By the spirit of inspiration the king recorded for after generations the history of his wasted years with their lessons of warning. And thus, although the seed of his sowing was reaped by his people in harvests of evil, his life-work was not wholly lost. With meekness and lowliness Solomon in his later years “taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.” He “sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.”“The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished.”Ecclesiastes 12:9-12.
(PK 79.1)
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“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter,” he wrote: “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.”Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14.
(PK 80.1)
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Solomon’s later writings reveal that as he realized more and still more the wickedness of his course, he gave special attention to warning the youth against falling into the errors that had led him to squander for nought Heaven’s choicest gifts. With sorrow and shame he confessed that in the prime of manhood, when he should have found God his comfort, his support, his life, he turned from the light of Heaven and the wisdom of God, and put idolatry in the place of the worship of Jehovah. And now, having learned through sad experience the folly of such a life, his yearning desire was to save others from entering into the bitter experience through which he had passed.
(PK 80.2)
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With touching pathos he wrote concerning the privileges and responsibilities before the youth in God’s service:
(PK 80.3)
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“Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: but if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.”Ecclesiastes 11:7-10.
(PK 80.4)
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“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, While the evil days come not, Nor the years draw nigh, When thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;”Ecclesiastes 12:1.
(PK 81.1)
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“While the sun, Or the light, Or the moon, Or the stars, Be not darkened, Nor the clouds return after the rain:”Ecclesiastes 12:2.
(PK 81.2)
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“In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, And the strong men shall bow themselves, And the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look out of the windows be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in the streets,”Ecclesiastes 12:3~4.
(PK 81.3)
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“When the sound of the grinding is low, And he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, And all the daughters of music shall be brought low;”Ecclesiastes 12:4.
(PK 81.4)
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“Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, And fears shall be in the way,”Ecclesiastes 12:5.
(PK 81.5)
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“And the almond tree shall flourish, And the grasshopper shall be a burden, And desire shall fail:”Ecclesiastes 12:5.
(PK 81.6)
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“Because man goeth to his long home, And the mourners go about the streets:”Ecclesiastes 12:5.
(PK 81.7)
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“Or ever the silver cord be loosed, Or the golden bowl be broken, Or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the cistern.”Ecclesiastes 12:6.
(PK 81.8)
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“Then shall the dust return to the earth
As it was:
And the spirit shall return unto God
Who gave it.”Ecclesiastes 12:7.
(PK 82.1)
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Not only to the youth, but to those of mature years, and to those who are descending the hill of life and facing the western sun, the life of Solomon is full of warning. We see and hear of unsteadiness in youth, the young wavering between right and wrong, and the current of evil passions proving too strong for them. In those of maturer years, we do not look for this unsteadiness and unfaithfulness; we expect the character to be established, the principles firmly rooted. But this is not always so. When Solomon should have been in character as a sturdy oak, he fell from his steadfastness under the power of temptation. When his strength should have been the firmest, he was found to be the weakest.
(PK 82.2)
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From such examples we should learn that in watchfulness and prayer is the only safety for both young and old. Security does not lie in exalted position and great privileges. One may for many years have enjoyed a genuine Christian experience, but he is still exposed to Satan’s attacks. In the battle with inward sin and outward temptation, even the wise and powerful Solomon was vanquished. His failure teaches us that, whatever a man’s intellectual qualities may be, and however faithfully he may have served God in the past, he can never with safety trust in his own wisdom and integrity.
(PK 82.3)
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In every generation and in every land the true foundation and pattern for character building have been the same. The divine law, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, ... and thy neighbor as thyself,” the great principle made manifest in the character and life of our Saviour, is the only secure foundation, the only sure guide. Luke 10:27. “Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation,” the wisdom and knowledge which God’s word alone can impart. Isaiah 33:6.
(PK 82.4)
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