Based on Job 25-26 (New King James Version)
“Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: ‘Dominion and fear belong to Him; He makes peace in His high places. Is there any number to His armies? Upon whom does His light not rise? How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman? If even the moon does not shine, and the stars are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is a maggot, and a son of man, who is a worm?’ But Job answered and said: ‘How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength? How have you counseled one who has no wisdom? And how have you declared sound advice to many? To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit came from you? ‘The dead tremble, those under the waters and those inhabiting them. Sheol is naked before Him, and Destruction has no covering. He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing. He binds up the water in His thick clouds, yet the clouds are not broken under it. He covers the face of His throne, and spreads His cloud over it. He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, at the boundary of light and darkness. The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astonished at His rebuke. He stirs up the sea with His power, and by His understanding He breaks up the storm. By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”
What do Alexander the Great, Ashoka the Great, Hannibal Barca, Julius Caesar, Qin Shi Huang, Attila, Napoleon, Genghis Khan, and Mehmed have all in common? All of these people were associated with great kingdoms and empires, people that had been in part or directly responsible for the greatness they achieved. These were people with great power, great wealth, and with an almost absolute reign during the time of their reign. It can be said that they were almost invincible, at least in our terms. It can be understood that they were people that were exemplary in their tactics, in their intelligence, and in their leadership, speaking in military or human power terms, so much that they are even remembered today.
But what other thing do they have in common apart from their greatness and achievements? There is something else that unites them and us, something that is so certain and obvious at the same time. They were people. And as the people they were, despite their great achievements and power, their end came one day. At one moment, they were great and glorious, feared and respected, rich and powerful, but, at another moment, they stopped breathing, and their hearts stopped beating, and whatever is left of their bodies lay in the ground somewhere, consumed by the elements and things present in the earth, just as God told man one day that it would happen to all of us ever since sin entered the world: “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19. Science and technology advance, and some reigns grow and increase, but the same continues to happen, that each person’s time comes to them, no matter what they do, each of us grow and age, and we will also return to the dust from where God made us, just as it happened with our ancestors, and as it will also happen with every person that comes after us, and there is nothing we can do about that.
So then, why is all of this being said? And what can we glean from this? That reality is reality. But what can we do about it? Is it wise to live life as many do by trying to supposedly enjoy things as much as possible before bad days come, and then cease to exist? This is what the Word says: “But instead, joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating meat and drinking wine: ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’” Isaiah 22:13. This is what most people try to do. But we must always remember that God is God and that man is man. That’s the point. And what is man compared to God? This is what the Word says: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” Psalm 8:3-4. We must remember that whatever we do, that we are nothing, and that this is not just a philosophy or lyrics from a melancholic song, but rather reality, and especially when we compare ourselves to God’s greatness. If we acknowledge our position in the universe, we do not have the luxury of thinking that we are something and that we have some sort of power over the inevitable. But this is the problem today: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” Psalm 14:1-3. There is a lot of foolishness because many think erroneously that they are something, and worse, that there is no God, or that God is something without any importance. I lack the words to express the level of foolishness that exists today. I don’t know what we are becoming, but something is certain, that there are a lot of weak minds, vanity, and confusion than ever before, and there is even more hopelessness. This is the reason for why the world is worsening so quickly.
There was a man in history that reigned practically over the whole world because there was no kingdom nor will there ever be such a perfect kingdom as the one given to him. All of the power in the world was in his hands because there was no other kingdom that could face him. And that’s why God qualified his kingdom as gold. But, one day, he forgot Who was responsible for everything he had. And this is what the Word tells us: “‘…King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.’ That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.” Daniel 4:31b-37. What should a man do for their own good? Remember what they are and what God is, and that contending with the Almighty is extreme foolishness where there will be only one resulting loser: man. So then, are you considering God’s majesty and salvation, and what you are for your own good? Lord bless! John