12th Study: Ecclesiastes 12:1-14

Well, we have reached the final chapter of Ecclesiastes and the last edition of this online Bible study.  I want to thank all of those who have read each entry as they were posted or read some of the entries, and even those of you who are reading this online Bible study for the first time.

I hope you (as I did)  have learned something new or different from the most misunderstood book in the Bible.

The first eight verses of Chapter Twelve start with Solomon writing a poem and going over a life from youth to old age and realizing the death awaits us all and we should always remember the Creator throughout every stage of our life.

Pastor Meyers writes this:

Be joyful, but also be godly. Solomon returns in 12:1-8 to the name that he has used to describe God in this book–the Creator or Maker of all things. This Creator, remember, is the one who, according to Chapter 3, has made everything fitting in its time. He sets the pattern of our existence as a whole. He will call the past to account (3:15). Specifically, the creator is the one who has given you life and every good thing. {pp. 209}

Solomon is imploring to always remember God in every stage of our lives and to enjoy the gifts he has given and enjoy pleasure as well.  Again, God wants to enjoy life because it can end suddenly.

About a week or so ago, I found out a friend in my Sunday School class was killed on the highway in a car accident.  The car that hit my friend was driving the wrong way and my friend decided to turn his car towards the oncoming car so the passenger side would not have to take the brunt of the impact.

My friend was only 31.

Life is but a vapor (hebel) and a person can be here today and gone tomorrow.  That’s why I believe Solomon understood by the end of Ecclesiastes that he was writing a book about faith as well as wisdom.  And we should take heed to look at Ecclesiastes as a book of faith also.

The last five verses of Chapter Twelve covers Solomon’s carefulness with words and while words of wisdom are important the main thing is to fear God and keep his commandments.

Pastor Meyers writes this:

With these final words Solomon reaches the pinnacle of believing wisdom. These are truly words of faith. Solomon had learned, as we all must, that he was not in control. {pp 216}

Hmmm…the wisest man to have ever lived realize ultimately he was not in control.  God is.

Here are a couple of questions to think about from this week’s study:

1) Have you changed your opinion about the book of Ecclesiastes?  Do you see it as a book of faith as well as book of wisdom? 

If so, why?  And if not, why?

2) As Christians, how can truly begin to enjoy the gifts God gave us and appreciate the fact that we can have a life with pleasure included?