"THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES"
The Preacher's Advice To The Young (11:9-12:7)
INTRODUCTION
1. As a result of his search for meaning in life "under the sun"...
a. The Preacher's concluded that "all is vanity" - e.g., 1:2,14;
2:1,11
b. Even one who lives many joyful years can still anticipate days of
darkness - 11:8
2. While life "under the sun" (viewed purely from an earthly
perspective) is vanity...
a. That does not mean one should simply give up in despair
b. Throughout, the Preacher has counseled his readers to enjoy what
good God has given one - e.g., 2:24; 3:12,13,22; 5:18-20; 7:14;
9:7-10
3. The lessons gleaned through the Preacher's own experience need to be
learned by everyone, especially the young, otherwise they may...
a. Waste years running after things that really don't satisfy
b. Miss out on the true enjoyment of life available to them in their
youth
[To make sure that young people do not miss the lessons he has learned,
the Preacher directs his attention towards them as he prepares to draw
his book to a close. In 11:9-12:7, we find "The Preacher's Advice To
The Young", the first of which is...]
I. REJOICE IN YOUR YOUTH (11:9)
A. GOD WANTS YOU TO HAVE A GOOD TIME...
1. He wants you to be joyful, to do things that are pleasing
2. Just as the Preacher had counseled earlier - 9:7-10
-- Therefore take advantage of the youthful capacity to enjoy
life!
B. DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE JUDGMENT...
1. You will have to give an account for what you do
2. God will judge both the righteous and the wicked - cf. 3:17;
12:14
-- Therefore be selective in what you do to have fun!
[God has created man with the energy to enjoy life, especially when we
are young. As long as that energy is directed in the right channels,
youth is to be a time of great joy! Along the same vein, the Preacher
advises the young to...]
II. REMOVE SORROW AND EVIL FROM YOUR YOUTH (11:10)
A. REMOVE SORROW FROM YOUR HEART...
1. Sorrow deprives one of the joy they should have in their youth
2. Enough sorrow comes without our help...make sure that we do
does not add to it through youthful indiscretions (which leads
to the next point)
B. REMOVE EVIL FROM YOUR FLESH...
1. Youthful indiscretions contribute to much sorrow
a. Such as the wrong kind of companions - e.g., Pr 1:10-19
b. Such as succumbing to the enticements of the wicked - e.g.,
Pr 5:1-14
2. Childhood and youth are fleeting...don't waste them on things
that only bring much grief and sorrow in life
[Youth, while short, can be a wonderful time of life. The key is to
heed the next admonition, which has already been alluded in references
concerning the judgment, and that is to...]
III. REMEMBER GOD IN YOUR YOUTH (12:1)
A. SERVING GOD IS NOT JUST FOR THE ELDERLY...
1. Great men of God served Him from their youth (e.g., Joseph,
Samuel, David, Solomon, Josiah, Daniel)
2. Jesus provided the proper example as well - Lk 2:41-52
3. Timothy, who had known the Scriptures from childhood, was to
be an example to others - cf. 2Ti 3:15; 1Ti 4:12
B. SERVING GOD WILL HELP YOU MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES...
1. Even as it helped Joseph - e.g., Gen 39:7-12
2. And as it helped Daniel - e.g., Dan 1:8
[Serving God in your youth will help avoid many of the things that
bring sorrow, and prepare you for the "days of darkness" (11:8) that
will come. This leads us to the final point in "The Preacher's Advice
To The Young"...]
IV. REFLECT UPON WHAT IS COMING (12:1-7)
A. DIFFICULT DAYS ARE AHEAD...
1. Presuming you live long enough
2. As already stated, these days will be many - 11:8
a. They will be days in which little pleasure will be found
- 12:1
b. The darkening of the lights of heaven denoting a time of
affliction and sadness (Barnes) - 12:2
B. A TIME WHERE AGE AND DEATH CATCHES UP TO US...
1. The Preacher uses various figures to depict the body in old
age and death - 12:3-7
2. What the figures of verses 3-6 possibly represent:
a. The keepers of the house tremble (the arms weaken)
b. The strong men bow down (the legs become frail)
c. The grinders cease because they are few (the teeth fall
out)
d. Those that look through the windows grow dim (the eyes lose
their sight)
e. The doors are shut in the streets (the ears become hard of
hearing)
f. The sound of the grinding is low (the mouth and speech
become unintelligible)
g. When one rises up at the sound of a bird (the elderly
easily awakened)
h. And all the daughters of music are brought low (the voice
no longer able to produce music)
i. They are afraid of height (their fear of falling)
j. And of terrors in the way (no longer feeling invincible)
k. When the almond tree blossoms (the wakefulness of old age
setting in)
l. The grasshopper is a burden (an old man, bowed like the
insect, able to move only with some difficulty)
m. And desire fails (fleshly desires wane)
n. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about
the streets (an obvious reference to death)
o. The remaining figures, alluding to decay of the body
1) Before the silver cord (the spinal cord) is loosed
2) The golden bowl (the skull) is broken
3) The pitcher (the heart) shattered at the fountain
4) The wheel (the pelvis) broken at the well
3. Finally, the body returns to the dust, and the spirit returns
to God - 12:7
-- The purpose of such a description is not to depress the young,
but to instill the proper degree of sobriety (seriousness), a
trait becoming the young - cf. Tit 2:6
CONCLUSION
1. The challenges our youth face are great...
a. The temptations before them are many
b. The allurements of the world promise much, but deliver little
c. The young are very susceptible to depression and despair
-- In a world in which life "under the sun" is vanity, they need all
the help they can get
2. There is much in life that can be enjoyed, provided one heeds the
Preacher's admonition:
a. Rejoice in our youth
b. Remove sorrow and evil
c. Remember God in your youth
d. Reflect upon the days ahead
As the apostle Paul wrote to Christians in Galatia, which certainly
applies to the young:
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows,
that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the
flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the
Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while
doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose
heart." (Ga 6:7-9)
Do we wish to reap everlasting life? Then let us sow to the Spirit by
walking after the Spirit (cf. Ga 5:16-23) and allowing the fruit of the
Spirit in our lives to produce the good things that we shall reap!
Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 meaning
Solomon exhorts young men to live joyfully and responsibly while at the height
of their energy—investing wisely and making the most of every opportunity,
knowing God will evaluate every aspect of life.
Solomon now speaks directly to a young man. It would seem The Preacher
(Ecclesiastes 1:1) has now started a “children’s’ sermon.” He exhorts
the young man to rejoice during his childhood. Have fun. Enjoy life. But don’t
just stop there. Solomon tells the young man to let his heart be pleasant
during the days of young manhood. During days where responsibilities are
light and energy is high, the young man is told to enjoy life to the fullest.
However, in all the choices the young man makes while enjoying life, he
should bear in mind that there are consequences for his actions. There are
consequences that extend even into eternity. For God will bring the young
man to judgment for all the things he chooses to do. God gives us the
amazing power to choose our actions. But when we choose our actions, we
need to realize they are an investment that will yield an outcome. God will
judge our actions at the end of our life.
This passage indicates that one thing God will judge is whether we enjoyed
life. 1 Timothy 6:17 tells us that God “richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”
It seems reasonable that we will have to answer to God for not enjoying all
aspects of life God granted to us.
This hearkens back to the underlying paradox of Ecclesiastes. The young
man can rejoice when he secures his reason and decisions on the firm
foundation of faith, seeing God both as a just God who will bring all things
into judgement, as well as a loving God who desires us to enjoy life.
Alternatively, if the young man views life from the shaky foundation of his
capacity for reason and experience, he will ultimately end up in a vaporous
stew of madness and futility.
Since God has given life and circumstances for us to enjoy, Solomon advises
the young man to remove grief and anger from his heart. Sometimes
circumstances bring pain. And often there is nothing we can do about it. But
one choice we do have is whether to dwell upon the circumstance that
brought us grief or anger. We have a choice to refuse to be defined or
controlled by any circumstance. Solomon advises that we not allow pain to
dominate our heart. One of the best ways to remove grief and anger from
our hearts is to replace it with gratitude for other things.
That we are told to remove grief and anger from our heart suggests that grief
and anger are present. Indeed, the young man (and each of us) can invite
both grief and anger at any time, depending upon how we choose to look at
things. Grief and anger need to be dealt with, not ignored. The word
translated pain in the phrase put away pain from your body could also be
translated “evil.” So this could be taken as advice to avoid evil. To run away.
To shun. Whereas we must address grief and anger by taking them in their
proper context, we should avoid evil altogether. In part, because we have
the judgment of God in view.
In addition to putting away grief and anger from our heart, Solomon advises
the young man to put away pain from his body as well. Once again, the word
translated pain occurs frequently in the Old Testament and is almost always
translated “evil” or “wickedness.” This seems to fit the context better, as the
youth is exhorted to enjoy life while bearing in mind the
coming judgment, which would lead the youth to shun evil while fully enjoying
the bounties of life God has granted.
Time is limited, both childhood and the prime of life are fleeting. So it is
important to enjoy life while we can. Most things in life that affect us are
beyond our control. We have no choice about when we are born, our height,
who we are related to, or most other circumstances. But God leaves to us the
responsibility to choose our perspective. And Solomon urges the young to
learn to choose a perspective to enjoy life by embracing what is. True
enjoyment requires that we not be captured by circumstances of grief and
anger, nor be lured into evil, which leads to slavery and loss (Romans 6).
Solomon ends this passage by noting that childhood and the prime of life are
fleeting. The word translated fleeting is our old friend “hebel.” So it could be
translated “vapor” or “mystery.” But fleeting is a good translation, for vapor is
only there for a moment. You try to grab it and it is gone. So is the span of our
lives. The New Testament book of James uses this same illustration to refer
to our entire lifespan, saying it is like a “wisp of vapor” (James 4:14). James
was Jewish and could have gotten his illustration of the brevity of life from this
verse; our lifespan is “hebel.”
Biblical Text
9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be
pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of
your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring
you to judgment for all these things. 10 So, remove grief and anger from
your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and
the prime of life are fleeting.
"REMEMBER GOD IN THE DAYS OF YOUR YOUTH"
Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1
INTRODUCTION
1. In Ecclesiastes we find the perspective of one who searched for the
meaning of life...
a. The "Preacher" (Solomon) examined wisdom, riches, and pleasure
b. He shared the fruits of his search: what he saw as vanity, and
what was good
2. To those who are young, he offered the following exhortations...
a. Rejoice in your youth - Ec 11:9
b. Remove sorrow and evil from your youth - Ec 11:10
c. Remember God in your youth - Ec 12:1
d. Reflect upon what is coming - Ec 12:1
3. I doubt that many young people would take issue with the first
exhortation...
a. They gladly rejoice in their youth
b. They are happy to let their hearts cheer them, to walk in the ways
of their hearts and in the sight of their eyes
4. But the remaining exhortations...?
a. To remove sorrow and evil, remember God, reflect upon what is to
come?
b. Doesn't that take the joy out of youth?
[Not really, and there are several good reasons why we need to "Remember
God In The Days Of Your Youth"...]
I. YOUTH HAS NO GUARANTEE OF THE FUTURE
A. DEATH IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS...
1. Death frequently strikes those who believe they are invincible
a. Accidents
b. Disease
c. War
2. In the course of my youth, I saw it happen time and again
a. Terry King (17) died of liver cancer
b. Tim Heffer (15) dropped dead of a heart attack
c. Karen Shower's college roommate did not wake up one morning;
her bodily functions simply stopped!
d. Two college classmates (20) were killed in car wrecks
3. Not to be morbid, nor to scare, but to face reality
a. No one is promised the future
b. Life is truly just a vapor - Jm 4:14-17
-- As a recent bumper sticker put it: "Many who plan to repent at
the 11th hour, die at 10:30"
B. THE LORD IS COMING...
1. He is coming in judgment - 2Pe 3:7,9-11; 2Th 1:7-9
2. There will be "youths" at that time
a. Who will not have the benefit of a long life
b. Who will not have the time to change
-- Therefore, we ought to prepare for the future (which is a sign
of maturity)
[Even if one is blessed to live a long life, with plenty of time to
change, there is another reason to "Remember God In The Days Of Your
Youth"...]
II. MISSPENT YOUTH CAN CURSE YOUR FUTURE
A. YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW...
1. An important principle of life to remember - Ga 6:7-8
2. What you do while young can permanently affect your future
3. Not just your future in eternity, but your future in this life!
B. THE DANGER OF SOWING "WILD OATS"...
1. Sowing the seeds of rebellion
a. Young people are often inclined to rebel against all forms
of authority (parents, teachers, police, etc.)
b. Yet God has ordained that we submit to authority - Ro 13:
1-2; 1Pe 2:13-14
c. Rebellion against authority has caused many young people to
spend years in prison
2. Sowing the seeds of lying
a. Many young people think nothing of lying
b. Once you are caught in a lie, your credibility is shattered
c. Your word means nothing, you can no longer be trusted
d. This has adverse affects on your relationships and your
employments
3. Sowing the seeds of stealing
a. Shoplifting and other such crimes are rampant among many
young people
b. If caught, others will be suspicious and you will not be
given positions of fiscal responsibility
4. Sowing the seeds of fornication
a. Sex among young people is very popular
b. Yet many do not consider the "high price":
1) Sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphillis, AIDs
2) Unwanted pregnancy (often compounded by abortion)
3) Forced marriages, which often lead to divorce
5. Sowing the seeds of drugs
a. Drugs have great potential for ruining our lives
b. What so bad about drugs?
1) Some are illegal, and their use violates Ro 13:1
2) Many are addictive, and their use violates 1Co 6:12
3) Others are destructive to the body, and their use
violates 1Co 6:19-20
[It has been said that "Most men spend the first half of their lives
making the second half miserable." (La Bruyere) That is why you need
to"Remember God In The Days Of Your Youth." When you do, then the
following can be true...]
III. WELL SPENT YOUTH CAN BLESS YOUR FUTURE
A. COMPARE THE FOOLISH AND WISE CHILD...
1. The foolish child
a. Doesn't remember God in his youth
b. Won't listen to the advice of others
c. Has to learn for himself
d. Invariably makes a mess out of his life (in health,
marriage, or career)
e. Spends good portion of life undoing foolish actions of youth
f. Suffers from the consequences of his actions
2. The wise child
a. Remembers God in his youth
b. Follows God's advice, and that of others
c. Learns from the mistakes of others
d. Begins life with a solid foundation and good head start
e. Able to accomplish more good in life
f. Will enjoy pleasurable memories, not bemoan his past
-- What a difference in the quality of life there can be when one
makes the right choices while young!
B. THE WISE CHILD WILL SHOW HIS WISDOM...
1. By learning to respect authority now (beginning with parents)
- Ep 6:1-3
2. By learning to control your body (as did Paul) - 1Co 9:27
3. By obeying the gospel - Ga 3:26-27
4. By growing spiritually, bearing the fruit of the Spirit - Ga
5:22-24
5. Thus becoming an example of the believers - 1Ti 4:12
-- This is what is involved in remembering God while young
CONCLUSION
1. No one can be "forced" to remember God in their youth...
a. We can only point out the dangers when one does not
b. We can remind you of the benefits when one does
-- I hope this lesson will encourage the young person to make the
right choice
2. But one thing is certain: God will remember!
a. God will bring you into judgment for all that you do - Ec 11:9
b. Which is why one should "Fear God and keep His commandments" - Ecc
12:13-14
You only live once...will you make the right choice to "Remember God In
The Days Of Your Youth"?