or bad.”
Who is God? Well He is someone I dare not try to explain or define because I couldn’t if I tried. My finite words couldn’t. But in simple language we will all understand when I say God is the creator of all things. We have no reason to doubt this statement for nature; its architecture and life testifies of an architect and a life giver. The complexities of and in nature could not have happened by accident as some people have suggest or reasoned themselves to stand in their minds.
It would sound the same way if I were to argue that an iphone happened by accident, especially in this 21 century where knowledge is very much worshiped. We all know how impossible and foolish such an argument is. So foolish that the one who would take the stand against me to battle my thoughts on the topic might even be called a fool too. Some things are too obvious to rational men like us that no proof is needed.
An iphone could not be an accident will be our conclusion as rational men. If we thus conclude on an iphone whose compexity (every bit of it) was designed by man; how do we then conclude that a complex cell happened by accident? I have only mention the complexity of a cell which is only one grain of the numerous things which makes up the creations of God.
I said all these to say there is a supreme being who made us all and we are accountable to him. The teacher said he will judge us for everything we do, including every hidden thing, good or bad. One could talk of “judgement” as reaping what we sow. It would help us all if we viewed ourselves as farmers sowing into our fields (lives) and reaping at harvest.
One day our lives will produce fruits for us. Whether the fruits be good or bad will be determined the seed we sow now in this life. Does not even nature tell us that we can’t sow apples and harvest oranges? Every man will reap what he sowed. And there is one other thing; there is no crop failure. We will reap what we sow without one failing. God will render to everyone as he deserves says the scriptures.
As long as we sow, we will reap; as long as we live we will surely die. In this life we sow and after death we will reap the full benefits of our deeds. Death doesn’t clear the past and makes it vain- No. Death becomes the door into another season where we will reap. A new beginning where we enjoy the fruits of what we did on earth. Eternity-so long and never ending- is the place where we will understand the real meaning of the cries of the teacher: “vanity upon vanity”.
I begin the series of submissions on eternity with these.
For now always remember:
Death is certain,
Eternity so long and never ending,
Judgement inevitable,
Our works we will reap, good or bad,
The God of the Universe we are accountable to.
But do not realize this too late…
