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Day 309 (Ecclesiastes 3:16-22) Moreover, I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there. I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. All go to one place: all are from the dust and return to dust. Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? So, I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him? You cannot go through life without facing death. Everything, people, animals, and plants die. You cannot get away from it. Some people and animals die sooner than others. No one is guaranteed a long life. Yet, how you live your life determines your eternal destination. Evil lives and reigns in men’s hearts. You hear about it on the news every day. Mixed in with the bad news is a sprinkling of good news. Those who practice evil will come under judgment. If they don’t face judgment on the earth, they will face God’s judgment when they die. Solomon said God judges the righteous and wicked people alike. He also said people and animals were alike. I’m certain you have seen people who act like animals. In so saying, he said animals and people share the same eternal destiny. God made people and animals on the sixth day from the dust of the ground and breathed into them the breath of life. (Genesis 1:24-25) Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. (NKJV) God made the animals. He did not call them into existence with the word of his mouth as He did with the rest of creation. He made them from the dust of the ground in the same manner He made people. (Genesis 1:26-27) Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So, God created man in His own image; in the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them. People and animals are alike in their creation. When pets die, people like to believe they will go to heaven and be there when they get to heaven. It’s a nice thought and I hope it’s a fact as I have pets who died too that I loved very much. Solomon does not say one way or another whether animals go to heaven. He only said they were created the same as people were. God made them and God will judge them. As Christians, you know God’s judgment comes to all flesh. Jesus spoke a parable about wheat and tares, regarding righteous and evil people. (Matthew 13:24-30) Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So, the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” (NKJV) Jesus said evil is always with you. You cannot get away from it. Neither can you get away from God’s judgment. When you die, you will face God’s judgment, either at the Bema seat or at the White Throne’s judgment. (2 Corinthians 5:10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (NKJV) (Revelation 20:11-15) Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was no place for them. And I saw the small and great dead standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Solomon said the only thing we could do in this life is rejoice in the work God gives us. Everything else comes under His judgment. Which judgment will you face? Let’s pray: Father, thank you for Your fair judgment of all flesh, people, and animals. Help me to live my life according to Your Word so that I do not face the judgment of the dead who will receive their eternal reward in the lake of fire. Let my name be found in the Book of Life when You judge me according to my work for You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 18 May 2023 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay