Ecclesiastes Class #12
Ecclesiastes: A Striving After The Wind • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 46:38
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Solomon’s journal has been skeptical and depressing at times
Cycle of events of life is empty and without true meaning
See and done everything a man could do under the sun and found it vanity
Search for happiness w/o God left him in despair
Best thing to do is have a relationship with God
Time is short
This chapter is more encouraging
Adopt a more positive mindset
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
To appreciate the value of benevolence and diligence in preparing for the future
To glean what counsel the Preacher offers for those who are young
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
The value of benevolence and diligence (1-8)
Advice to the young (9-10)
Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth. If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
2) Why does the Preacher encourage you to "cast your bread upon the waters"?
(1)It will come back to you after many days
Step out in faith and Release yourself to your full potential
Always a return when to do something for God to build up Kingdom
3) Why does the Preacher counsel you to "give a serving to seven, and also to eight"? (2)
You do not know what evil will be on the earth
This is in the context of faith in God
The more you give the more you get
In your marriage, in friendships, at work
Jesus - more Blessed to give than receive
Don’t hoard. What emotion is tied to hoarding - FEAR.
When you get to a point that no thing here on earth represents your safety than God - then you will soar. The more you hoard the more it keeps you here on earth. The more stuff I have, the more safe I am.
Instead of hoarding - try giving
4) What is the point of these two admonitions found in questions one and two?
To be liberal and generous in your benevolence, for it may help you during difficult days in the future
5) What two examples are given of things that are inevitable? (3)
Clouds full of rain will empty themselves on the earth
Where a tree falls, there it will lie
Normal phenomenon. Natural things
How much time have we wasted in our lives fretting over the past.
Just don’t sit there - DO SOMETHING!!
Farmers example
6) What does the Preacher caution against? (4)
Watching the wind and clouds to the neglect of sowing and reaping
As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good. Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.
7) What two examples illustrate our limited ability to comprehend the ways of God? (5)
The way of the wind
How the bones of a child grow in the womb
8) How does the Preacher encourage diligence and benevolence? (6)
In the morning, sow your seed (diligence)
In the evening, do not withhold your hand (benevolence)
9) Why does he encourage diligence and benevolence? (6)
For we don't know which of the two will prosper, perhaps even both
You can’t know all the variables.
You have to be prudent in life and not do things haphazardly
Can’t guarantee the outcome. People want to know the end, before they begin.
Lord I’ll do it but I need a down payment
This is not faith - it’s walking by sight
You do not know which one of you efforts God will bless
10) What is described as sweet and pleasant? (7)
Light is sweet, and it is pleasant to behold the sun
So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
Do not put off your joy for a better time
No guarantee for long life
11) If one is blessed to live many joyful years, what should he still bear in mind? (8)
The days of darkness, for they will be many and all that is coming is vanity
Summary Question #1) What things does the Preacher admonish prepares us for an uncertain future? (1-8)
Barry: The Preacher admonishes to be diligent spreading our bread upon the waters, even in our youth. To serve the Lord from a youth is remembered by the Lord.
“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
Mary Love: Life is unpredictable and has risk, wisdom cannot remove these uncertainties, but it might help you to cope better.
Life is good enjoy it a long as possible, because life is also short
Walter Wiegand: We need balance in our lives. Some people concentrate being productive or achieving something....they seem to have no enjoyment of life. Others are consumed with enjoying life---wasting opportunities to invest in being productive in God's Kingdom. God has designed our lives to be balanced----both productive and enjoyable.
V1- aggressively invest
V2- allocate resources across many different ventures
V3-4 -- take reasonable risks
V5- trust God to work, you don't have to have everything figured out
V6- seize every opportunity
V7- appreciate every day you are alive
V8- prep for death, by counting your blessings in the Lord every day
12) What does the Preacher encourage the young man to do? (9)
Rejoice in his youth
Let his heart cheer him in the days of his youth
Walk in the ways of his heart and in the sight of his eyes
13) Yet what does the Preacher also encourage him to remember? (9)
God will bring him into judgment for the things he does
14) So what else the Preacher counsel the young man to do? Why? (10)
Remove sorrow from his heart, put away evil from his flesh
Summary Question #2) What are some of the ways the Preacher counsels youth on how to live their life. (9-10)
Barry: The preacher counsels youth to live according to their heart but in accordance to the ways of God, because he will judge actions. The preacher encourages joy for the youth. This means scripture teaches their can be joy in following God and not boredom and despair.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.
Mary Love: Enjoy life to it's fullest, to do with gusto that which bring them joy. ( But this is not a license to sin).
Youth is too short to squander, and remember that God will judge all your activities
Walter Wiegand: Solomon advises youth to pursue your dreams, yet with balance, while guarding against indulgence. He also reminds them to practice contentment--try to mitigate emotional and physical distractions. Tempus fugit! Start young. We will not always be dealing with ideal circumstances and conditions.