+ Remember your creator

Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14

Key Verse 12:1

This passage teaches us that everything we do or don't do has an outcome, so that we must live our life (especially the day of our youth) with the Day of Judgment in mind. 

1. In Ecclesiastes 11:7-8, light is contrasted with darkness. What does "light" or "darkness" signify in the Bible (John 1:4; 9:4)? We are exhorted to remember the days of darkness, for they will be "many". The word "many" indicates that the days of "light" may be small in number. What can we learn here about the way to live our life here on earth? (Psalm 90:12) 

** Light probably refers to life, and darkness refers to life after death. 

** The lesson for us to remember would probably be the shortness of the days of our life here on earth, so that as Jesus said in John 9:4, we would use every flying minute in doing the work the Lord God sent us to do. 

2. Verse. 9 is addressed to a "young" man and the command "follow" also stands in contrast with the command "know". What does the Bible say about the judgment to come? (12:14; 2Co 5:10; Rev 20:10-12) What does this passage teach us about the way to live the days of one's youth (8)? 

** It is like a final exam coming for a student who, after his going through the days of school instruction, must sit for the exam, so that the instructor would rate his performance, either A, B, C or even F. 

** V. 8 indicates two things are needed: first, we must not be anxious about anything (but rather live by faith in Him); and second we must keep the trouble (i.e., evil desires [of youth]) out of our body, so that we would run the race without being tangled up in our sinful desires. 

 

3. The word "before" is repeated in 12:1-8. Why it is necessary for one to remember one’s Creator "beforehand"? What does remembering one's Creator do for him? (Isaiah 46:10)

** We can find an answer to this question in the word "beforehand", that is, "before it’s too late". Our lifetime here on earth is the time for us to make preparations for the eternity to come. So beforehand means before the time to prepare ourselves runs out. The reason for this admonition, then, is to exhort us not to play around out there too much, but rather to do our homework first and then play. This is particularly true during vacation seasons such as summer.

** It helps us to know the purpose of our life, for it is the Creator God who knows the purpose of our life the best. Read Romans 12:1-21. 

4. The "one Shepherd" in v. 11 refers to God the Father. What does the title "shepherd" indicate about the way the Lord God leads his children? (Psalm 23)

** Maybe two things: 1) He is not only a judge but also a guide, guiding us to the right paths of life, so we would not go astray, and when we do go astray, he comes to look for us. 2) He is not a dictator or an authoritarian who forces obedience. Rather he talks to us, so we would listen to him and obey him voluntarily. 

5. The word "duty" in v. 13 and the word "judgment" in v. 14 sounds burdensome. Yet what does the Bible say about their necessity? (Genesis 2:9, 15; Matthew 16:27)

** 1) Duty is necessary as it gives us the opportunity to participate in God's work of creation. Genesis 2:9, 15

2) Judgment is designed to reward us for what we do. In order for reward to become possible, the concept of punishment also is necessary. 

The end