Consider The End Ecc. 7: 8 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Ecc 7:8 better is the end of a thing than the beginning. When evaluating things or making decisions about things, the Lord admonishes us to consider the end. For instance, the Lord waits till the end of our lives to judge us, for a man may begin poorly but end well or begin well and end poorly. There are certain things in life whose end is certain. And we can evaluate them before ever beginning because we already know how they’re going to turn out. It is these things, clearly defined in the Bible, that we must consider today. Consider the end of:
Israel – Num 23:10 – Israel – let my last end be like his. Jer 31:17 there is hope in thine end. The nations of the world will try to destroy Israel. This is a hopeless cause because, in the end, the Lord will defend Israel, save them, and make them the ruling nation of the world. If only Israel would understand this about herself… Deut 8:16 – time of proving – to do thee good at thy latter end. Deut 32:29 – wisdom – that they would consider their latter end. Israel’s end is certainly better than their beginning.
The World – Dan 8:19 at the time appointed the end shall be [i.e., 12:4, etc]. Matt 13:40 the end of the world, Matt 24:3, 28:20; Mk 13:7 the end shall not be yet; 1 Cor 15:24 then cometh the end. This world will end with the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule the earth. Under his command everything and everyone will finally be at peace. It is futile to devote your time to worldly, temporal things, in order to make the earth better. Jesus will fix it when he returns. The end of the world will certainly be better than its beginning.
Your Life – Job 6:11 – life – what is mine end? Ps 39:4 make me to know mine end [frail]. You aren’t going to live forever. Ecc 7:2 – house of mourning – that is the end of all men. How many times have I heard, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.” You are going to be feeble and frail if you live out your days and you must realize this. You realize that its going to end with doctors and eventually death. This end comes to all of us. However, for those of us who are saved, our death is not the end. When Jesus returns at the rapture, we will rise with glorified bodies [1 Thes 4:16-18] and our end will certainly be better than our beginning.
Wickedness – Ps 37:38 – the end of the wicked shall be cut off. Prov 5:4 – strange woman – her end is bitter as wormwood. Ps 73:17 then understood I their end. Prov 14:12 – the end thereof are the ways of death. Rom 6:21 the end of those things is death [6:23]. 1 Pet 4:17 what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God. 2 Thes 1:7-9. They will be burned with fire forever. The end of the wicked is not better than the beginning unless they receive Jesus Christ and are born again.
Righteousness – Ps 37:37 – perfect man, upright, the end of that man is peace. Prov 19:20 – counsel, instruction – that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. Heb 13:7 whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation. Prov 23:18 – expectation of the righteous – surely there is an end and thine expectation shall not be cut off. Rom 6:22 the end everlasting life. Rom 10:4 Christ is the end of the law…. 1 Cor 1:8 who shall confirm you unto the end… the way of the righteous is always better in the end than in the beginning. You may suffer on this side of glory but in the end you will rejoice in God’s glory.
Conclusion: Get saved and live for Jesus. If you’re saved, do not turn back to the world. Though 2 Pet 2 is primarily to the lost, 2 Pet 2:20, “the latter end is worse with them than the beginning” has been spiritually fulfilled in the lives of Christians who have turned back to the world in these perilous times.