Ecclesiastes 11:1-14 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Chapter s Ecclesiastes 11:9 to Ecclesiastes 12:14 The Venturing Of The Young, The Trials Of The Old and Man's Final Destiny.

As we come to the end of the writer's musings we are rewarded with the final conclusions that he has reached. He calls on the young man to arise out of life's vainness and look to his Creator, recognising that God will bring him into judgment in whatever he does. Interestingly he no longer appears to see life as meaningless, but as something to be treated very seriously, with attitude towards God being seen as of prior importance. Outwardly life is still indeed vanity, but that only refers to life on this earth, life under the sun (Ecclesiastes 12:7-8). What must not be overlooked is what lies beyond life ‘under the sun'. Thus in the light of everlastingness (Ecclesiastes 3:11) the godliness of the godly will turn out to be the one thing that is important after all. Hope is arising out of despair.

Young Men Are To Make The Most Of Their Youth, But Are To Remember While They Are Young That God Is Their Creator And Will One Day Judge Them, And Should Live Accordingly, For One Day They Will Grow Old And Then Their Spirits Must Return To The God Who Gave Them (Ecclesiastes 11:9 to Ecclesiastes 12:7).

We have already seen that the Preacher has continually recognised that there is a judgment coming ((Ecclesiastes 3:17; Ecclesiastes 8:5). Now he applies that to the young (Ecclesiastes 11:9) and to all men who fear God (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

Related Commentaries of Ecclesiastes 11:1

Ecclesiastes 11:1-14

1 Cast thy bread upona the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper,b either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

10 Therefore remove sorrowc from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.