Labor and its Reward...the Wayfarer

Labor and its Reward

Psalm 128

King James Version (KJV)

128 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.

² For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

³ Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

⁴ Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

⁵ The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

⁶ Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

All around the  world the labor of the past year is honored for its worth by all people of just about every nation with celebration of the labor of the past, toward the reward to be reaped from that labor, both currently and in the future.

The extent of that labor is dependent on the value placed on the reward to be had by that labor.

Some use the celebration to diminish the requirement of that labor, celebrating instead, the "virtue" of having reaped the reward of the labors of those before them, and in some cases those around them rather than acknowledging the very necessity of contributing toward that labor demanded from each since the creation of mankind to serve the purpose of laboring for fruits provided him by that Creator, through the difficulty of gathering those fruits instituted by his own disobedience to that Creator.

Genesis 3:19

¹⁹In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

When offered an easy means of attaining all that was required for both body and soul, that means was rejected rather than accepted, the accompanying joy and close fellowship with God was rejected as well, and man placed on a path of labor toward regaining what was thrown away in acceptance of the lie that convinced him of his own importance, his own ingenuity, his own ability rather than that of his Creator.

As time progressed, the face of that labor changed, yet remained ever required, ever unchanging in nature, seeking still the same end of reward to be gained at the end of that labor.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 King James Version (KJV)

¹⁰ Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

The sentence passed on him, of death rather than life also remained, and remains for the progeny of that disobedient creature thinking himself the equal of the Creator rather than accepting the place and purpose given him by that Creator.

Still, that creator, the God of Adam, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, loved that creation so intently that means was given him to overcome the stupidity and obstinacy of his choice for himself, a means of return to both place and purpose intended for him despite his denial of both.

The physical rewards were increased proportionally to the labor expended, and proportional also to the obedience given by a creature that remained obstinate and obtuse  to the greater reward to be had only by full compliance with the intent of his Creator.

The time spent by this creature, striving ever toward physical reward still denied the reward intended him despite the increase in "knowledge, wisdom, and device" that remained and remains unable to provide the reward of eternal life intended for him.

The greater the "knowledge" gained, the farther the attainment of the reward became.

Thus it was throughout the still ongoing history of this creature, still valuing that knowledge and its reward more than the promise of life itself.

The greater that "knowledge" became the wider the gulf between God and man became as the very idea of sin, and disobedience of God were relegated to the background while the creature continued to attempt to become equal with the Creator while controverting the intent and purpose allotted him.

Some came to recognize this sin for what it was, and through covenant were allotted a means to alleviate sin through the sacrifice and blood that was demanded for the forgiveness of that sin, and law was given as a part of that covenant.

This too became inadequate, knowledge and its accompanying disobedience festering and growing to the point that the blood of the lesser creatures given in place of the life blood of the men committing the sin flowed without end, to little effect as sin grew and price paid was inadequate for payment.

A sacrifice not made by Abraham, one that was put aside in covenant with him was demanded.

While Abraham was given reprieve from the sacrifice of his son, there could be no reprieve given to the Son of God whose labor was on behalf of this continually obstinate creature so loved by God, that the sacrifice was willingly... not grudgingly...given to grant means to the reward of life intended for man rather than the empty rewards chosen by him that could result only in death and separation from intent and purpose.

Unlike Isaac who went willingly with Abraham WITHOUT knowledge of purpose as understood by his father, Jesus came WILLINGLY and in FULL knowledge of purpose and intent, in FULL knowledge of the necessity of His sacrifice, in FULL comprehension of the fact that only HE could bring redemption for repentance, that only HE could expend the labor required to allow this creature to overcome death so richly deserved, only by overcoming death itself as proof of the love that reveals intent and purpose to those willing to come to that revelation.

James 1:18 

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

It is only through HIS labor, His sacrifice, the sweat of His Face that has been given and remains sufficient above any capability of any, no matter how knowledgeable, or seemingly powerful that is adequate to provide the reward offered Adam, and rejected by him along with far too many of his progeny.

Labor continues, labor toward power, toward abundance of wealth, toward pleasures that are the goals of this creature, the goals of nations as those nations labor toward destruction of others of their kind.

Intense labor is expended daily toward death, as newest and best means of delivery of that death are pursued despite the knowledge of where that labor leads.

Parades signifying the achievement of that knowledge will continue, until the PARADE of souls passing in review of the judgement seat  is completed, and each reaps the reward of the labor expended toward the goal being sought.

Labor remains demanded of each, as stated by Solomon.

The question is simply what is being labored toward, and what reward is to be expected from that labor.

Choice given each is still given through the simple message brought by the Son of God, Whose labor cannot and will not be in vain.

"REPENT! for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

2 Timothy 1:12

King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer