Tag: joy

Ecclesiastes Lesson Twenty: Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 – Invest in Life

Send your bread on the surface of the waters, 

for after many days you may find it. 

² Give a portion to seven or even to eight, 

for you don’t know what disaster may happen on earth. 

³ If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain on the earth; 

whether a tree falls to the south or the north, 

the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. 

⁴ One who watches the wind will not sow, 

and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap. 

⁵ Just as you don’t know the path of the wind, 

or how bones develop in  the womb of a pregnant woman, 

so you don’t know the work of God who makes everything. 

⁶ In the morning sow your seed, 

and at evening do not let your hand rest, 

because you don’t know which will succeed, 

whether one or the other, 

or if both of them will be equally good. 

⁷ Light is sweet, 

and it is pleasing for the eyes to see the sun. 

⁸ Indeed, if a man lives many years, 

let him rejoice in them all, 

and let him remember the days of darkness, since they will be many. 

All that comes is futile. 

⁹ Rejoice, young man, while you are young, 

and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. 

And walk in the ways of your heart 

and in the sight of your eyes; 

but know that for all of these things God will bring you to judgment. 

¹⁰ Remove sorrow from your heart, 

and put away pain from your flesh, 

because youth and the prime of life are fleeting. (HCSB)

I’ll be splitting this lesson into two parts.

• Live by faith – verses 1-6.
• Life is a gift, so enjoy it – verses 7-10.

Live by Faith

• None of us will ever experience perfect circumstances throughout our lives. Still, we need to obey and trust God for the results.
• If we wait for the perfect opportunity, it may never come, and life will pass us by.
• The author uses two points to illustrate living by faith: a merchant sending out his ships and a farmer sowing seeds. In both cases, faith is needed since neither can control the circumstances surrounding their endeavors.
  • Merchant ships.
    • The phrase “Send your bread on the surface of the waters” is better understood as sending your grain on ships to other countries for trade.
    • Often, it would be months before the ships would return with their cargo. But, when they did return, the merchant’s patience would be rewarded with precious cargo or gold.
    • Verse two alludes to the fact the merchant would spread their cargo over several ships and not “putting all his eggs in one basket.”
    • But it can also mean that wealthy people should use their resources to help as many people as possible.
    • The phrase “You don’t know,” which appears three times in this section, is key.
      • We are ignorant of our future, but we can’t allow that ignorance to make us so fearful that we become careless or paralyzed.
      • It should make us careful when we plan and execute our plans.
  • Farmers.
    • Farming has always been challenging work, and this was especially true in biblical times in the Holy Land.
      • The soil was often rocky.
      • The farmers depended on early and late rains to grow their crops.
      • Weather prediction was an unknown science at the time, and the farmer was at the mercy of nature.
    • Verse three contrasts clouds and trees.
      • Clouds are constantly changing, and the hope is they will bring much-needed rain, but they also mean disasters can occur.
      • Trees are permanent. They stand in the same place unless a storm knocks them over. If they’re knocked over, they lie and rot.
  • The ships may encounter bad weather or be attacked by pirates, resulting in a loss to the cargo.
  • The farmer could encounter stormy weather or insects, both resulting in the loss of crops.
  • They’d never rise from their chair if both waited for the ideal time to conduct business.
  • Life always has a certain amount of risk, and that’s where faith allows us to overcome the hesitation to take action.
• Verse four once again admonishes us not to wait for the perfect conditions, which will never happen anyway!!
  • The winds and clouds will constantly be changing and seldom ideal.
  • Those who look for an excuse to avoid activity will always find one that is suitable.
  • Life is an adventure. 
  • We must step out in faith, even when the circumstances seem less than ideal.
• Verse five reminds us we’ll never know or understand the plans of God.
  • We won’t understand “the path of the wind” or how a baby is formed in the womb.
  • God has a time and purpose for everything.
  • We need to live by faith in His Word.
  • We also see a parallel with Jesus’ words to Nicodemus. John 3:8 The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
• Verse six is a reminder to use each day wisely.
  • Don’t be lazy and sleep in. Get up and get to work.
  • Work with effort until the evening.
  • Ephesians 5:15-17 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— ¹⁶ making the most of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
  • We need to trust God to bless at least some of our tasks. 
  • The closer we walk according to His plan, the more our work will be blessed.
  • But, also remember there are times we may not see the fruit of our work until later, or possibly even after we pass from this life. 
• Life is an adventure of faith.
  • Each of us is like a merchant investing today in what will pay dividends tomorrow.
  • If we are consumed by worry and fail to take action, we will never accomplish anything.
  • Trust in God requires a call to action.
  • Our commitment must be wholehearted and ungrudging.
  • The famous concert pianist Arthur Rubinstein once said, “Of course, there is no formula for success except perhaps an unconditional acceptance of life and what it brings.”

Life is a Gift, So Enjoy It

• This is the sixth and final admonition from the author that we accept life as a gift and learn to enjoy all that God shares with us.
  • Ecclesiastes 2:24 There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work.  I have seen that even this is from God’s hand.
  • Ecclesiastes 3:12-15, 22 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life. ¹³ It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts. ¹⁴ I know that all God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of Him. ¹⁵ Whatever is, has already been, and whatever will be, already is. God repeats what has passed…I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?
  • Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 Here is what I have seen to be good: it is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward. ¹⁹ God has also given riches and wealth to every man, and He has allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God, ²⁰ for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
  • Ecclesiastes 8:15 So I commended enjoyment because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy himself, for this will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun. 
  • Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. ⁸ Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. ⁹ Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun. ¹⁰ Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.
• We need to live with an attitude of rejoicing.
  • We should anticipate each new day and accept it as a gift from God.
  • Deuteronomy 33:25 May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and your strength last as long as you live. 
  • Enjoy each day, even those that present a challenge or may seem difficult.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always! ¹⁷ Pray constantly. ¹⁸ Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 
  • Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
  • This attitude is especially true the younger you are.
    • Take advantage of the days of your youth.
    • As we get older, our bodies weaken, and our minds dim; we cannot accomplish or enjoy life as much as we used to.
    • At the same time, being youthful isn’t a free license to live in a manner contrary to God’s teaching and follow our internal sinful desires.
    • Mark 7:20-23 Then He said, “What comes out of a person—that defiles him. ²¹ For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, ²² adulteries,  greed,  evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess,  blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”
    • The author reinforces this point at the end of verse nine, “But know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.”
  • In the final verse of this lesson, the word “sorrow” in the original Hebrew has the following meanings: anger, bitterness, grief, indignation, or provocation.
    • If we are living in alignment with God’s will, we should have the peace of God in our hearts. Philippians 4:6-9 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,  whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. ⁹ Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
    • Life is all too short, which we often don’t realize until we get older. There’s no reset button on our lives.
    • The best way to have a happy adult life and contented old age is to get a good start early and avoid the things that will bring trouble later in life.
    • Young people who take care of their minds and bodies, avoid the destructive sins of the flesh, and build good habits of health and holiness will have a better chance for happy adult years than those who “sow their wild oats” and pray for a crop failure.
    • Charles Spurgeon once said, “Youthful sins lay a foundation for aged sorrows.

Applications

• Live in obedience to God’s Word. When we do this, it doesn’t mean we won’t have tough times or face trials. It does mean that as we face these challenges, walk by faith, and place our trust in God, He will see us through to the end of these trials. Sometimes, we face trials to grow our faith or to prepare us for future Kingdom work. 
• Don’t wait for our perceived “perfect time.” Often, the perfect time will never happen, and we’re left at the starting line of life, wondering why we’ve missed out on opportunities. Life is not risk-free. At the same time, we need to balance risk-taking and risk mitigation. Being foolish is not being faithful. 
• Make the most of your time each day. As we get older, we often regret not making the most of our time when we were younger. It’s impossible to reset the “clock of life.” 
• Enjoy life and rejoice in what God has given you. For each person, it’s different. Yet, regardless of our circumstances, we should rejoice as we walk in obedience to God, knowing that when we place our faith in Christ, our eternal future and everlasting rejoicing are made secure.