Remember God, Have Joy

Ecclesiastes Study, 2024

Series Title: Pursuit of Purpose

Message #26

Ecclesiastes 12:1-8.

ETS: Solomon reflected on the end of life.

ESS: We should remember God in all seasons of life— everything else is fleeting.

OSS: [Devotional] {I want the hearers to trust God and remember what He has done for them.}

PQ:

What action steps can we take to ensure we have purpose and joy even when conditions of life deteriorate?

UW: Steps

Intro.: Joy is found in the Lord. The Bible is replete with verses that support this important truth. However, we must understand that if we do not leave room for God in our lives, the joy found in God will quickly flee; if we do find our purpose in God, we will find no joy in life.

To ensure we have purpose and joy even amidst difficult seasons in life, when conditions of life deteriorate and the things we have perhaps clung to throughout life become unreliable or cease to exist, there are action steps we can take.

Let us examine those together now:

Remember God. [v. 1]

Verse one is a continuation of the last chapter— the call for the young person to rejoice.

Remembering God enables one to rejoice in God.

A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments, Vol. III: Job–Isaiah Chapter 12

If the young man wishes truly to “rejoice,” he must continually “remember” God. “Thy Creator” implies the reason why we should “remember.” Not to remember Him to whom we owe our first being and continued preservation would be monstrous and unnatural.

Specifically, though, verse one begins to shift from the young person being in view to the person of old whose life in quickly fleeting.

Before the days of adversity come, and the years approach when you will say, “I have no delight in them”

Pursue God. [vv. 2-8]

Verse two:

Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary c. ‘Today, When You Hear His Voice …’ (12:1–8)

The general idea is clear: the common Old Testament imagery of light and darkness represents the fading capacity for joy. Similarly, the returning clouds refer probably to a continual succession of sorrows

Verse three: “Symptoms of advancing age.” (Ibid.)

Guardians of the house— a servant with authority; also a reference, perhaps to the arms weakening

Strong men stoop— reference to the legs weakening

Women who grind— reference to teeth decaying

Windows see dimly— reference to the blurring of eyes (cataracts)

Verse four:

Doors to the street shut— reference to limited mobility and access to the outside world (Could also be a reference to the lips)

Sound of the mill fades— reference to the impairment of hearing

Rising at the sound of a bird— reference to early rising

Daughters of song grow faint— reference to the enjoyment of music fading (including both the voice and the ear)

Verse five:

They are afraid of heights and dangers on the road— abandoning the imagery, those of old recognize their vulnerability to falling and being taken advantage of. (CSBSB)

Almond tree blossoming: Reference to the hair turning grey.

Grasshopper losing its spring: Reference to slow movements.

Caper Berry has no effect: Reference, perhaps, to the loss of ability to be stimulated

The mere mortal is headed to his eternal home and mourners will walk around in the street— Reference to the slow, steady process of death ending in a funeral and mourning

Verse six:

Silver cord is snapped and the gold bowl is broken— Reference to irreparable damage

The jar is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken into the well— Reference to the crashing of both the jar and the wheel while being lowered into a cistern— thus, becoming useless to draw water.

Verse seven:

Dust— Reference to Genesis 2:7 “7 Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.” and Genesis 3:19 “19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.””

The Spirit returns to God who gave it —

Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary c. ‘Today, When You Hear His Voice …’ (12:1–8)

The human spirit is the principle of intelligent, responsible life. Its withdrawal constitutes the end of earthly life and brings on the dissolution of the body (cf. Pss 22:15; 104:29). Its return to God is not developed. It is set, however, in contrast to ‘returning to dust’, the dissolution of the body, and so cannot refer to that, because it is set in contrast to it. It echoes the contrast of ‘upward’ and ‘downward’ in 3:20, and the ‘earth’ and ‘heaven’ of 5:2. The term hints, therefore, at continued existence; but we have to wait until the light of the New Testament before details are given (cf. 2 Tim. 1:10).

For a summary:

Old Testament Ecclesiastes

effects of old age. One line of interpretation sees a physiological allusion in each of these lines:

verse 2: sight dimmed, depressed

verse 3: trembling hands, stooping posture,

losing teeth, cataracts

verse 4: loss of hearing, awakening early

verse 5: increased fears, gray/white hair,

slow movements, decreased sexual drive

verse 6: weakened spinal cord, deteriorated

mental powers; loss of bladder control;

heart failure

verse 7: death

Verse eight: The return to the original thought of Ecclesiastes 1:2 “2 “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”” — the conclusion of the body of the book.

The illustrations in this text make reference to almost every part of the physical body failing and deteriorating— depressing to think about, right? Even Solomon concluded this is futility— its empty; yet, how can we find purpose even amidst such futility? Even amidst such depressing thoughts? By pursuing God and fearing Him.

Reflective Questions:

[1] How do you practically remember God in your daily routines?

[2] What does it look like for you, personally, to pursue God and find your purpose in him rather than the fleeting things under the sun?