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Ecclesiastes 12:1
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Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
With Ecc 12:1 (where, inappropriately, a new chapter begins, instead of beginning with Ecc 11:9) the call takes a new course, resting its argument on the transitoriness of youth: "And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, ere the days of evil come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say: I have no pleasure in them." The plur. majest. בּוראיך = עשׂים as a designation of the Creator, Job 35:10; Isa 54:5; Psa 149:2; in so recent a book it cannot surprise us, since it is also not altogether foreign to the post-bibl. language. The expression is warranted, and the Midrash ingeniously interprets the combination of its letters. (Note: It finds these things expressed in it, partly directly and partly indirectly: remember בארך, thy fountain (origin); בורך, thy grave; and בוראיך, thy Creator. Thus, Jer. Sota ii. 3, and Midrash under Ecc 12:1.) Regarding the words 'ad asher lo, commonly used in the Mishna (e.g., Horajoth iii. 3; Nedarim x. 4), or 'ad shello (Targ. 'ad delo), antequam. The days of evil (viz., at least, first, of bodily evil, cf. κακία, Mat 6:34) are those of feeble, helpless old age, perceptibly marking the failure of bodily and mental strength; parallel to these are the years of which (asher, as at Ecc 1:10) one has to say: I have no pleasure in them (bahěm for bahěn, as at Ecc 2:6, mehěm for mehěn). These evil days, adverse years, are now described symptomatically, and that in an allegorical manner, for the "ere" of Ecc 12:1 is brought to a grand unfolding.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth,.... Or "Creators" (b); as "Makers", Job 35:10; for more than one were concerned, as in the creation of all things in general, so of man in particular, Gen 1:26; and these are neither more nor fewer than three; and are Father, Son, Spirit; the one God that has created men, Mal 2:10; the Father, who is the God of all flesh, and the Father of spirits; the former both of the bodies and souls of men, Jer 31:27; the Son, by whom all things are created; for he that is the Redeemer and husband of his church, which are characters and relations peculiar to the Son, is the Creator, Isa 43:1; and the Holy Spirit not only garnished the heavens, and moved upon the face of the waters, but is the Maker of men, and gives them life, Job 33:4. Now this God, Creator, should be "remembered" by young men; they should remember there is a God, which they are apt to be forgetful of; that this God is a God of great and glorious perfections, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, holy, just, and true; who judgeth in the earth, and will judge the world in righteousness, and them also; and that he is in Christ a God gracious, merciful, and pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin: they should remember him under this character, as a "Creator", who has made them, and not they themselves; that they are made by him out of the dust of the earth, and must return to it; that he has brought them into being, and preserved them in it, and favoured them with the blessings of his providence, which are all from him that has made them: and they should remember the end for which they are made, to glorify him; and in what state man was originally made, upright, pure, and holy; but that he now is a fallen creature, and such are they, impure and unrighteous, impotent and weak, abominable in the sight of God, unworthy to live, and unfit to die; being transgressors of the laws of their Creator, which is deserving of death: they should remember what God their Creators, Father, Son, and Spirit, must have done or must do for them, if ever they are saved; the Father must have chosen them in Christ unto salvation; must have given his Son to redeem, and must send his Spirit into their hearts to create them anew; the Son must have been surety for them, assumed their nature, and died in their room and stead; and the Spirit must regenerate and make them new creatures, enlighten their minds, quicken their souls, and sanctify their hearts: they should remember the right their Creator has over them, the obligations they are under to him, and their duty to him; they should remember, with thankfulness, the favours they have received from him, and, with reverence and humility, the distance between him, as Creator, and them as creatures: they should remember to love him cordially and sincerely; to fear him with a godly fear; to worship him in a spiritual manner; to set him always before them, and never forget him. And all this they should do "in the days their youth"; which are their best and choicest day in which to serve him is most desirable by him, acceptable to him; who ordered the first of the ripe fruits and creatures of the first year to be offered to him: and then are men best able to serve him, when their bodies are healthful, strong, and vigorous; their senses quick, and the powers and faculties of their souls capable of being improved and enlarged: and to delay the service of him to old age, as it would be very ungrateful and exceeding improper, so no man can be sure of arriving to it; and if he should, yet what follows is enough to determine against such a delay; while the evil days come not; meaning the days of old age; said to be evil, not with respect to the evil of fault or sin; so all days are evil, or sin is committed in every age, in infancy, in childhood, in youth, in manhood, as well as in old age: but with respect to the evil of affliction and trouble which attend it, as various diseases; yea, that itself is a disease, and an incurable one; much weakness of body, decay of intellects, and many other things, which render life very troublesome and uncomfortable (c), as well as unfit for religious services; nor the years draw nigh, when thou shall say, I have no pleasure in them; that is, corporeal pleasure; no sensual pleasure; sight, taste, and hearing, being lost, or in a great measure gone; which was Barzillai's case, at eighty years of age: though some ancient persons have their senses quick and vigorous, and scarce perceive any difference between youth and age; but such instances are not common: and there are also some things that ancient persons take pleasure in, as in fields and gardens, and the culture of them, as Cicero (d) observes; and particularly learned men take as much delight in their studies in old age as in youth, and in instructing others; and, as the same writer (e) says, "what is more pleasant than to see an old man, attended and encircled with youth, at their studies under him?'' and especially a good man, in old age, has pleasure in reflecting on a life spent in the ways, work, and worship of God; and in having had, through the grace of God, his conversation in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity; as also in present communion with God, and in the hopes and views of the glories of another world: but if not religious persons, they are strangers to spiritual pleasure, which only is to be had in wisdom's ways; such can neither look back with pleasure on a life spent in sin; nor forward with pleasure, at death and eternity, and into another world; see Sa2 19:35. (b) "Creatorum tuorum", Drusius, Gejerus, Rambachius; so Broughton. (c) Plautus in Aulular. Act. 1. Sc. 1. v. 4. Menaechm. Act. 5. Sc. 2. v. 6. calls old age, "mala aetas"; and the winter of old age, Trinummus, Act. 2. Sc. 3. v. 7. And Pindar, , Pyth. Ode 10. so Theognis, v. 272, 776, 1006. And Homer, Iliad. 10. v. 79. &. 23. v. 644. "Tristis senectus", Virgil. Aenid. 6. (d) De Seuectute, c. 14, 15. (e) Ibid. c. 8.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here is, I. A call to young people to think of God, and mind their duty to him, when they are young: Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. This is, 1. The royal preacher's application of his sermon concerning the vanity of the world and every thing in it. "You that are young flatter yourselves with expectations of great things from it, but believe those that have tried it; it yields no solid satisfaction to a soul; therefore, that you may not be deceived by this vanity, nor too much disturbed by it, remember your Creator, and so guard yourselves against the mischiefs that arise from the vanity of the creature." 2. It is the royal physician's antidote against the particular diseases of youth, the love of mirth, and the indulgence of sensual pleasures, the vanity which childhood and youth are subject to; to prevent and cure this, remember thy Creator. Here is, (1.) A great duty pressed upon us, to remember God as our creator, not only to remember that God is our Creator, that he made us and not we ourselves, and is therefore our rightful Lord and owner, but we must engage ourselves to him with the considerations which his being our Creator lay us under, and pay him the honour and duty which we owe him as our Creator. Remember thy Creators; the word is plural, as it is Job 35:10, Where is God my Makers? For God said, Let us make man, us, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (2.) The proper season for this duty - in the days of thy youth, the days of thy choice (so some), thy choice days, thy choosing days. "Begin in the beginning of thy days to remember him from whom thou hadst thy being, and go on according to that good beginning. Call him to mind when thou art young, and keep him in mind throughout all the days of thy youth, and never forget him. Guard thus against the temptations of youth, and thus improve the advantages of it." II. A reason to enforce this command: While the evil days come not, and the years of which thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them. 1. Do it quickly, (1.) "Before sickness and death come. Do it while thou livest, for it will be too late to do it when death has removed thee from this state of trial and probation to that of recompence and retribution." The days of sickness and death are the days of evil, terrible to nature, evil days indeed to those that have forgotten their Creator. These evil days will come sooner or later; as yet they come not, for God is long-suffering to us-ward, and gives us space to repent; the continuing of life is but the deferring of death, and, while life is continued and death deferred, it concerns us to prepare, and get the property of death altered, that we may die comfortably. (2.) Before old age comes, which, if death prevent not, will come, and they will be years of which we shall say, We have no pleasure in them, - when we shall not relish the delights of sense, as Barzillai (Sa2 19:35), - when we shall be loaded with bodily infirmities, old and blind, or old and lame, - when we shall be taken off from our usefulness, and our strength shall be labour and sorrow, - when we shall either have parted with our relations, and all our old friends, or be afflicted in them and see them weary of us, - when we shall feel ourselves die by inches. These years draw nigh, when all that comes will be vanity, the remaining months all months of vanity, and there will be no pleasure but in the reflection of a good life on earth and the expectation of a better life in heaven. 2. These two arguments he enlarges upon in the following verses, only inverting the order, and shows, (1.) How many are the calamities of old age, and that if we should live to be old, our days will be such as we shall have no pleasure in, which is a good reason why we should return to God, and make our peace with him, in the days of our youth, and not put it off till we come to be old; for it will be no thanks to us to leave the pleasures of sin when they have left us, nor to return to God when need forces us. It is the greatest absurdity and ingratitude imaginable to give the cream and flower of our days to the devil, and reserve the bran, and refuse, and dregs of them for God; this is offering the torn, and the lame, and the sick for sacrifice; and, besides, old age being thus clogged with infirmities, it is the greatest folly imaginable to put off that needful work till then, which requires the best of our strength, when our faculties are in their prime, and especially to make the work more difficult by a longer continuance in sin, and, laying up treasures of guilt in the conscience, to add to the burdens of age and make them much heavier. If the calamities of age will be such as are here represented, we shall have need of something to support and comfort us then, and nothing will be more effectual to do that than the testimony of our consciences for us that we begin betimes to remember our Creator and have not since laid aside the remembrance of him. How can we expect God should help us when we are old, if we will not serve him when we are young? See Psa 71:17, Psa 71:18. [1.] The decays and infirmities of old age are here elegantly described in figurative expressions, which have some difficulty in them to us now, who are not acquainted with the common phrases and metaphors used in Solomon's age and language; but the general scope is plain - to show how uncomfortable, generally, the days of old age are. First, Then the sun and the light of it, the moon and the stars, and the light which they borrow from it, will be darkened. They look dim to old people, in consequence of the decay of their sight; their countenance is clouded, and the beauty and lustre of it are eclipsed; their intellectual powers and faculties, which are as lights in the soul, are weakened; their understanding and memory fail them, and their apprehension is not so quick nor their fancy so lively as it has been; the days of their mirth are over (light is often put for joy and prosperity) and they have not the pleasure either of the converse of the day or the repose of the night, for both the sun and the moon are darkened to them. Secondly, Then the clouds return after the rain; as, when the weather is disposed to wet, no sooner has one cloud blown over than another succeeds it, so it is with old people, when they have got free from one pain or ailment, they are seized with another, so that their distempers are like a continual dropping in a very rainy day. The end of one trouble is, in this world, but the beginning of another, and deep calls unto deep. Old people are often afflicted with defluxions of rheum, like soaking rain, after which still more clouds return, feeding the humour, so that it is continually grievous, and therein the body, as it were, melts away. Thirdly, Then the keepers of the house tremble. The head, which is as the watch-tower, shakes, and the arms and hands, which are ready for the preservation of the body, shake too, and grow feeble, upon every sudden approach and attack of danger. That vigour of the animal spirits which used to be exerted for self-defence fails and cannot do its office; old people are easily dispirited and discouraged. Fourthly, Then the strong men shall bow themselves; the legs and thighs, which used to support the body, and bear its weight, bend, and cannot serve for travelling as they have done, but are soon tired. Old men that have been in their time strong men become weak and stoop for age, Zac 8:4. God takes no pleasure in the legs of a man (Psa 147:10), for their strength will soon fail; but in the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength; he has everlasting arms. Fifthly, Then the grinders cease because they are few; the teeth, with which we grind our meat and prepare it for concoction, cease to do their part, because they are few. They are rotted and broken, and perhaps have been drawn because they ached. Some old people have lost all their teeth, and others have but few left; and this infirmity is the more considerable because the meat, not being well chewed, for want of teeth, is not well digested, which has as much influence as any thing upon the other decays of age. Sixthly, Those that look out of the windows are darkened; the eyes wax dim, as Isaac's (Gen 27:1), and Ahijah's, Kg1 14:4. Moses was a rare instance of one who, when 120 years old, had good eye-sight, but ordinarily the sight decays in old people as soon as any thing, and it is a mercy to them that art helps nature with spectacles. We have need to improve our sight well while we have it, because the light of the eyes may be gone before the light of life. Seventhly, The doors are shut in the streets. Old people keep within doors, and care not for going abroad to entertainments. The lips, the doors of the mouth, are shut in eating, because the teeth are gone and the sound of the grinding with them is low, so that they have not that command of their meat in their mouths which they used to have; they cannot digest their meat, and therefore little grist is brought to the mill. Eightly, Old people rise up at the voice of the bird. They have no sound sleep as young people have, but a little thing disturbs them, even the chirping of a bird; they cannot rest for coughing, and therefore rise up at cock-crowing, as soon as any body is stirring; or they are apt to be jealous, and timorous, and full of care, which breaks their sleep and makes them rise early; or they are apt to be superstitious, and rise up as in a fright, at those voices of birds, as of ravens, or screech-owls, which soothsayers call ominous. Ninthly, With them all the daughters of music are brought low. They have neither voice nor ear, can neither sing themselves nor take any pleasure, as Solomon had done in the days of his youth, in singing men, and singing women, and musical instruments, Ecc 2:8. Old people grow hard of hearing, and unapt to distinguish sounds and voices. Tenthly, They are afraid of that which is high, afraid to go to the top of any high place, either because, for want of breath, they cannot reach it, or, their heads being giddy or their legs failing them, they dare not venture to it, or they frighten themselves with fancying that that which is high will fall upon them. Fear is in the way; they can neither ride nor walk with their former boldness, but are afraid of every thing that lies in their way, lest it throw them down. Eleventhly, The almond-tree flourishes. The old man's hair has grown white, so that his head looks like an almond-tree in the blossom. The almond-tree blossoms before any other tree, and therefore fitly shows what haste old age makes in seizing upon men; it prevents their expectations and comes faster upon them than they thought of. Gray hairs are here and there upon them, and they perceive it not. Twelfthly, The grasshopper is a burden and desire fails. Old men can bear nothing; the lightest thing sits heavily upon them, both on their bodies and on their minds, a little thing sinks and breaks them. Perhaps the grasshopper was some food that was looked upon to be very light of digestion (John Baptist's meat was locusts), but even that lies heavily upon an old man's stomach, and therefore desire fails, he has no appetite to his meat, neither shall he regard the desire of woman, as that king, Dan 11:37. Old men become mindless and listless, and the pleasures of sense are to them tasteless and sapless. [2.] It is probable that Solomon wrote this when he was himself old, and could speak feelingly of the infirmities of age, which perhaps grew the faster upon him for the indulgence he had given himself in sensual pleasures. Some old people bear up better than others under the decays of age, but, more or less, the days of old age are and will be evil days and of little pleasure. Great care therefore should be taken to pay respect and honour to old people, that they may have something to balance these grievances and nothing may be done to add to them. And all this, put together, makes up a good reason why we should remember our Creator in the days of our youth, that he may remember us with favour when these evil days come, and his comforts may delight our souls when the delights of sense are in a manner worn off. (2.) He shows how great a change death will make with us, which will be either the prevention or the period of the miseries of old age. Nothing else will keep them off, nor any thing else cure them. "Therefore remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, because death is certainly before thee, perhaps it is very near thee, and it is a serious thing to die, and thou shouldst feel concerned with the utmost care and diligence to prepare for it." [1.] Death will fix us in an unchangeable state: Man shall then go to his long home, and all these infirmities and decays of age are harbingers of and advances towards that awful remove. At death man goes from this world and all the employments and enjoyments of it. He has gone for good and all, as to his present state. He has gone home, for here he was a stranger and pilgrim; both soul and body go to the place whence they came, Ecc 12:7. He has gone to his rest, to the place where he is to fix. He has gone to his home, to the house of his world (so some), for this world is not his. He has gone to his long home, for the days of his lying in the grave will be many. He has gone to his house of eternity, not only to his house whence he shall never return to this world, but to the house where he must be for ever. This should make us willing to die, that, at death, we must go home; and why should we not long to go to our Father's house? And this should quicken us to get ready to die, that we must then go to our long home, to an everlasting habitation. [2.] Death will be an occasion of sorrow to our friends that love us. When man goes to his long home the mourners go about the streets - the real mourners, and those, as now with us, distinguished by their habits as they go along the streets, - the mourners for ceremony, that were hired to weep for the dead, both to express and to excite the real mourning. When we die we not only remove to a melancholy house before us, but we leave a melancholy house behind us. Tears are a tribute due to the dead, and this, among other circumstances, makes it a serious thing to die. But in vain do we go to the house of mourning, and see the mourners go about the streets, if it do not help to make us serious and pious mourners in the closet. [3.] Death will dissolve the frame of nature and take down the earthly house of this tabernacle, which is elegantly described, Ecc 12:6. Then shall the silver cord, by which soul and body were wonderfully fastened together, be loosed, that sacred knot untied, and those old friends be forced to part; then shall the golden bowl, which held the waters of life for us, be broken; then shall the pitcher with which we used to fetch up water, for the constant support of life and the repair of its decays, be broken, even at the fountain, so that it can fetch up no more; and the wheel (all those organs that serve for the collecting and distributing of nourishment) shall be broken, and disabled to do their office any more. The body shall become like a watch when the spring is broken, the motion of all the wheels is stopped and they all stand still; the machine is taken to pieces; the heart beats no more, nor does the blood circulate. Some apply this to the ornaments and utensils of life; rich people must, at death, leave behind them their clothing and furniture of silver and gold, and poor people their earthen pitchers, and the drawers of water will have their wheel broken. [4.] Death will resolve us into our first principles, Ecc 12:7. Man is a strange sort of creature, a ray of heaven united to a clod of earth; at death these are separated, and each goes to the place whence it came. First, The body, that clod of clay, returns to its own earth. It is made of the earth; Adam's body was so, and we are of the same mould; it is a house of clay. At death it is laid in the earth, and in a little time will be resolved into earth, not to be distinguished from common earth, according to the sentence (Gen 3:19), Dust thou art and therefore to dust thou shalt return. Let us not therefore indulge the appetites of the body, nor pamper it (it will be worms' meat shortly), nor let sin reign in our mortal bodies, for they are mortal, Rom 6:12. Secondly, The soul, that beam of light, returns to that God who, when he made man of the dust of the ground, breathed into him the breath of life, to make him a living soul (Gen 2:7), and forms the spirit of every man within him. When the fire consumes the wood the flame ascends, and the ashes return to the earth out of which the wood grew. The soul does not die with the body; it is redeemed from the power of the grave (Psa 49:15); it can subsist without it and will in a state of separation from it, as the candle burns, and burns brighter, when it is taken out of the dark lantern. It removes to the world of spirits, to which it is allied. It goes to God as a Judge, to give account of itself, and to be lodged either with the spirits in prison (Pe1 3:19) or with the spirits in paradise (Luk 23:43), according to what was done in the body. This makes death terrible to the wicked, whose souls go to God as an avenger, and comfortable to the godly, whose souls go to God as a Father, into whose hands they cheerfully commit them, through a Mediator, out of whom sinners may justly dread to think of going to God.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
12:1-7 This beautiful prose poem, which uses many metaphors in Hebrew, describes the torturous deterioration of aging (in continuation of 11:7-10). 12:1-2 Don’t . . . forget your Creator: Reverence for God can give wisdom (Prov 1:7) and guidance as to what will be beneficial in this life and pleasing to God at the judgment (Eccl 12:13-14). It is better to remember God when young, when wisdom can make a real difference in life’s results.
Ecclesiastes 12:1
Remember Your Creator
1Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,” 2before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
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- Sermons
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God's Bloodhound
By Rolfe Barnard5.0K45:31MisconceptionsGEN 3:19PSA 39:4PSA 90:12PRO 27:1ECC 12:1MAT 6:33LUK 16:19In this sermon, the speaker discusses their plan to distribute 50 sets of 70-hour tapes throughout America to help train young preachers. They express gratitude for the person financing this project and emphasize the importance of reaching young preachers before they develop incorrect preaching methods. The speaker then shares a personal story about receiving an urgent message about their sick child during a preaching event. Despite the urgency, they finished the sermon and rushed home to find their child quoting Proverbs 27:1. The sermon concludes with a story about a 16-year-old girl who confidently declares that she will be saved the next night, only to tragically pass away the following day. The speaker reflects on the unpredictability of life and the need to seize the opportunity for salvation.
The Vanity of Life
By Keith Daniel3.2K1:24:02Brevity Of LifePSA 119:105ECC 12:1MAT 6:332TH 1:8HEB 9:27JAS 1:222PE 3:10The sermon in the video focuses on the book of Ecclesiastes, which confronts the vanity of life and the gravity of death. The preacher emphasizes that there is nothing certain about life except for the certainty of death. He highlights four main points from Ecclesiastes: the vanity of life and the gravity of death, the agony of life and the ecstasy of death, the brevity of life and the certainty of death, and the blasphemy of life and the calamity of death. The preacher emphasizes the brevity of life and the need to acknowledge the certainty of death in order to plan and live differently.
A Layway, a Castaway and a Giveaway
By Jack Hyles2.0K34:46GEN 6:3PRO 27:1ECC 12:1MAT 6:33ROM 1:24In this sermon, Reverend Hiles shares a personal encounter with a man who had previously expressed interest in being saved but had repeatedly delayed making a decision. The man approached Reverend Hiles, visibly aged and filled with regret, stating that it was now too late for him. Reverend Hiles then proceeds to share three unique personalities he encountered: a layaway, a castaway, and a giveaway. The layaway represents someone who waits too long to accept salvation, while the castaway is someone who believes they are destined for hell. The sermon emphasizes the importance of not delaying in accepting salvation and highlights the urgency of making a decision before it is too late.
(The Foundation and the Building) the Simple Gospel Message
By Zac Poonen2.0K57:37PSA 119:9PRO 22:6ECC 12:1ROM 6:161CO 10:132CO 5:17PHP 4:13In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of following the instructions given by the Creator in order to live a better life. He compares life to writing an examination paper, where our thoughts, words, actions, and behavior are constantly being evaluated by God. The foundation of our faith is the belief that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. Once we have received Christ into our lives, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. The speaker also highlights the concept of justice, explaining that God cannot simply forgive us without punishment, but instead, He paid the penalty for our sins Himself.
The Simple Gospel Message
By Zac Poonen1.9K56:18Gospel MessagePSA 119:11PRO 22:6ECC 12:1ROM 12:21CO 10:13GAL 5:161TI 4:12In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of conscience and moral responsibility. He compares life to writing an examination paper, where God is the ultimate evaluator. The preacher highlights the need to follow the manufacturer's instructions, which are found in the Bible, in order to live a better life. He emphasizes that the foundation of our faith is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and by accepting Him into our lives, we receive the power of the Holy Spirit. The message of Christianity is to freely receive the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Today Is the Day
By Mike Gilchrist1.4K37:14Hearing GodPRO 8:17ECC 12:1MAT 6:33HEB 3:7HEB 4:7In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of going to the Holy Land with a man named Charles. They visited significant biblical sites such as the empty tomb and Calvary. During their trip, Charles had a profound spiritual awakening and committed himself to Jesus Christ. The speaker emphasizes that God knows certain things that make Him excited, including the fact that people are more impressionable and open to salvation or restoration of fellowship at certain times. The speaker encourages the audience to seize the opportunity to say yes to God today.
The Simple Gospel Message - Part 2
By Zac Poonen1.3K09:59ECC 12:1MAT 19:6JHN 15:4ROM 2:14EPH 5:31
This sermon emphasizes the spiritual relationship in Christianity as a deep union with Jesus Christ, likened to a marriage where true happiness and fulfillment are found. It challenges the misconception that mere religious practices or upbringing make one a Christian, highlighting the need for a personal, intimate connection with Christ. The speaker underscores the importance of starting this spiritual journey early in life to have Jesus as a lifelong guide and source of true values. Additionally, it delves into the innate awareness of God in humanity, distinct from animals, and the significance of living in obedience to God's will for genuine happiness and purpose.
First Step for Young People (Tamil)
By Zac Poonen1.2K1:02:57PSA 25:7PSA 103:2ECC 12:1MAT 1:20JHN 6:37JHN 17:23JHN 20:29ACT 2:381CO 14:5COL 1:27
This sermon emphasizes the importance of seeking God's forgiveness, assurance of salvation, and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. It shares personal testimonies of overcoming trials, learning from mistakes, and experiencing God's love and guidance. The speakers highlight the need to prioritize spiritual growth, trust in God's plan for marriage, and seek the power of the Holy Spirit for a victorious Christian life.
A Little Folly
By Chuck Smith1.1K25:05FollyPRO 22:6ECC 9:10ECC 10:1ECC 12:1MAT 6:332CO 9:6GAL 6:7In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith continues his verse-by-verse study through the book of Ecclesiastes. He begins by discussing the story of a wise man who saved a city from a powerful enemy through his wisdom. From this story, Pastor Chuck concludes that wisdom is better than weapons of war. However, he also emphasizes the destructive power of sin, stating that one sinner can destroy a lot of good. He ends the sermon by encouraging listeners to give generously and trust in God's provision, and to remember to fear God and serve Him faithfully, especially in their youth.
Be Dilligent to Get Alone With God - Hans Waldvogel
By From the Pulpit & Classic Sermons87224:40RadioPRO 8:17ECC 12:1MAT 6:332CO 8:9EPH 3:17PHP 3:8COL 2:3In this sermon, Hans Wadwogel emphasizes the importance of seeking the Lord and spending time alone with God. He shares a personal anecdote about trying to find a place to pray and ends up taking care of chickens, which ultimately die. Wadwogel highlights the need for a heart transformation and the dangers of having callous and distracted hearts. He encourages listeners to prioritize their inner man and seek God's strength through prayer and faith. The sermon concludes with a call to action, urging believers to actively pursue God's will and live a life of love.
Perilous Times Shall Come
By Keith Daniel70148:10End TimesPRO 1:10PRO 23:15ECC 12:1ISA 57:20JER 20:81CO 15:331TI 5:22In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of preaching the truth, even at the cost of one's life. He references the story of Leonard Ravenhill, who sang praises to God as he faced persecution. The preacher warns against ignoring the scriptures and rejecting God's word. He urges preachers to boldly proclaim the truth and use the Word of God as a powerful weapon.
Discipline - Orientation 9 J, Mcrostie
By Jonathan McRostie6971:12:39GEN 39:10LEV 19:18DEU 6:5PRO 4:23ECC 12:12PE 1:52PE 1:12In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of discipline and perseverance in the work of the Lord. He encourages the audience to be steadfast and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, because their labor is not in vain. The speaker also highlights the need to not give up or be a quitter, but to keep pressing forward and not look back. He emphasizes the importance of discipline in everyday life and the need to learn from mistakes. Additionally, the speaker discusses the importance of obedience to the word of God and the need to trust and obey.
Discipline Pt. 1 - George Verwer
By From the Pulpit & Classic Sermons46038:15RadioGEN 6:5DEU 6:5ECC 12:1PHP 4:81TI 4:152TI 2:152PE 1:12In this sermon, George Verwer discusses the concept of self-discipline and how it goes against our human nature. He emphasizes the need for discipline in our speech, highlighting the tendency for Americans to talk a lot about nothing. Verwer also mentions the importance of not letting our imaginations create exaggerated fears or expectations, but rather relying on God for true blessings. He concludes by reminding listeners of the commandment to love God and others, and the need to remember and think with God.
Discipline - George Verwer
By From the Pulpit & Classic Sermons43038:27RadioDEU 6:5ECC 12:1MAT 22:391TH 4:92TI 2:15JAS 1:52PE 1:12In this sermon, George Verwer discusses the importance of discipline in the life of a disciple. He acknowledges that self-discipline goes against our human nature and is often met with resistance. Verwer emphasizes the need to fill our minds with good and pure things, rather than leaving them empty and susceptible to negative influences. He also highlights the importance of discipline in our speech, cautioning against talking excessively about trivial matters. Verwer references James chapter 3 to support his points on the discipline of the tongue.
An Early Interest in Gods Mercy Essential to a Happy Life.
By Edward Payson0PSA 25:7PSA 90:14PRO 22:6ECC 12:11CO 10:13PHP 4:111TI 4:12HEB 3:15Edward Payson preaches about the importance of seeking and obtaining God's mercy early in life to experience true happiness, freedom from fears of death, guilt, and anxiety, and contentment in all circumstances. He emphasizes that starting a religious life in youth leads to a life of joy and gladness, while delaying conversion may result in missed opportunities, regrets, and struggles. Payson highlights the benefits of early conversion in avoiding sinful habits, temptations, and the bitter consequences of a life spent in sin. He encourages the youth to prioritize seeking God's mercy now rather than later to secure a life of peace, contentment, and spiritual growth.
What Kind of Being Is Man? Part 5
By Paris Reidhead0GEN 1:1PSA 8:4ECC 12:1ROM 2:142CO 13:5COL 1:27Paris Reidhead delves into Psalms 8, exploring the profound question of what kind of being man is in the eyes of God. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing man's unique position as created by God, a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor, and given dominion over all creation. Reidhead challenges the prevalent secular ideologies that deny God's role in creating man and highlights the responsibility and rebellion of humanity against God. He contrasts the worldview that man is essentially good with the biblical truth that man is imperfect, sinful, and in need of redemption through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Standing in Slippery Places
By Paris Reidhead0Compassion for the LostJudgmentDEU 32:35JOB 13:15PSA 73:18PSA 119:165ECC 2:11ECC 12:1ISA 55:2JER 23:12EZK 18:4MRK 6:31Paris Reidhead's sermon 'Standing in Slippery Places' emphasizes the precarious state of the wicked who seem to prosper while the righteous suffer. He draws from Psalm 73, illustrating how the apparent success of the ungodly can lead believers to envy and doubt God's justice. Reidhead warns that the wicked are in a dangerous position, standing on slippery ground, and that their judgment is imminent. He urges Christians to recognize the urgency of reaching out to the lost, as they are already condemned and in need of salvation. The sermon calls for a deep compassion for the unsaved and a commitment to evangelism.
Children Called to Christ
By Robert Murray M'Cheyne0Faith in YouthUrgency of Salvation1SA 3:10PSA 37:5PRO 22:6ECC 12:1MAT 11:28MAT 19:14JHN 6:37ROM 10:132TI 3:15JAS 4:14Robert Murray M'Cheyne emphasizes the urgency of coming to Christ, especially for children, as life is fleeting and uncertain. He draws parallels between the brevity of life and the fragility of flowers, urging the young to seek the Savior while there is still time. M'Cheyne reflects on the joy of knowing God from a young age, as exemplified by Samuel, and encourages children to find rest in Jesus. He reassures that even in death, those who trust in Christ can find peace and joy. The sermon serves as a heartfelt call for the youth to embrace faith early in their lives.
1 Peter 3:10
By John Gill0Righteous LivingThe Power of WordsJOB 2:4PSA 34:12ECC 12:1JAS 1:261PE 3:10John Gill emphasizes the importance of loving life through righteous living as outlined in 1 Peter 3:10. He explains that true love for life involves avoiding evil, doing good, and seeking peace, trusting in God for vindication. Gill highlights that this love is not merely for physical existence but encompasses a spiritual and eternal life filled with holiness and communion with God. He warns against the dangers of an unbridled tongue, urging believers to refrain from speaking evil and to embody sincerity in their words and actions. Ultimately, those who live righteously will inherit blessings both in this life and the next.
The Best for God
By Octavius Winslow0CommitmentOffering to GodPRO 3:9ECC 12:1MAL 1:14MAT 22:37LUK 6:38ROM 12:12CO 9:7COL 3:23JAS 1:171PE 4:10Octavius Winslow emphasizes the importance of offering our best to God, warning against the sin of deception in our vows and offerings. He challenges believers to examine their hearts and ensure they are not giving God the leftovers of their love, intellect, wealth, and time. Winslow reminds us that God deserves our first and best because He has given us His Son, Jesus Christ, as the ultimate sacrifice. The sermon calls for a genuine commitment to God, urging us to lay down our lives and resources for His glory. Ultimately, it is a call to honor God with the fullness of our being.
Xxviii. to Patrick Carsen
By Samuel Rutherford0ECC 12:1Samuel Rutherford urges the listener to surrender their youth and love to Christ, emphasizing the importance of seeking the Lord while in the prime of life. He warns of the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures and the certainty of death, highlighting the eternal consequences of our choices. Rutherford encourages dedicating one's soul and body to God's service, stressing the value of a good conscience and the favor of the Lord over worldly glory.
Letter 137.
By James Bourne0ECC 12:1James Bourne, in a letter to Mrs. Oakley in London, January 1838, shares about the challenges of managing a large family but finds strength in God's sufficiency and the power of prayer. He emphasizes the importance of seeking God in all circumstances, warning against neglecting to call upon Him. Bourne encourages continuous seeking of spiritual life to endure trials and to keep a repentant heart before God, trusting in His kindness and faithfulness.
On Public Diversions
By John Wesley0The Danger of DistractionsDivine WarningsPRO 1:7ECC 12:1AMO 3:6MAT 6:33ROM 12:2GAL 6:71TI 6:18HEB 12:29JAS 4:81PE 5:8John Wesley addresses the dangers of public diversions, emphasizing that every calamity serves as a warning from God to prompt repentance and reflection. He argues that all evils occur by God's permission and are meant to awaken people to their spiritual state, urging them to heed the divine trumpet of warning. Wesley highlights the need for a genuine fear of God, which should lead to a change in behavior and a rejection of distractions that draw people away from Him. He calls for a collective response to avoid sinful diversions and to support those affected by calamities, reinforcing the importance of living a life aligned with God's will.
Every Man Shall Be Rewarded for His Willing Service and for His Time
By Julian of Norwich0PSA 103:2ECC 12:1MAT 25:211CO 15:582CO 4:17PHP 3:14Julian of Norwich describes a vision where she sees God as a gracious host in Heaven, joyfully celebrating with His beloved servants and friends at a grand feast. She witnesses the immense gratitude and honor bestowed upon those who have served God willingly, surpassing any pain or suffering experienced on earth. Julian emphasizes the eternal rewards and recognition each soul will receive in Heaven based on their devoted service to God, with a special mention of the abundant blessings for those who offer their youth to God. She highlights the continuous joy and thanksgiving that will never end for those who wholeheartedly turn to God, inspiring a lifelong commitment to His service.
Redeem the Time
By Peter Hammond0PSA 90:12PRO 9:10ECC 12:1MAT 13:30MRK 1:15LUK 1:20ACT 24:252CO 6:2GAL 6:9EPH 5:15HEB 9:27Peter Hammond preaches on the importance of valuing time as a precious commodity, emphasizing that time is life itself and more valuable than money. He delves into the Biblical view of time using the Greek words Chronos, Kairos, and Eschatos, highlighting the significance of seizing decisive opportunities and understanding the times we live in. The sermon stresses the urgency of recognizing moments for repentance, not missing opportunities, and investing in eternity, urging believers to live in the light of eternity and prioritize their tasks wisely.
- Keil-Delitzsch
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
With Ecc 12:1 (where, inappropriately, a new chapter begins, instead of beginning with Ecc 11:9) the call takes a new course, resting its argument on the transitoriness of youth: "And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, ere the days of evil come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say: I have no pleasure in them." The plur. majest. בּוראיך = עשׂים as a designation of the Creator, Job 35:10; Isa 54:5; Psa 149:2; in so recent a book it cannot surprise us, since it is also not altogether foreign to the post-bibl. language. The expression is warranted, and the Midrash ingeniously interprets the combination of its letters. (Note: It finds these things expressed in it, partly directly and partly indirectly: remember בארך, thy fountain (origin); בורך, thy grave; and בוראיך, thy Creator. Thus, Jer. Sota ii. 3, and Midrash under Ecc 12:1.) Regarding the words 'ad asher lo, commonly used in the Mishna (e.g., Horajoth iii. 3; Nedarim x. 4), or 'ad shello (Targ. 'ad delo), antequam. The days of evil (viz., at least, first, of bodily evil, cf. κακία, Mat 6:34) are those of feeble, helpless old age, perceptibly marking the failure of bodily and mental strength; parallel to these are the years of which (asher, as at Ecc 1:10) one has to say: I have no pleasure in them (bahěm for bahěn, as at Ecc 2:6, mehěm for mehěn). These evil days, adverse years, are now described symptomatically, and that in an allegorical manner, for the "ere" of Ecc 12:1 is brought to a grand unfolding.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth,.... Or "Creators" (b); as "Makers", Job 35:10; for more than one were concerned, as in the creation of all things in general, so of man in particular, Gen 1:26; and these are neither more nor fewer than three; and are Father, Son, Spirit; the one God that has created men, Mal 2:10; the Father, who is the God of all flesh, and the Father of spirits; the former both of the bodies and souls of men, Jer 31:27; the Son, by whom all things are created; for he that is the Redeemer and husband of his church, which are characters and relations peculiar to the Son, is the Creator, Isa 43:1; and the Holy Spirit not only garnished the heavens, and moved upon the face of the waters, but is the Maker of men, and gives them life, Job 33:4. Now this God, Creator, should be "remembered" by young men; they should remember there is a God, which they are apt to be forgetful of; that this God is a God of great and glorious perfections, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, holy, just, and true; who judgeth in the earth, and will judge the world in righteousness, and them also; and that he is in Christ a God gracious, merciful, and pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin: they should remember him under this character, as a "Creator", who has made them, and not they themselves; that they are made by him out of the dust of the earth, and must return to it; that he has brought them into being, and preserved them in it, and favoured them with the blessings of his providence, which are all from him that has made them: and they should remember the end for which they are made, to glorify him; and in what state man was originally made, upright, pure, and holy; but that he now is a fallen creature, and such are they, impure and unrighteous, impotent and weak, abominable in the sight of God, unworthy to live, and unfit to die; being transgressors of the laws of their Creator, which is deserving of death: they should remember what God their Creators, Father, Son, and Spirit, must have done or must do for them, if ever they are saved; the Father must have chosen them in Christ unto salvation; must have given his Son to redeem, and must send his Spirit into their hearts to create them anew; the Son must have been surety for them, assumed their nature, and died in their room and stead; and the Spirit must regenerate and make them new creatures, enlighten their minds, quicken their souls, and sanctify their hearts: they should remember the right their Creator has over them, the obligations they are under to him, and their duty to him; they should remember, with thankfulness, the favours they have received from him, and, with reverence and humility, the distance between him, as Creator, and them as creatures: they should remember to love him cordially and sincerely; to fear him with a godly fear; to worship him in a spiritual manner; to set him always before them, and never forget him. And all this they should do "in the days their youth"; which are their best and choicest day in which to serve him is most desirable by him, acceptable to him; who ordered the first of the ripe fruits and creatures of the first year to be offered to him: and then are men best able to serve him, when their bodies are healthful, strong, and vigorous; their senses quick, and the powers and faculties of their souls capable of being improved and enlarged: and to delay the service of him to old age, as it would be very ungrateful and exceeding improper, so no man can be sure of arriving to it; and if he should, yet what follows is enough to determine against such a delay; while the evil days come not; meaning the days of old age; said to be evil, not with respect to the evil of fault or sin; so all days are evil, or sin is committed in every age, in infancy, in childhood, in youth, in manhood, as well as in old age: but with respect to the evil of affliction and trouble which attend it, as various diseases; yea, that itself is a disease, and an incurable one; much weakness of body, decay of intellects, and many other things, which render life very troublesome and uncomfortable (c), as well as unfit for religious services; nor the years draw nigh, when thou shall say, I have no pleasure in them; that is, corporeal pleasure; no sensual pleasure; sight, taste, and hearing, being lost, or in a great measure gone; which was Barzillai's case, at eighty years of age: though some ancient persons have their senses quick and vigorous, and scarce perceive any difference between youth and age; but such instances are not common: and there are also some things that ancient persons take pleasure in, as in fields and gardens, and the culture of them, as Cicero (d) observes; and particularly learned men take as much delight in their studies in old age as in youth, and in instructing others; and, as the same writer (e) says, "what is more pleasant than to see an old man, attended and encircled with youth, at their studies under him?'' and especially a good man, in old age, has pleasure in reflecting on a life spent in the ways, work, and worship of God; and in having had, through the grace of God, his conversation in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity; as also in present communion with God, and in the hopes and views of the glories of another world: but if not religious persons, they are strangers to spiritual pleasure, which only is to be had in wisdom's ways; such can neither look back with pleasure on a life spent in sin; nor forward with pleasure, at death and eternity, and into another world; see Sa2 19:35. (b) "Creatorum tuorum", Drusius, Gejerus, Rambachius; so Broughton. (c) Plautus in Aulular. Act. 1. Sc. 1. v. 4. Menaechm. Act. 5. Sc. 2. v. 6. calls old age, "mala aetas"; and the winter of old age, Trinummus, Act. 2. Sc. 3. v. 7. And Pindar, , Pyth. Ode 10. so Theognis, v. 272, 776, 1006. And Homer, Iliad. 10. v. 79. &. 23. v. 644. "Tristis senectus", Virgil. Aenid. 6. (d) De Seuectute, c. 14, 15. (e) Ibid. c. 8.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here is, I. A call to young people to think of God, and mind their duty to him, when they are young: Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. This is, 1. The royal preacher's application of his sermon concerning the vanity of the world and every thing in it. "You that are young flatter yourselves with expectations of great things from it, but believe those that have tried it; it yields no solid satisfaction to a soul; therefore, that you may not be deceived by this vanity, nor too much disturbed by it, remember your Creator, and so guard yourselves against the mischiefs that arise from the vanity of the creature." 2. It is the royal physician's antidote against the particular diseases of youth, the love of mirth, and the indulgence of sensual pleasures, the vanity which childhood and youth are subject to; to prevent and cure this, remember thy Creator. Here is, (1.) A great duty pressed upon us, to remember God as our creator, not only to remember that God is our Creator, that he made us and not we ourselves, and is therefore our rightful Lord and owner, but we must engage ourselves to him with the considerations which his being our Creator lay us under, and pay him the honour and duty which we owe him as our Creator. Remember thy Creators; the word is plural, as it is Job 35:10, Where is God my Makers? For God said, Let us make man, us, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (2.) The proper season for this duty - in the days of thy youth, the days of thy choice (so some), thy choice days, thy choosing days. "Begin in the beginning of thy days to remember him from whom thou hadst thy being, and go on according to that good beginning. Call him to mind when thou art young, and keep him in mind throughout all the days of thy youth, and never forget him. Guard thus against the temptations of youth, and thus improve the advantages of it." II. A reason to enforce this command: While the evil days come not, and the years of which thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them. 1. Do it quickly, (1.) "Before sickness and death come. Do it while thou livest, for it will be too late to do it when death has removed thee from this state of trial and probation to that of recompence and retribution." The days of sickness and death are the days of evil, terrible to nature, evil days indeed to those that have forgotten their Creator. These evil days will come sooner or later; as yet they come not, for God is long-suffering to us-ward, and gives us space to repent; the continuing of life is but the deferring of death, and, while life is continued and death deferred, it concerns us to prepare, and get the property of death altered, that we may die comfortably. (2.) Before old age comes, which, if death prevent not, will come, and they will be years of which we shall say, We have no pleasure in them, - when we shall not relish the delights of sense, as Barzillai (Sa2 19:35), - when we shall be loaded with bodily infirmities, old and blind, or old and lame, - when we shall be taken off from our usefulness, and our strength shall be labour and sorrow, - when we shall either have parted with our relations, and all our old friends, or be afflicted in them and see them weary of us, - when we shall feel ourselves die by inches. These years draw nigh, when all that comes will be vanity, the remaining months all months of vanity, and there will be no pleasure but in the reflection of a good life on earth and the expectation of a better life in heaven. 2. These two arguments he enlarges upon in the following verses, only inverting the order, and shows, (1.) How many are the calamities of old age, and that if we should live to be old, our days will be such as we shall have no pleasure in, which is a good reason why we should return to God, and make our peace with him, in the days of our youth, and not put it off till we come to be old; for it will be no thanks to us to leave the pleasures of sin when they have left us, nor to return to God when need forces us. It is the greatest absurdity and ingratitude imaginable to give the cream and flower of our days to the devil, and reserve the bran, and refuse, and dregs of them for God; this is offering the torn, and the lame, and the sick for sacrifice; and, besides, old age being thus clogged with infirmities, it is the greatest folly imaginable to put off that needful work till then, which requires the best of our strength, when our faculties are in their prime, and especially to make the work more difficult by a longer continuance in sin, and, laying up treasures of guilt in the conscience, to add to the burdens of age and make them much heavier. If the calamities of age will be such as are here represented, we shall have need of something to support and comfort us then, and nothing will be more effectual to do that than the testimony of our consciences for us that we begin betimes to remember our Creator and have not since laid aside the remembrance of him. How can we expect God should help us when we are old, if we will not serve him when we are young? See Psa 71:17, Psa 71:18. [1.] The decays and infirmities of old age are here elegantly described in figurative expressions, which have some difficulty in them to us now, who are not acquainted with the common phrases and metaphors used in Solomon's age and language; but the general scope is plain - to show how uncomfortable, generally, the days of old age are. First, Then the sun and the light of it, the moon and the stars, and the light which they borrow from it, will be darkened. They look dim to old people, in consequence of the decay of their sight; their countenance is clouded, and the beauty and lustre of it are eclipsed; their intellectual powers and faculties, which are as lights in the soul, are weakened; their understanding and memory fail them, and their apprehension is not so quick nor their fancy so lively as it has been; the days of their mirth are over (light is often put for joy and prosperity) and they have not the pleasure either of the converse of the day or the repose of the night, for both the sun and the moon are darkened to them. Secondly, Then the clouds return after the rain; as, when the weather is disposed to wet, no sooner has one cloud blown over than another succeeds it, so it is with old people, when they have got free from one pain or ailment, they are seized with another, so that their distempers are like a continual dropping in a very rainy day. The end of one trouble is, in this world, but the beginning of another, and deep calls unto deep. Old people are often afflicted with defluxions of rheum, like soaking rain, after which still more clouds return, feeding the humour, so that it is continually grievous, and therein the body, as it were, melts away. Thirdly, Then the keepers of the house tremble. The head, which is as the watch-tower, shakes, and the arms and hands, which are ready for the preservation of the body, shake too, and grow feeble, upon every sudden approach and attack of danger. That vigour of the animal spirits which used to be exerted for self-defence fails and cannot do its office; old people are easily dispirited and discouraged. Fourthly, Then the strong men shall bow themselves; the legs and thighs, which used to support the body, and bear its weight, bend, and cannot serve for travelling as they have done, but are soon tired. Old men that have been in their time strong men become weak and stoop for age, Zac 8:4. God takes no pleasure in the legs of a man (Psa 147:10), for their strength will soon fail; but in the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength; he has everlasting arms. Fifthly, Then the grinders cease because they are few; the teeth, with which we grind our meat and prepare it for concoction, cease to do their part, because they are few. They are rotted and broken, and perhaps have been drawn because they ached. Some old people have lost all their teeth, and others have but few left; and this infirmity is the more considerable because the meat, not being well chewed, for want of teeth, is not well digested, which has as much influence as any thing upon the other decays of age. Sixthly, Those that look out of the windows are darkened; the eyes wax dim, as Isaac's (Gen 27:1), and Ahijah's, Kg1 14:4. Moses was a rare instance of one who, when 120 years old, had good eye-sight, but ordinarily the sight decays in old people as soon as any thing, and it is a mercy to them that art helps nature with spectacles. We have need to improve our sight well while we have it, because the light of the eyes may be gone before the light of life. Seventhly, The doors are shut in the streets. Old people keep within doors, and care not for going abroad to entertainments. The lips, the doors of the mouth, are shut in eating, because the teeth are gone and the sound of the grinding with them is low, so that they have not that command of their meat in their mouths which they used to have; they cannot digest their meat, and therefore little grist is brought to the mill. Eightly, Old people rise up at the voice of the bird. They have no sound sleep as young people have, but a little thing disturbs them, even the chirping of a bird; they cannot rest for coughing, and therefore rise up at cock-crowing, as soon as any body is stirring; or they are apt to be jealous, and timorous, and full of care, which breaks their sleep and makes them rise early; or they are apt to be superstitious, and rise up as in a fright, at those voices of birds, as of ravens, or screech-owls, which soothsayers call ominous. Ninthly, With them all the daughters of music are brought low. They have neither voice nor ear, can neither sing themselves nor take any pleasure, as Solomon had done in the days of his youth, in singing men, and singing women, and musical instruments, Ecc 2:8. Old people grow hard of hearing, and unapt to distinguish sounds and voices. Tenthly, They are afraid of that which is high, afraid to go to the top of any high place, either because, for want of breath, they cannot reach it, or, their heads being giddy or their legs failing them, they dare not venture to it, or they frighten themselves with fancying that that which is high will fall upon them. Fear is in the way; they can neither ride nor walk with their former boldness, but are afraid of every thing that lies in their way, lest it throw them down. Eleventhly, The almond-tree flourishes. The old man's hair has grown white, so that his head looks like an almond-tree in the blossom. The almond-tree blossoms before any other tree, and therefore fitly shows what haste old age makes in seizing upon men; it prevents their expectations and comes faster upon them than they thought of. Gray hairs are here and there upon them, and they perceive it not. Twelfthly, The grasshopper is a burden and desire fails. Old men can bear nothing; the lightest thing sits heavily upon them, both on their bodies and on their minds, a little thing sinks and breaks them. Perhaps the grasshopper was some food that was looked upon to be very light of digestion (John Baptist's meat was locusts), but even that lies heavily upon an old man's stomach, and therefore desire fails, he has no appetite to his meat, neither shall he regard the desire of woman, as that king, Dan 11:37. Old men become mindless and listless, and the pleasures of sense are to them tasteless and sapless. [2.] It is probable that Solomon wrote this when he was himself old, and could speak feelingly of the infirmities of age, which perhaps grew the faster upon him for the indulgence he had given himself in sensual pleasures. Some old people bear up better than others under the decays of age, but, more or less, the days of old age are and will be evil days and of little pleasure. Great care therefore should be taken to pay respect and honour to old people, that they may have something to balance these grievances and nothing may be done to add to them. And all this, put together, makes up a good reason why we should remember our Creator in the days of our youth, that he may remember us with favour when these evil days come, and his comforts may delight our souls when the delights of sense are in a manner worn off. (2.) He shows how great a change death will make with us, which will be either the prevention or the period of the miseries of old age. Nothing else will keep them off, nor any thing else cure them. "Therefore remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, because death is certainly before thee, perhaps it is very near thee, and it is a serious thing to die, and thou shouldst feel concerned with the utmost care and diligence to prepare for it." [1.] Death will fix us in an unchangeable state: Man shall then go to his long home, and all these infirmities and decays of age are harbingers of and advances towards that awful remove. At death man goes from this world and all the employments and enjoyments of it. He has gone for good and all, as to his present state. He has gone home, for here he was a stranger and pilgrim; both soul and body go to the place whence they came, Ecc 12:7. He has gone to his rest, to the place where he is to fix. He has gone to his home, to the house of his world (so some), for this world is not his. He has gone to his long home, for the days of his lying in the grave will be many. He has gone to his house of eternity, not only to his house whence he shall never return to this world, but to the house where he must be for ever. This should make us willing to die, that, at death, we must go home; and why should we not long to go to our Father's house? And this should quicken us to get ready to die, that we must then go to our long home, to an everlasting habitation. [2.] Death will be an occasion of sorrow to our friends that love us. When man goes to his long home the mourners go about the streets - the real mourners, and those, as now with us, distinguished by their habits as they go along the streets, - the mourners for ceremony, that were hired to weep for the dead, both to express and to excite the real mourning. When we die we not only remove to a melancholy house before us, but we leave a melancholy house behind us. Tears are a tribute due to the dead, and this, among other circumstances, makes it a serious thing to die. But in vain do we go to the house of mourning, and see the mourners go about the streets, if it do not help to make us serious and pious mourners in the closet. [3.] Death will dissolve the frame of nature and take down the earthly house of this tabernacle, which is elegantly described, Ecc 12:6. Then shall the silver cord, by which soul and body were wonderfully fastened together, be loosed, that sacred knot untied, and those old friends be forced to part; then shall the golden bowl, which held the waters of life for us, be broken; then shall the pitcher with which we used to fetch up water, for the constant support of life and the repair of its decays, be broken, even at the fountain, so that it can fetch up no more; and the wheel (all those organs that serve for the collecting and distributing of nourishment) shall be broken, and disabled to do their office any more. The body shall become like a watch when the spring is broken, the motion of all the wheels is stopped and they all stand still; the machine is taken to pieces; the heart beats no more, nor does the blood circulate. Some apply this to the ornaments and utensils of life; rich people must, at death, leave behind them their clothing and furniture of silver and gold, and poor people their earthen pitchers, and the drawers of water will have their wheel broken. [4.] Death will resolve us into our first principles, Ecc 12:7. Man is a strange sort of creature, a ray of heaven united to a clod of earth; at death these are separated, and each goes to the place whence it came. First, The body, that clod of clay, returns to its own earth. It is made of the earth; Adam's body was so, and we are of the same mould; it is a house of clay. At death it is laid in the earth, and in a little time will be resolved into earth, not to be distinguished from common earth, according to the sentence (Gen 3:19), Dust thou art and therefore to dust thou shalt return. Let us not therefore indulge the appetites of the body, nor pamper it (it will be worms' meat shortly), nor let sin reign in our mortal bodies, for they are mortal, Rom 6:12. Secondly, The soul, that beam of light, returns to that God who, when he made man of the dust of the ground, breathed into him the breath of life, to make him a living soul (Gen 2:7), and forms the spirit of every man within him. When the fire consumes the wood the flame ascends, and the ashes return to the earth out of which the wood grew. The soul does not die with the body; it is redeemed from the power of the grave (Psa 49:15); it can subsist without it and will in a state of separation from it, as the candle burns, and burns brighter, when it is taken out of the dark lantern. It removes to the world of spirits, to which it is allied. It goes to God as a Judge, to give account of itself, and to be lodged either with the spirits in prison (Pe1 3:19) or with the spirits in paradise (Luk 23:43), according to what was done in the body. This makes death terrible to the wicked, whose souls go to God as an avenger, and comfortable to the godly, whose souls go to God as a Father, into whose hands they cheerfully commit them, through a Mediator, out of whom sinners may justly dread to think of going to God.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
12:1-7 This beautiful prose poem, which uses many metaphors in Hebrew, describes the torturous deterioration of aging (in continuation of 11:7-10). 12:1-2 Don’t . . . forget your Creator: Reverence for God can give wisdom (Prov 1:7) and guidance as to what will be beneficial in this life and pleasing to God at the judgment (Eccl 12:13-14). It is better to remember God when young, when wisdom can make a real difference in life’s results.