DAWN

     Explanation: Ecclesiastes 12 contains an extended metaphor describing an aging human as a decaying house. The metaphor and related metaphors are used as a basis for calling upon men to fear God and to serve him. Today's painting depicts a pitcher as a source of refreshment -- the general idea behind the pitcher mentioned in verse six.

1. Narrator's Introduction - The Vanity of Everything                (   1:1   -  1:11  ) - 946 B.C. Israel
2. Teacher's Introduction  - The Vanity of Everything                (   1:12 -  2:11  ) - 946 B.C. Israel
3. Teacher's Word's           - Coping With Vanity                         (  2:12 - 11:9   ) - 946 B.C. Israel
4. Teacher's Conclusion    - Overcome Vanity by Serving God  ( 11:10 - 12:7   ) - 946 B.C. Israel
5. Narrator's Conclusion   - Overcome Vanity by Serving God  ( 12:8   - 12:14 ) - 946 B.C. Israel

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Ecclesiastes 10. Ecclesiastes 11. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Book of Ecclesiastes Dramatized. ]

     The opening section of chapter 12 is a continuation of the concluding sentence of chapter 11, which says, " Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity." And, instead or depression or disobedience, the opening words of chapter 12 recommends the positive course: "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". The key is to remember God (1). You will have no pleasure in the evil days because they will be as dark as if there was no sun, no light, no moon, and no stars -- or as a day when the clouds return after the rain (2). They will be days in which strength is diminished, when the grinders (teeth) will cease to work because they are few, and those who look out of the windows (the eyes) are darkened -- they receive little light, perhaps because of cataracts or macular degeneration (3). The doors shall be shut in the streets -- social interaction will be little. The sound of grinding is low -- eating declines. The daughters of music shall be brought low -- it is hard to hear the pleasantries of singing (4). They shall be afraid of that which is high -- either high places or high people. Fears shall be in the way. The almond tree shall flourish -- its nuts come to fruition, shown by white blossoms, symbolizing white hair, which, in turn, symbolizes advanced age, or the nearness of death. The grasshopper shall be a burden -- perhaps indicating the irritation of the grasshopper's song. Desire shall fail. Man goes to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets -- death is all around (5). The silver cord is untied -- body and soul are no longer joined. The golden bowl is broken -- the container of life is broken. The pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel is broken at the cistern -- that which sustains life (symbolized by water) cannot be delivered (6). Then the dust shall return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it (7).
      Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity (8). The teacher, continuing to be wise, continued to teach wisdom. He studied and wrote down many proverbs (9). He sought acceptable words. He wrote upright and truthful words (10). These words of the wise are like goads -- spurring the hearers to action. They are like nails of the master builders -- attaching knowledge to the hearer. They are given from one who has the heart of a shepherd (11). Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh (12). The conclusion of the whole matter is to fear God and to keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man (13). For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing whether it be good or evil (14).

Teacher's Conclusion - Overcome Vanity by Serving God (11:10 - 12:7) - Continued from Chapter 11

¹ Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth,
while [these] the evil days come not,
nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say,
I have no pleasure in them;
² While [this] 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 [therefore] 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 [not] 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.

Narrator's Conclusion - Overcome Vanity by Serving God (12:8 - 12:14)

⁸ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher;
all is vanity.
⁹ And moreover, because the preacher [who] was wise,
he still taught [these] 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.
¹³ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear [this one] God, and keep his commandments:
for this is the whole duty of man.
¹⁴ For God shall bring [these] every work into judgment,
with every secret thing,
whether it be good,
or whether it be evil.