Fame Peters Out
Eternity Online: John Edmiston (Editor)
Eternity-Inspiration for Sunday 16th November 1997
Fame Peters Out
(Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 NIV) Better a poor but wise youth than an old
but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. {14} The
youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been
born in poverty within his kingdom. {15} I saw that all who lived and
walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor. {16}
There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who
came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is
meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
King Solomon was the son of King David and of course knew the
stories about King Saul, David's predecessor. The "old but foolish
king who no longer knows how to take warning" may have been Saul who
became very intransigent in his later years. The "poor but wise
youth" would be David who all Israel certainly followed. Even
David's popularity declined and Absalom managed a revolt. "Those who
came later" eg Absalom's massive political support - were not
pleased with "the successor" (to Saul) David. The fame of Saul and
the fame of David both petered out towards the end of their reigns
-as did Solomon's. Solomon by the end of his reign was a hated
tyrant and the kingdom split after his death over the issue of
taxation. Even a king's "place in history" is precarious.
If we cannot live on in people's memory and in the heart's of men and
women how then can we "endure"? Are we particles of dust that blow
around for a while before setling down to be forgotten and trodden
underfoot? What are we? Can anything of this life last?
Lets look at what Jesus says about permanence when He speaks to the
church in Philadelphia. (Revelation 3:10-12 NIV) Since you have
kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the
hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test
those who live on the earth. {11} I am coming soon. Hold on to what
you have, so that no one will take your crown. {12} Him who overcomes
I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he
leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the
city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven
from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.
Those who endure under persecution for the sake of Christ are made a
"pillar" in the temple of God in heaven and never leave it. A pillar
was a thing of strength, beauty and honour. Pillars are also
permanent. They are meant to last. Permanent honour comes to those
who are faithful for God. They also receive a crown and a new name.
They become royalty in heaven.
(1 Samuel 2:30 NIV) "Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares:
'I promised that your house and your father's house would minister
before me forever.' But now the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me!
Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be
disdained.
(John 12:26 NIV) Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my
servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Even a King may lose hs fame and popularity but a servant of God
will be honoured forever.
Prayer:
Lord, may we put aside the "vain things that charm us most" - like
popularity, power and prestige and focus on your Kingdom and Your
righteousness and Your glory and in enduring all for your sake. Amen.
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