Virtue and Purpose

The creation of humanity is rooted in the idea that people were created to live a life of virtue, as it is said, 'The word became flesh, man was created, to live according to virtue.' This concept is echoed in Psalm 39:4, where the psalmist prays, 'Make me know my end and the number of my days, what it is, that I may know what I lack,' demonstrating a desire to understand one's mortality and the limited time available to live a virtuous life (Psalm 39:4). The psalmist's prayer implies that he was created to live according to virtue and to participate in God's wisdom, speaking and acting in accordance with it. However, he acknowledges that he falls short in many areas, which he attributes to his own limitations, and so he asks God to reveal to him the end of his life, that he may know how much time he has left to make up for his deficiencies. The book of Ecclesiastes also touches on this idea, warning that one should not be hard, lest they die not in their time, as stated in Ecclesiastes 7:17, which serves as a warning to not neglect the pursuit of virtue, lest one's life be cut short before reaching its full potential. Similarly, David prays in Psalm 102:24, 'Do not take me away in the midst of my days,' expressing his desire to live a full and complete life (Psalm 102:24). Abraham, on the other hand, is described as 'old and full of days,' which is not merely a reference to his advanced age, but rather an indication of his spiritual maturity and fulfillment, having lived a life that was full and complete. The concept of being 'full of days' is not just about living a long life, but about receiving the illuminations of 'the sun of righteousness' without interruption, and being honored with the presbeia, or spiritual eldership, that comes from living a life of wisdom and virtue, as stated in Wisdom 4:8-9, 'For old age is not measured by the number of years, but by the grayness of wisdom, and old age is a life without turmoil' (Wisdom 4:8-9). Since Abraham believed in God and his faith was reckoned as righteousness, and he was 'full of days' and 'old,' it is fitting that he died in good old age, having lived a life that was full and complete. The fullness of days is understood in this way and is confirmed from other sources, such as the commandment to 'Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you' (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16). However, this is not an absolute guarantee, as many who have shown great honor to their parents have died prematurely, while others who have dishonored their mothers and fathers have lived long lives. Additionally, in Psalm 91:16, it is written concerning the one who dwells in the help of the Most High, 'With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation,' which indicates completion and fulfillment, rather than merely a long life (Psalm 91:16). For it is said that one is snatched away, so that evil may not change his understanding, as stated in Psalm 91. All these things are said to us to show that events occur for a certain purpose and from many, but much more from God. Elihu, knowing this, says that the one who receives admonition gently and toward a return will have a good and honorable end, which is indicated to him by the fact that 'he will come into the grave like ripe wheat harvested in season' (Job 5:26). The word of God follows him in sequence, saying, 'Blessed is the man whom the Lord reproves' (Psalm 94:12), when he is also exhorted not to despise the admonition of the Almighty, as He strikes and wounds, yet saves him from six distresses, from the sword, and from the famine and war, and from the scourge of the tongue, and from the hiding of iron. On all these things, Elihu says, a good end will be received in due time and season, just as grain is gathered in a threshing floor. And it is blessed to be such grain, about which the Savior says, 'The good seed are the children of the kingdom' (Matthew 13:38). The Savior also teaches that 'unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds' (John 12:24), which means that the fruit of this grain is not merely physical offspring, but rather people who are the children of the kingdom. It is a great thing not to hear the words, 'I will pull you up and transplant you from your dwelling and your root from the land of the living' (Jeremiah 22:28), but rather to be filled with virtues like the grain that is filled and harvested in due time and season. The time and the hour are laid down in parallel, as in the command to 'Keep this law at the appointed times' (Exodus 12:2, Exodus 13:10). The spiritual perfection of the soul is not unripe, for it is written that 'those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy' (Psalm 126:5), which shows the beginning of virtue through their labors and exercises; but 'those who go out weeping, carrying their seeds, will return with songs of joy, carrying their sheaves' (Psalm 126:6), which signifies perfection and fulfillment. For the perfect one is indeed on a firm foundation, and we learn this well from the Savior, who teaches us about the importance of living a virtuous life and receiving the illuminations of the sun of righteousness…

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