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Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Ecclesiastes 11:1-14

Chapter s Ecclesiastes 11:9 to Ecclesiastes 12:14 The Venturing Of The Young, The Trials Of The Old and Man's Final Destiny.

As we come to the end of the writer's musings we are rewarded with the final conclusions that he has reached. He calls on the young man to arise out of life's vainness and look to his Creator, recognising that God will bring him into judgment in whatever he does. Interestingly he no longer appears to see life as meaningless, but as something to be treated very seriously, with attitude towards God being seen as of prior importance. Outwardly life is still indeed vanity, but that only refers to life on this earth, life under the sun (Ecclesiastes 12:7). What must not be overlooked is what lies beyond life ‘under the sun'. Thus in the light of everlastingness (Ecclesiastes 3:11) the godliness of the godly will turn out to be the one thing that is important after all. Hope is arising out of despair.

Young Men Are To Make The Most Of Their Youth, But Are To Remember While They Are Young That God Is Their Creator And Will One Day Judge Them, And Should Live Accordingly, For One Day They Will Grow Old And Then Their Spirits Must Return To The God Who Gave Them (Ecclesiastes 11:9 to Ecclesiastes 12:7).

We have already seen that the Preacher has continually recognised that there is a judgment coming ((Ecclesiastes 3:17; Ecclesiastes 8:5). Now he applies that to the young (Ecclesiastes 11:9) and to all men who fear God (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

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See also Ecclesiastes 11:1-14 in other biblical comments:

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