Ecclesiastes 12:14

Ecclesiastes 12:14

I. These words show, not only that each of us will be judged, but that each of us will be judged for each action of his life; not for his general character whether (taken altogether) he was on the whole a worldly or a pious man, or the like, but for every single act, good or bad, of which his entire life was made up. Each separate thing done, thought, or said, will be brought up again in due order exactly as it was done, thought, or said weighed, sifted, and judged; for "God," says the text, "shall bring everywork into judgment."

II. We look inwards, and our very hearts die within us. We see dark blots over all the past; we think of those secrets of our souls which we ourselves shrink from recalling. And all of these are to be laid bare before God! How shall we prepare ourselves for this judgment? There is but one answer to this question. There is One and One only to whom we can flee for help or succour, but He is all-sufficient. He is near at hand to hear our cry and help us; to renew, change and convert us; to help our infirmities; and He looks with loving and compassionating eyes on all our poor endeavours, on our struggles, our repentances, and our prayers; and as yet He pleads for us.

F. E. Paget, Helps and Hindrances to the Christian Life,vol. i., p. 122.

References: Ecclesiastes 12:14. J. E. Vaux, Sermon Notes,1st series, p. 4; Clergyman's Magazine,vol. xii., p. 83. 12 C. Bridges, An Exposition of Ecclesiastes,p. 283.