CHAPTER 11

1 Cast thy bread upon 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.

These first two verses speak of sharing, giving. It has been said that we possess nothing except that which we have given away; and only that, because it comes back to us from others. Whether we share food with the hungry, clothes with the poor, money with the needy - sharing is the virtue of a loving heart.

Jesus said our greatest concern should be the "laying up" of "treasure in heaven" (Matthew 6:20). We might have an abundance of material things which we can share with others. And we should certainly give without thought of return. We are instructed of our Master to "GIVE" (Luke 6:38).

However that "bread" of which we have the greatest abundance is Jesus Himself. Sharing and giving Jesus Christ is sharing and giving the "bread of life" (John 6:35). When we give Christ to others, that "Bread" comes back to nourish us!

Verse 3 speaks of the importance of sharing and giving NOW! Life is brief and uncertain, and the time is NOW to share the gospel with others. When a tree falls in the forest, whichever direction it fell, it will certainly lie. When a person dies, whether he knew Christ or not, determines which direction he falls!

Considering the brevity and uncertainty of life, tomorrow may be TOO LATE to share Jesus with someone!

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, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

As Christians, we must learn to think and act in spiritual terms rather than in physical and material terms (See Colossians 3:1-4).

Because of a windy day, a farmer would not "sow" seed; but he could plant seed. When a farmer sees "clouds" in harvest time, it should HASTEN him to reap rather than cause him to cease reaping. We who have the precious Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ should never cease sowing. For if we do, we shall cease reaping!

Medical science is still stymied at the miracle of birth (verse 5). A physician, operating upon an expectant mother, was completing a procedure inside the womb. The hand of the tiny child reached out and grasped the finger of the physician as if to say, "It is all right. I know you are working in LOVE, and not to bring harm." On the other hand, there is a picture of a child in the womb screaming in terror when an injection was made to cause an abortion. HOW CAN THIS BE? How can a mere embryonic child know the difference between LOVE and HURT? There is only one answer: it is "the way of the spirit."

As I have said before, finite man cannot comprehend the manner in which our Infinite God works!

Therefore, it behooves us to share the "Bread of life" ALL the time! (see verse 6) Paul said one plants, another waters - but God uses EACH and ALL those to bring a lost soul to salvation (1Corinthians 1:5-7)

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.

Yes, we should live life as it is "pleasant" and "rejoice" in what God has given us. However, life is MORE pleasant and MORE sweet when we live it realizing the imminence of DEATH.

Today we live; tomorrow we may die. Today our neighbor lives; tomorrow he may die. If a person dies without Christ (Who is THE "LIGHT"), then that person shall reside in "darkness" forever! (verse 8)

Christian, learn to live with the realization that life is brief and uncertain. And share the Gospel TODAY, for we do not know that we shall have tomorrow.

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 sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Most young people live as if death will never come. But it DOES! I have a friend, a deacon in our church, that often says: "The young DO die, and the old MUST die, unless the Lord comes first."

And after death comes the "judgment" (verse 9). ((See also Hebrews 9:27))

The exhortation in verse 9 is saying, "live knowing that life is but a shadow, or grass, or a brief wisp of smoke in a wind." ((See Psalm 102:11, Isaiah 40:7, James 4:14))

Do what is right with what you have TODAY, and do not wait for tomorrow.

CHAPTER 12

1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, 4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; 5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

This is a continuance of the previous discussion about the brevity and uncertainty of life.

When we are young, we should remember that (unless we die, or Christ comes again) we WILL get OLD!

Today we are young and things seem bright (verse 2). But tomorrow, as we get older and weaker and our eyes grow dimmer, we shall tremble at death (verse 3).

When man is brought "to his long home," the music changes from joy to mourning (verses 4-5).

Verses 6-7 are a beautiful poetic portrayal of death. The "silver cord" reflects the length of life; the "golden bowl" reflects holding of life; the "pitcher" reflects the living of life which comes from the "fountain" (God); and the "wheel" reflects the ability to draw life from the creator.

In short, at the end of life we face death. Death is when the "dust return(s) to the earth," or the body is buried. And death also brings the judgment, when the "spirit" of man is returned to God for accountability.

As such, death can be a calamity or a joyful door. It is a calamity if death finds us without Christ; it is an open door to all that Christ has in store for us if we have surrendered to Him.

8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. 9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Life is "vanity" (unsatisfactory, unfulfilling) until its END. And the END is only satisfactory if we have surrendered to Christ. The wisest man that ever lived tells us this.

Yet, that same wise man, continued to live his life teaching others! He sought to use his words as "goads" to prod people into trusting God. He sought to use his words as "nails" which built life to a climactic ending in meeting God at the end.

OH! There is SO MUCH to learn in this world! (verse 12) But learn this ONE THING:

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

REAL LIFE is found in reverence and obedience to God! This is the "whole duty," or ultimate obligation of man!

It is God to Whom we owe the debt of having life.
It is God to Whom we shall answer for life.
It is God Who shall decide our eternal existence.

Let us then live REAL LIFE by living it FOR God!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.