Lessons · Thu Sep 10, 2026 · Scripture

Ecclesiastes — "God Shall Bring Every Work into Judgment"

Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12

The principle

Our choices in this life will determine how prepared we are to stand before God at the Final Judgment.

What the lesson is for

Help students take one decision they are facing right now and follow it all the way out to the Final Judgment — then write the message their future self would send back about it.

Personal study, first ten minutes

Ecclesiastes 1:1–18; 2:1–11; and 12:7, 13–14

Read with the words swapped in: vanity means empty or fleeting, and "under the sun" means in this mortal life. What did the Preacher try, and what did he conclude about all of it? Then find exactly where the book turns.

Take it

PowerPoint deck 7.9 MB Lesson source (JSON)

The deck

Click any card to see it full size.

Card 0: CONTEXT SETUP — A Man Who Tried Everything, And Said So. — **Card 0** · CONTEXT SETUP Begin with the end.

Card 1: DIRECT TEXT INTERACTION & AI — Then Find Where The Book Turns. — **Card 1** · DIRECT TEXT INTERACTION & AI Swap the words. Read again.

Card 2: TALK ABOUT EXPERIENCE — Follow One Decision All The Way Out. — **Card 2** · TALK ABOUT EXPERIENCE Where does this end?

Card 3: CHRIST-CENTERED ACTION — Write What Your Future Self Would Say. — **Card 3** · CHRIST-CENTERED ACTION Send yourself a message.

Teacher notes

Supplies, board work and timing. Never printed on the cards.

BOARD first thing: "How I treat my body / How I spend my free time / How I treat people." Leave it up and come back to it at the end. Student prep was to ask a parent or trusted leader about the long-term impact of decisions they made as teenagers — ask who actually did it. DEFINITIONS to display: vanity = empty or fleeting; "under the sun" or "under heaven" = in this mortal life; "vexation of spirit" = frustrating. Have them substitute as they read; it changes the book. Clarify that worldly wisdom and possessions are not bad in themselves — the danger is making them the focus. Cross-reference Ecclesiastes 12:7, 13–14 with Alma 34:32 and Mormon 3:20, 22. Optional video: "Think Celestial!" (19:15), from 5:20 to 5:46. Note the loop back to the parable of the talents from Lesson 193 — Matthew 25:23 is the verse the closing activity uses.

Journal prompt

The last five minutes. Card 3 hands into this.

Imagine standing before God and hearing Him say "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23). From there, write a message back to yourself today. Say how the choices you make now affect how ready you will be, name the decision you are currently facing, and tell yourself exactly what to change about it.