Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come, and the years draw near,
when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them;”
2 Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened,
and 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 who look out of the windows are darkened,
4 and the doors shall be shut in the street;
when the sound of the grinding is low,
and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird,
and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
5 yes, they shall be afraid of heights,
and terrors will be on the way;
and the almond tree shall blossom,
and the grasshopper shall be a burden,
and desire shall fail;
because man goes to his everlasting home,
and the mourners go about the streets:
6 before the silver cord is severed,
or the golden bowl is broken,
or the pitcher is broken at the spring,
or the wheel broken at the cistern,
7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Older people frequently lament saying, “I wish I knew when I was younger what I know now”, or, “Youth is wasted on the young.” Meaning that when we were young and strong we lived foolishly, but now that we have gained the hard-earned experience and wisdom that comes with age, we have lost the vitality and energy of youth.
To illustrate this point Solomon cleverly strings together several metaphors. As we advance in years we begin to lose our eyesight – the stars are darkened, our joy lessens – clouds return, and once strong men become weak – keepers of the house tremble. We lose our teeth – grinders cease because they are few. We become light sleepers or are unable to sleep, rising up before dawn, at the voice of a bird. Hearing becomes difficult – music shall be brought low. Where once we were fearless we become afraid of heights. In fact, many things terrify us. Our hair turns white – the almond tree shall blossom. We are bent over and our knees fail – the grasshopper shall be a burden. Our sexual desire shall fail.
In short, as we age, we grow more and more feeble until finally, the silver cord is severed, the golden bowl is broken, the pitcher is broken at the spring, the wheel is broken at the cistern, and the dust that we were created from returns to the earth.
Ecclesiastes 12:8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”
If you do not remember and honor your Creator throughout your days here on earth, your life will have been lived in vain. All of the energy and plans of your youth will be swallowed in death.
Ecclesiastes 12:9 Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12 Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Solomon concludes by saying that he only taught words of truth. It is very common today to hear people talk about “their truth” as if truth is something that is personal and subjective. If that is the case something may be true for you but not true for me. Truth is never to be based on the shifting sands of subjective feelings.
What is the source of truth?
Solomon explains: Words of truth…are given from one shepherd. Truth is grounded in God alone. And God incarnate, in the person of Jesus Christ, is the shepherd who came to earth to redeem his people. Christ taught:
I am the good shepherd. John 10:11
For this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. John18:37
Solomon goes on to elaborate on his point by using two similes.
First, Solomon explains that words of truth are like goads. Goads are pointed sticks used to prod sheep and other livestock into staying on the path and going the right way. In other words goads are what we call cattle prods today. We need goads because we all want to do that which is right in our own eyes. Judges 21:25 We are all like sheep who have gone astray. Isaiah 53:6 To guide us, God has given us his Word, and to explain his Word God has given us preachers and teachers, what Solomon calls masters of assemblies, to teach us his Word, to goad us, so that we don’t wander off the path.
Of course, being poked with a cattle prod to get back on the right path is not an experience that many of us want. But nonetheless hearing the hard words of God, what Paul called the whole counsel of God, Acts 20:27, is necessary for the Christian’s growth and maturity. When the prophet Micah was prodding the people of Israel with the words of God, they didn’t want to hear the truth and, in anger cried out;
Don’t prophesy!
Don’t prophesy about these things.
Disgrace won’t overtake us. Micah 2:6
We all have a strong tendency to only want to hear what is pleasing to us and, as a result, we seek out teachers to suit our desires, teachers who only teach what [our] itching ears want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3 Unfortunately when pastors and teachers are willing to accommodate us rather than teaching the hard truth of God’s word the Church grows anemic and weak.
If you really long to save men’s souls, you must tell them a great deal of disagreeable truth.
Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Sermons Volume 14, Independent Publisher
Second, Solomon explains that words of truth are like nails. Well- fastened nails hold things down, hold things together, and provide stability to a structure. The Church, the community of believers is a structure built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple. In him you are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives. Ephesians 2:20-22 We require God’s words of truth to keep us well fastened to the foundation.
We all have a tendency to drift away from God’s Word. Rather than being well fastened, we are drifting away like infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching by clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. Ephesians 4:14
Many, even within the church, no longer understand that the Bible is without error. In fact, according to the 2022, Ligonier Ministries LifeWay Research Survey, 43% of Evangelical Christians believe that Jesus, though a great teacher, was not God, while a stunning 53% do not believe that the Bible is literally true, and 56% agree that God accepts the worship of all religions.
When you say, “this part is divine, but that one isn’t,” you become your own Torah… Once one says that, the Torah not only ceases to be divine, but it also ceases to be authoritative.
Dennis Prager, Deuteronomy, God, Blessings, and Curses, Regnery Faith
This leaves the door open for accepting false religions as valid. Because there are, according to popular teachings, many paths to the top of the mountain, preachers and teachers often present Christ as simply a good moral teacher rather than the sacrifice that made atonement for our sins. One result is that Christian pastors, teachers, and even therapists are frequently more likely to look to the newest psychological self-help fad than to search the wisdom of the Scriptures. By relying on the wisdom of the world many churches have accepted things like no-fault divorce, abortion, homosexuality, preferred pronouns, transgenderism, evolution, critical theory, social justice, and really, almost any other teaching du jour that the world is trumpeting.
God told Adam to subdue and take dominion over the earth. God told Eve to be fruitful and multiply filling the earth with godly offspring. Lucifer, whose goal is to thwart God at every turn, is happy to present homosexuality, lesbianism and, really, the entire LGBTQA+ agenda as fruitless, childless alternatives to the reality of God’s gender binary creation of men and women. Lucifer understands that emasculated, effeminate, and docile men are unlikely to take up the double-edged sword of God’s Word to lead their families and to go out into the world to unapologetically proclaim the free gift of Christ, making disciples of all people.
Similarly, the teachings of toxic feminism have produced a generation who frown upon having children, while elevating abortion as an unholy sacrament. These nihilists are unlikely to be fruitful and multiply, filling the earth with godly offspring. While Lucifer’s lies keep humanity in the slavery of despair, it is only God’s truth that offers both freedom and lasting, unwavering meaning.
There are many voices in the world offering alternatives to God’s Word. In fact, Solomon says, of making many books there is no end. This does not mean that books are bad but it does mean that we must evaluate everything that we read in the light of God’s Word. Discernment is necessary. We must pay the most careful attention… so that we do not drift away. Hebrews 2:1
When you read God’s Word do you say, “I don’t agree with that teaching, God’s Word must be wrong” or do you say, “I don’t agree with that teaching, so I must be wrong” and, with that thought, seek to change your actions and attitudes, bringing them in line with God’s Word?
Ecclesiastes 12:13 This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
Solomon leaves us with two final instructions.
First, we are to fear God. If you have been counting you will have noticed that Solomon has instructed us to fear God at least six times throughout the book of Ecclesiastes.
We are fearful in many ways. If we are honest with ourselves, our problem is that, very frequently, we fear the wrong things. We fear what people will think about us if we are outwardly faithful to our God. We fear what people will say about us. We fear losing friends or jobs. We fear alienating family. But we do not fear our Creator, the one who first gave us life and, despite our many sins against him, the one who subsequently gave us back our lives, offering himself as a ransom for many, Matthew 20:28… the Good Shepherd who gave his life for the sheep. John 10:11
Remember Christ’s words of warning: Whoever denies me before men, I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:33
What does is mean to fear God?
To fear God is to be in awe of the marvelous gift of salvation that he has offered us; we did not earn it, we do not deserve it, but Christ is offering us salvation nonetheless. It is to stand in humility before our Creator, who knit us together. It is to seek his will, not our will. It is to revere and honor God beyond all else. It is to take seriously, understand, and obey him. He is our Lord. He is to be obeyed.
I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. Jeremiah 32:39-40…I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me… They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it” Jeremiah 33:8-9
As the prophet Jeremiah reminds us, fearing God is for [our] own good and the good of [our] children – future generations.
Second, we are keep [God’s] commandments. We are to orient our lives around God’s Word as it instructs us how we should live. And remember, as our designer, God’s commands are in sync with how he engineered us. On the other hand, when we follow the desires of our fickle hearts or allow ourselves to drift along with the crowd we are actually following the will of God’s enemy, Lucifer.
We are to immerse ourselves in God’s Word:
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7
We are to not just call ourselves Christians. We are not merely to go through religious motions. As James warned his congregation in Jerusalem during a time of brutal persecution:
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listened to the word but does not do what is says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1:22-24
We are to not just listen to God’s Word, we are to be transformed by God’s Word, allowing it to mold us away from Lucifer’s lies, allowing it to pull us our of our excuses, dysphorias, and self-pity, and back into conformity with reality.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
We are to keep [God’s] commandments. God spoke to Peter, James, and John saying, This is My beloved Son, Listen to him. Luke 9:35 Later Christ would instruct the disciples to make disciples of all the nations… Teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20
Are you paying attention to what God is saying? Keep the commandments, do what it says, listen to him, obey everything I have commanded you.
The Church has been entrusted with the very words of God, words that hold the only solution to the emptiness that infects mankind – the grace of God. Instead of trying to imitate the culture or capitulate to the culture, the Church is called to be a light, holding up Christ’s teaching, a kingdom of priests both prodding as with a goad, and warning of the coming and sure judgment of God. Calling unbelievers to repentance while displaying the deep, lasting love of Christ in our community, holding up the truth to our lost and blinded culture, loving them where they are, by calling them to recognize their sins against the Creator, offering them the true freedom that alone can satisfy their deep longings, freeing them from the futility of hevel, freeing them from sin’s slavery, freeing them from the fear of death, and inviting them to eternal life in our Savior’s welcoming Kingdom. Addressing their very real problems with the only real solution, the love of Jesus.
We should never tell a man that he only needs to add Christ to make his life complete. He must be told that without Christ he has no life. Paul Washer, Sermon note
Why do we do this?
We do this because we know with certainty that God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
If evolution were true, if everything we see and experience is simply the product of blind chance, if there were no Creator God, then there would be no final judgment and the words of Solomon’s lament would be true. Vanity, vanity, all is vanity. All would be meaningless under the sun, because there is no heaven. The lives that we live would be meaningless because we will die and all of our accomplishments will not only be forgotten but they will also perish for eternity with the death of the Universe. As Isaac Asimov lamented:
I’ve got this beautiful mind, and its going to die, and it’ll all be gone. I don’t believe that I’m ever going to heaven or hell. I think that when I die there will be nothingness Isaac Asimov, Clifton Fadiman, Living Philosophies, Doubleday
But, Isaac Asimov was wrong. There is a Creator. Our world, under the sun, came into being because God, existing outside of our realm of time, space, and matter, brought the cosmos into being. And though we have been blessed with life, because of our sin and rebellion against the Creator, we will each stand before God in a coming judgment. God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
What will you do on that day?
There are two, and only two choices.
1. When you stand before God, the Judge, will you be standing alone,
pleading for your life without an Advocate representing you? On that day, what will your defense be?
Before his death, Alastair Cook speculated about his defense before the throne of God.
I regret that I cannot join the devout practitioners of religion. That regret reflects the observation that on the whole my religious friends enjoy lives more serene than those of my irreligious ones… It seems to me that if we are so small in the scheme of things then we are on our own… On all such profound matters as the chances of an afterlife, I stand with my old mentor, H.L.Mencken, who when asked what he would say if he found himself in heaven replied, “I shall say, Gentlemen, I was wrong.” Alastair Cooke, Clifton Fadiman, Living Philosophies, Doubleday
Or…
2. Will you stand before God the Judge, with the Advocate, Jesus Christ, pleading on your behalf?
If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2
Have you acknowledged your sins before your Creator and claimed Jesus Christ as your Advocate?
If so, you have received the pardon of God.
If you have not repented and not allowed Christ to bear your sins you are without excuse. Romans 1:20
The Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger Catechism Question 70 explains it like this:
What is justification?
Justification is an act of God’s free grace unto sinners, in which he pardons all their sins, accepts and accounts their persons as righteous in his sight; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them, and received by faith alone.
If you have placed your trust in Jesus Christ, your Advocate, your life no longer needs to be haunted by uncertainty and the endless striving for meaning under the sun. You have been accepted as a child of God, rejoicing under heaven, because though death is the penalty of all who are born, it becomes the glory of those who are reborn. Augustine, The City of God, Penguin Classics
But your dead will live, Lord;
their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust
wake up and shout for joy— Isaiah 26:19
On the one hand, for those who have not trusted in Christ, when all is said and done, God’s advice to those who are searching for meaning in the storms of hevel is this:
As I live, says the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked would turn from his way and live. Turn back, change your way of thinking, turn back in repentance from your evil ways. For why should you die? Ezekiel 33:11 Amplified Bible
On the other hand, when all is said and done, Solomon’s advice to those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ; those who are directly connected to the Source of Life; those who have a sure refuge from the storms of hevel: self-doubt, anxiety, uncertainty, futility, emptiness, and finally death, is this:
This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man…
Go your way—eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works. Let your garments be always white, and don’t let your head lack oil. Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity, for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…