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2018 November 14
Ecclesiastes 12



The Milkmaid (c. 1658)
Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675)
Dutch Golden Age Baroque Style
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Image Source: Wikimedia

     [ Illustration: Today's painting depicts a pitcher as a source of refreshment -- the general idea behind the pitcher mentioned in verse six. ]



SPECIAL NOTE:

[ I will again be working through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. I will be adding links, resources, images, and the like, upgrading the former work-through which began with the 2013-10-12 posting which can be found, along with the full Genesis to Revelation postings, in the Archive Page. Postings will be at midnight Eastern Time, as I am able. However, no chapters will be skipped, even though a posting may be late. And all postings will be housed in the Archive Page. ]



     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.
     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).


     [ Sermons: William Still. Philip Ryken. Various. ]




Bible Chronologies -- Genesis to Revelation

[Traditional Patriarchal Chronology. Judges Period Chronology 1. Judges Period Chronology 2. Kings of Judah and Israel #1. Kings of Judah and Israel #2].

[Post Exile Chronology 1. Post Exile Chronology 2. Post Exile Chronology 3.]

[Prophets Chronology 1. Prophets Chronology 2. Prophets Chronology 3. Prophets Chronology 4.]

[Intertestamental Period Chronology 1. Intertestamental Period Chronology 2. Intertestamental Period Chronology 3.
Intertestamental Period Chronology 4. Intertestamental Period Chronology 5.]

[New Testament Chronology 1. New Testament Chronology 2. New Testament Chronology 3. New Testament Chronology 4. New Testament Chronology 5.]




RESOURCES

PLEASE NOTE: Use the resources on this and other sites thoughtfully, particularly the commentaries and encyclopedias. I have attempted to list conservative, scholarly resources. However, some providers use liberal or liberal-influenced commentaries such as the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (in Bible Hub). Such commentaries are undoubtedly included by the provider for the wealth of useful information and comments which they provide. By consulting several commentaries, it should be fairly easy to sort out the wheat from the chaff. If, however, you would like personal assistance, write to me at AD LIB ARTS EMAIL.


          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Ecclesiastes 12: Ecclesiastes 10. Ecclesiastes 11. ]
[1] Ecclesiastes 11:8, 10.
[2] Ecclesiastes 11:7-8.
[3] Psalm 90:9-10.
[4] 2 Samuel 19:35.
[5] Psalm 71:18; Isaiah 46:4; Ecclesiastes 9:10.
[6] Hebrews 9:27.
[7] Genesis 3:19; Ecclesiastes 3:20; Psalm 90:3.
[8] Ecclesiastes 1:2, 14; Ecclesiastes 2:17.
[9] 1 Kings 4:32.
[10] Ecclesiastes 1:1, 12.
[11] Jeremiah 23:29; Hebrews 4:12.
[12] Ecclesiastes 1:18.
[13] Ecclesiastes 5:7; Ecclesiastes 8:12; Proverbs 19:23.
[14] Ecclesiastes 11:9; Romans 2:16; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15.
     -- From Treasury of Scripture Knowledge & Others ]


          [ 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). PROVERBS: Book of Proverbs. ECCLESIASTES: Book of Ecclesiastes Dramatized. VARIOUS ARTISTS: Micha'el Ben David. Sons of Korah. Fernando Ortega. Janet Isaac Morrison. Music of the Bible Revealed - Suzanne Haik-Vantoura. Dr. David Erb. Gregorian Chants. ]



HARMONY OF THE LAW


John Calvin - CCEL | Analytical Chart - BLB




GOSPEL HARMONIES

Gospel Harmony - Summary | The Harmony of the Gospels - Augustine | Gospel Harmony Chart - Online Bible

Greek Harmony of the Gospels - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF) | Gospel Harmony in English - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF)



HEBREW AND GREEK INTERLINEAR BIBLES


Hebrew and Greek Interlinear Download - Scripture 4 All

Bible Hub Interlinear Hebrew and Greek Bible


Bible Hub Hebrew Interlinear | Scripture 4 All Hebrew Interlinear


Mounce Interlinear | Bible Hub Greek Interlinear | Scripture 4 All Greek Interlinear Bible





Ecclesiastes Outline

Note: Around 946 B.C., Solomon seems to have been at a peak spiritually, hence Ecclesiastes may have been composed by him around that time, assuming he is the author.

Ecclesiastes 12


Map 1: Bible Nations | Map 2: Empire of David and Solomon Map 3: Kingdoms of Judah and Israel | Post Exile Chronology.


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


11:10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart,
and put away evil from thy flesh:
for childhood and youth are vanity.

12:1 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 [therefore] 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 [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.






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