According to the Scriptures, Man - that superior
being on earth, is clearly helpless and
pathetic.
12F.1
What should man realize early in his
life?
Apostle James likened the life of
man to a vapor, In James 4:14, this is stated:
Whereas you do
not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life?
It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then
vanishes away. (NKJV)
The same verse in another version of
the Bible for clarity:
Why do you not
even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life?
You are a mist that appear for a little while and then vanishes.
(NIV)
It is quite unfortunate for man to
have a very short life, he is liken to a to a vapor or mist that appear
for a little time and the vanishes away. So that those who choose to
just "drink and be happy" in this life would finally find it too short
for real enjoyment.
12F.2
What should the rich and famous realize during their life in this world?
In I Peter 1:24, this
is written:.
because "All flesh
is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The
grass withers, and its flower falls away,
(NKJV)
The rich and the famous must
realize that their body are like grass and all his earthly glory is like
the flower of grass. Their earthly glory are like flower that falls and
will be gone forever after their very short life.
12F.3
In the face of death, does man has an advantage or preeminence over
the animal or beast?
The truth of this statement is
emphasized in Ecclesiastes 3:19. We quote:
For what happens to
the sons of men also happens to beasts; one thing befalls them: as one
dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no
advantage over beasts, for all is vanity.
(NKJV)
The same verse in another version of the
Bible:
Man's fate is like
that of animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies ,
so dies the other. All have the same breath, a man has no advantage
over the animal. Everything is meaningless. (NIV)
The inevitability of death of both man
and beast clearly shows that the former is no better than the latter.
This is the status of man according to the Bible. This is how
insignificant a man is despite his achievements in this world.
12F.4
Does man have any reason to be proud of his accomplishment in making
earth a better place to live?
Nothing in reality can be more shocking
than this, Zeph. 1:14, 18 declares.
The great day of the
Lord is near; it is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of
the Lord is bitter; there the mighty men shall cry out.
Neither their silver
nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's
wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy,
for He will make speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land.
(NKJV)
The world will end on the day of
judgment or the second advent of Christ. Man with all the
grandeurs and splendors of this material world will be consumed by fire.
The destruction of man and the earth he lives in as well as all the
works in it, is the end of material glory and wealth. Man will
perish and his material world will vanish.
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Man must
realize early in his life, that life is
too short which is liken to a mist that
appear for a little while and then
vanishes and that man's life and earthly
glory is like a grass that withers and a
flower that falls away. Man must not
attach too much value to earthly wealth,
glory, honor and power but also to
reflect what he can get beyond the
benefits of this world.
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