REMEMBER THY CREATOR


A. "REMEMBER 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"
  1. Solomon could speak with authority:
    1. He remembered his Creator in the days of his youth
    2. There was a point in his youth when he loved the Lord with all his heart I Kings 3:3. He referred to himself as, "I am but a little child; I know not how to go out and come in" - I Kings 3:7
  2. It was in the days of his youth that he laid a good foundation:
    1. For mental, physical and moral to rule Israel - God's people
    2. It is true, however, that he broke connection with the Creator, served other gods, and thus lived contrary to his knowledge of the Lord - Neh. 13:26 B. REMEMBER NOW THY CREATOR IN THE DAYS OF THEY YOUTH
  3. Remember whom? "Thy Creator" The language implies
    1. that man has a Creator; it would certainly be strange if he had not, seeing that everything else has - Gen. 2:2-3. Ex. 20:11
    2. this shows that all who follow the instruction of our opening text will never be infidels, denying the Creator - Ps. 15:1-6
    3. Jesus Christ, the Image of the invisible God is our Creator - compare John 1:1-3 with Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:1-3
    4. that man, originally knew God, but dishonored Him - Rom. 1:18-27
  4. Remember how?
    1. By thinking of His person; a characteristic of the wicked is that they forget God; they do not have Him in their thoughts - Ps. 10:4; whereas a good man remembers God on his bed, and meditates upon Him in his night watches - Ps. 63:6
    2. By reflecting upon His character; the angels do - Is. 6:1-4; Ps. 103:20
    3. Says the Psalmist, "Holy and reverent is His name" - Ps. 111:9
    4. By acknowledging His goodness - Ps. 103:1-3
    5. By meditating in His word - the Bereans did - Acts 17:11; Ps. 119:97. That I might not sin against Him - Ps. 119:9 C. REMEMBER WHEN? "IN THE DAYS OF THY YOUTH"
  5. That is the time:
    1. When all the faculties of man begin to grow and develop
    2. When the powers of reason have not as yet been impaired by sin - Luke 15:11-32
C. The scriptures are unanimous in recommending early piety; Examples - Moses - Heb. 11:24-26; Joseph - Gen. 39:9; David - I Sam. 17:34; Ps. 34:11; Solomon - I Kings 3:9-11; Prov. 3:1-2; the Lord Jesus - Luke 2:40-52
  1. When man grows old his capacity diminishes:
    1. The memory is, with a few exceptions, slow to receive and comprehend; we all know this from experience; do we not?
    2. This physical condition makes us less able to resist temptation when it comes
    3. Old age takes from man the relish of life, man is tempted to look at life darkly, with some reservations; he no longer sees the joy that once filled his heart
  2. The last scene of all - "man goeth to his long home"
    1. That simply means the approach of death "It is appointed unto men once to die" - Heb. 9:27
    2. That experience comes to sinners and saints because to begin with "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" - Rom. 3:23
  3. Man's destination at death:
    1. Not heaven, not hell, nor will it be limbo, nor purgatory
    2. The house that man comes to in death is the grave: that is what Job says, "O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave" - Job 14:13; "If I wait, the grave is mine house" Job 17:13
    3. It will be in their graves that the dead hear the call of the Life-giver; "Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto resurrection of damnation" - John 5:28-29
  4. How timely the admonition of Solomon is even at this time:
    1. When a loved one is laid to rest
    2. When we are again reminded to we too, sooner or later have to go the way of all flesh.


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