My dear readers,
(Extracts from RPG Workbook Vol III No. 12,  Oct 28 – Nov 24 1984, edited by Dr SH Tow)

1.   84 STEPS TO LIFE!

All men recognise the shortness of life and the certainty of death. Moses the man of God wrote: “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off and we fly away” (Ps 90:10).

All men, however, are not agreed on the purpose of life and man's ultimate destiny. The great philosopher and atheist Lord Bertrand Russell said: “Brief and powerless is man’s life; on him and all his race the slow, sure doom falls pitiless and dark.”

Shortly before his death at the age of 98, he looked back on his own life and works, and concluded that most of it was worthless. Bertrand Russell, filled with the knowledge of this present world, had not the knowledge of the next. Death to him was simply “slow sure doom … pitiless and dark.”

The Book of Ecclesiastes is an incisive and thought-provoking sermon on life’s true purpose and man’s eternal destiny. Solomon the Wise speaks down the ages to men and women today. May this Book be to you as steps to life — the good of life in God. Without it, life is indeed “sure doom” and vanity under the sun.

2. PREACHER EXTRAORDINARY (Prov 1:7; Eccles 1:1-18)

The study of the Book of Ecclesiastes will help us to discover wondrous truths hidden within its pages — truths which will enable all believers to understand the purpose of life and meaning of its disappointments and frustrations without God.

A ROYAL PREACHER

Ecclesiastes is the Latin translation of the Greek word for a preacher. Ours is no ordinary PREACHER. He was the son of David, King in Jerusalem, God’s appointed ruler of the nation. Solomon’s reign was marked by peace and unprecedented prosperity, exceedingly splendid and glorious.

Solomon is our “man of the moment,” ROYAL PRINCE turned GOD’s PREACHER. Listen, Pastor Solomon speaking from the pulpit! How exciting! He has valuable lessons for each of us. Let us be very attentive.

A WISE PREACHER

Who has not heard of the fame of Solomon? In every field of science and learning, he had words of authority and wisdom. He was the encyclopedia of that early age. Men and women came from near and far to hear his judgments. The Queen of Sheba arrived half-doubting, but departed doubly convinced. After seeing and hearing for herself, she openly confessed: “Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard” (1 Kings 10:7).

AN EXPERIENCED PREACHER

Solomon has been through life’s school of experience, finding out for himself and learning from his own follies. He is thus qualified to be our TEACHER. What he has to tell us is from his vast storehouse of life-encounters — no armchair theorizing or

smart speculation! He speaks with authority the deep things of life and death, the hidden meaning of the hard facts of life. Most importantly, Solomon speaks with Holy Spirit understanding. He speaks to us of eternal realities, realities “beyond the sun.”

QUIZ: “Solomon spoke words of authority.” Who was the “author” of his words?

PRAYER: Open my ears that I may hear.

3. UNDER THE SUN ALL IS VANITY! (2 Cor 4:16-18; Eccles 1:1-3)

“Vanity of vanities; all is vanity,” so declares the Preacher. Strange statement! Was it the judgment of a soured mind, or of one who was leaving the world because the world was leaving him? By no means! Far from the cry of “sour grapes,” Solomon’s words bear evidence of a mind in full and clear vigour, of one who had lived life to the full. Having tasted of its “many splendoured things,” he loathed himself, for his experience of it was expensive! But coming to himself, he declares with conclusive finality: all of men’s varied experiences are emptiness and frustration in the end. Vanity of vanities!

EARTH’S PLEASURES THE LAST STRAW

Listen to what Lord Chesterfield had to say: “I have run the silly rounds of business and pleasure, and have done with them all. I have enjoyed all the pleasures of the world, and know their futility, and I do not regret their loss. I appraise them at their real value, which is in truth very low; whereas they that have not experienced always overrate them. They only see their gay outside, and are dazzled with their glare. I have been behind the scenes; I have seen all. … And when I reflect back, I can hardly persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry and bustle, and pleasure of the world, had any reality. But look upon all that has passed as one of those romantic dreams which opium commonly occasions …”

A man who sets his heart in pursuit of earth’s deceptive delights will finally bury himself under an unbearable load of its loathsome pleasures. Like the proverbial last straw, he will be crushed and broken.

BUT GOD HAS THE LAST WORD

For the believer things are different. He sees things as they really are. Earthly things look grand till the trial has proved them vain; heavenly things look mean, till the trial has revealed their hidden glory. Reader, listen to God’s Word: “… the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor 4:18). God’s Word has the last say!

THOUGHT: Look in faith at the things which are not seen and the glamour of the things which are seen will fade away.

PRAYER: Lord, evermore give me eyes of faith to see beyond this earth.

God bless all readers.