Lesson #39

Ecclesiastes

The Things That Don't Work!

Chapter Twelve

INTRO: Only way to realize the enjoyment of life as a youth or any age as far as that goes. Any other way brings nothing but sorrow and SIM.

12:1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth,

remember = tzakar rk;z" = besides the reflecting on and pondering the work of God in creation, in creating us there is also the strong implication of action, a response.

- To remember our creator calls for decisive action based on recollection and reflection on all that God is and has done for us.

before the evil days come (days of trouble and calamity - that occur during old age - will expand on the conditions in view in vs:2-7)

and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight (pleasure) in them."

Observations:

1. Solomon's exhortation to us is to wake up before its to late – get your priorities straight so that you have the capacity to enjoy life.

2. He's looking back over his life and sees much wasted unproductive time and he has bitter memories and the purpose of this here is to exhort and encourage us not to do the same with our lives.

3. The command to REMEMBER is a call not to forget the source of your life, the creator.

- forgetting the source always leads to loss of perspective and ultimately to disaster.

- Disaster = when the pressure is on (especially in old age) don't have the spiritual assets to deal with the situation.

4. You must prepare for the advancing of time while in your youth or you'll not have the capacity to enjoy it latter in life.

- to enjoy > not necessary for everything to be going your way.

- even though there are many additional pressures during old age, the reality of physical degeneration, all the result of the fall and the subsequent judgment, curse on man, earth, even the animals; all of creation.

- you'll have your resurrection body before there is a change in that curse.

5. God then is the essential ingredient for a truly happy contented lifestyle no matter what the age or the situation. - Phil 4:11-13

COMMENTS ON HAPPINESS - BY J.B. PHILLIPS (Englishman - theologian)

"Blessed" in the authorized version is very nearly the equivalent of our modern word "happy." So that Jesus, in effect, gives us a recipe for happiness in the beatitudes. So as to make the revolutionary character of His recipe more apparent, I will quote first a little version of my own, of what most non-Christian people think.

They think: "Happy are the pushers, for they get on in the world. Happy are the hard-boiled, for they never let life hurt them.

Happy are they who complain, for they get their own way in the end.

Happy are the blasé, for they never worry over their sins.

Happy are the slave drivers, for they get results.

Happy are the knowledgeable men of the world, for they know their way around.

Happy are the troublemakers, for they make people take notice of them."

But Jesus said, "How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort.

Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for goodness, for they will be satisfied. Happy are the merciful, for they will have mercy shown to them. Happy are the utterly sincere for they will see God.

Happy are those who make peace, for they will be known as sons of God.

The point he makes is a good one. Happiness in life is not all that difficult or complicated. If you maintain your relationship with the Living Lord, the creator, live by His word, therefore by His perspective, His viewpoint and as you look at your life as it unfolds both in the valleys as well as the mountains happiness follows you.

But if we take life on with a grim determination to do it our own way, I'm going to get what I want, you may indeed get it, (God's sense of humor) but you'll not enjoy it, true happiness will have eluded you.

AXIOM: True happiness is always tied to your relationship with Christ.

12:2 STORM CLOUDS OF AGE

before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain;

- The ancient Hebrew held a view of life and death that equated any loss of vitality at any age, even a young person as the onset of death.

Ex: Ps 18:4-5 of David; Ps 88:3-5 of Heman the Ezrahite

Observations:

1. If your still alive, & find yourself in the category that Solomon is describing (as we all will at some point barring the rapture) know that you are here for a reason, God has a purpose for you.

- God gave you your life, is He not able to provide for you now even in your old age?

2. Following this command to Remember your creator in your youth will prepare you for this time of life.

- only God's word in you will give you the capacity to deal with and handle the pressures of old age.

12:3-6 Solomon now uses various poetic pictures to depict the declining physical and psychological powers of old age.

12:3 in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble,

#1 - The hands and arms which protect the body grow weak, tremble

and mighty men stoop,

#2 - The legs are bent in feebleness and the knees totter.

the grinding ones stand idle because they are few,

#3 - The molars are few and therefore it is difficult to masticate (chew) food properly.

and those who look through windows grow dim;

#4 - failing eyesight – maybe cataracts

12:4 and the doors on the street are shut

#5 - The lips must be kept closed if toothless to keep the food in.

as the sound of the grinding mill is low,

#6 - having no or few teeth only soft foods may be eaten and the lips being shut little noise is made. (hard breads - parched corn)

and one will arise at the sound of the bird,

#7 - the least amount of noise will awaken him - light sleepers.

and all the daughters of song will sing softly.

#8 - the organs that make and enjoy music - song often elude them, the voice and hearing.

12:5 Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road;

#9 - There is a fear of heights and of stumbling along paths once very familiar.

the almond tree blossoms,

#10 - the hair has turned white with age or wakefulness (almond tree is the first to awake from sleep of winter) root word means to be wakeful.

the grasshopper drags himself along,

#11 - describes the halting gait of the elderly.

and the caperberry is ineffective.

#12 - The caperberry was used as a stimulant of appetite and its failure to have any effect points to the reality of loss of desire, physical appetite and also the loss of sexual power and desire.

For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street.

#13 - LIT: eternal home = death / mourners in the streets are the professional mourners who make up the procession for the funeral of the day.

12:6 Remember Him before - notice italics it also could have been put at the beginning of verse two.

Now Solomon uses several metaphors to depict physical life and its passing.

#14 & 15

before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed,

- picture here is that of a lamp hung from the ceiling by an interwoven cord of silk and silver,

#16 & 17

before the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed;

Just as when the pitcher or the wheel is broken water can no longer be drawn, so life ceases when the vital energies are gone.

12:7 Final description of death – also designed to motivate responsible living before reaching this point.

- God control's the presence or absence of the life Ps 104:29

That the immaterial part of man survives - exists beyond the body, implies that it is immortal.