The Berean

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"These [in Berea] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." - Acts 17:11
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Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

(1) Send forth thy bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days thou dost find it. (2) Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For thou knowest not what evil is on the earth. (3) If the thick clouds are full of rain, On the earth they empty `themselves'; And if a tree doth fall in the south or to the north, The place where the tree falleth, there it is. (4) Whoso is observing the wind soweth not, And whoso is looking on the thick clouds reapeth not. (5) As thou knowest not what `is' the way of the spirit, How -- bones in the womb of the full one, So thou knowest not the work of God who maketh the whole. (6) In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike `are' good. (7) Sweet also `is' the light, And good for the eyes to see the sun. (8) But, if man liveth many years, In all of them let him rejoice, And remember the days of darkness, For they are many! all that is coming `is' vanity. (9) Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood, And let thy heart gladden thee in days of thy youth, And walk in the ways of thy heart, And in the sight of thine eyes, And know thou that for all these, Doth God bring thee into judgment. (10) And turn aside anger from thy heart, And cause evil to pass from thy flesh, For the childhood and the age `are' vanity!


This chapter marks a decisive change in the book in that it not only becomes much more positive than it has been preceding this, but it also becomes more exhortive.

Remember that the term qoheleth means "the lecturer" or "the preacher." The preacher is now calling on the people who are listening to his dissertation to make a decision. He does not say, "You can make any kind of decision you want," but he weighs his advice heavily in one direction. He says, "I want you to make a decision, but this is the decision I think you ought to make."

It becomes positive in its tone and exhortive in terms of making a decision as to what they should do with the knowledge that he has given them thus far. He strongly urges his readers or hearers to cast their lots with God.

This section begins in Ecclesiastes 11:1 and ends in 12:7. There is a sustained theme of exhortation to hold wholeheartedly to the faith and to decisive commitment to obedience to God, regardless of whether life is adverse or comfortable.

Remember that at the beginning of the book he said that life is frustrating. If God is involved in a person's life, he has the opportunity to remove a great deal of the frustration from his life. His relationship with God will take the meaninglessness, the vanity, out of life. But all the children of God are required to make that choice because both choices are still there.

Not only that, but we know from earlier in the book that the life of the person who is living by faith will also be filled with many of the same kind of adversities that those living in vanity are. He has to live with the understanding that many things are out of his control.

The Christian therefore has to deal with this, and the way this is done is to make a decisive commitment to cast his lot to live by faith. If he does that, then Romans 8:28 will be fulfilled in his life. The difficulties will be there, but because the Christian has involved God in the way that he lives his life, then all things will indeed work together for good to those who are the elect and who love God.

— John W. Ritenbaugh

To learn more, see:
Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 2)



 

Topics:

Building Relationship with God

Choices

Commitment to God

Ecclesiastes, Book of

Frustration

Frustration, Sense of

Holding Fast

Holding to Faith

Meaninglessness

Relationship with God

Vanity




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