Again Remember
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On first reading this sounds like very ungodly advise doesn’t it.
Ecclesiastes 11:9 (NIV 2011)
9 You who are young, be happy while you are young,
and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
Young people - go enjoy whatever your heart and eyes desire!
It’s a great verse for the young man or woman’s fridge door isn’t it!
If you love supporting football, go watch that rather than come to church on a Sunday.
If you like the look of your boy or girlfriend - go sleep with them - enjoy yourself.
If your heart desires drugs or alcohol - go knock yourself out - literally - enjoy yourself.
If you’re a little older but still young,
iand are finding your spouce hard - go find a better one,
or seek satisfaction somewhere else.
If you want to play golf every Saturday rather than spend time with your family go do that.,
If you prefer reading novels do that rather than the bible.,
If you want a career and your children are too much effort or in convince - then go for it - forget about them.
It’s all about you. ~Follow what brings what heart or eyes joy!
Doesn’t sound like what you would normally hear in the bible!
But this statement is also seems contradictory to the end of the same verse!
Ecclesiastes 11:9 (NIV 2011)
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment.
Go enjoy it all but know you’ll get judged.
It’s going to be our first point -
1 - Remember the Judge
But what’s this verse mean.
Maybe then the start of the verse is irony.
Do this and you’ll get in big trouble - so actually don’t.
It seems unlikely - I love some irony and there is plenty of it in the Bible, but the teacher of Ecleisiaties never seems to use it.
So how should we interpret this verse?
Well this why - as always when we read our bibles - context is everything.
You’ll might remember the man who forgot context is important when reading the bible.
He opened his bible randomly for guidance and read
Matthew 27:5 NIV 2011
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
ok - odd he thinks, not sure what to do with that
flick some more…
Luke 10:37 (NIV 2011)
Jesus says ‘Go and do likewise.’
There are 3 types of context to think about when we read our bibles,
1 - cultural context - what would have these words meant to the original readers In their culture
2 - Authors Context - In other words, what has the author already said about these things
3 - Bible Context (or Big Picture Context) - how does what is said here fit into the big picture of the bible. or what does the bible more generally say about these things That helps clarify the issue.
It’s hard to know the cultural context here - but what we do know is that we have to be carful of assuming that they would also think this just means - young people go nuts!
BUt the second type of context - The context of the author does help us know what he means though.,.
So
“let your heart give you joy” is almost exactly the same original phrase as 7v3 “is good for the heart” and the context there is calling us to adopt a serious attitude to life - that is good for the heart,
And
“whatever your eyes see” reminds us of 6:9 (“what the eye sees”), in the midst of a passage reminding us that we should rest content with what lies before us rather than wandering off in search of more.
In other words it is not all out - do whatever you want - the kind of ‘you only live once’ attitude that has people selfishly seeking whatever they can and want from life for themselves.,
It is not foolish behavior the teacher advocates here, but life lived out joyfully in the world God has made and governs.
What is good for our hearts is to take life seriously enough to see that we don’t waste it in foolish living.
And what should please our eyes is to find joy and contentment in the life and situation we find ourselves in rather than always looking for something different or better.
Be content with the family God has placed you in,
Work hard at school or your job for God has put you there for now.,
Enjoy your wife or husband if you are married - don’t juts ‘tolerate them’ to quote Tim Guest from chapter 9v9.
Find joy in your local church family where the bible is taught rather than being discontent..
What is good for our hearts and eyes is - in short - to enjoy being Godly.
Live this life in contentment and joy - not seeking perfection in every situation, not seeking salvation from any worldly success or achievements.
Remeber he says…
God will judge us for all these things - so do it His way.
Nothing else will be good for your heart or eyes.
SO,
Why is this only for the young?
Well I don’t think it is.
His point is more profound..
I think it’s more to do with reversing the usual way we think in life.
We’ve all probably heard people say - oh I’ll think about God when I’m older - for now I’m just going to enjoy myself!
But there is the irony If we’re looking for some.
They - and if that’s you - are not going to enjoy themselevs.!
You’re going to worry about everything! Am I going to pass my exams, am I going to get a good education, will i choose the right career, will I find a spouse, will I earn enough money, will i ever get that cool car I want, will I, Will I, will I ever find meaning in life!
No.
Without God - you’;ll worry and fret about all those things - and then you’ll be judged by God for them!
How much better to remember God the judge - the one who’s ways are good for your heart and pleasing to your eyes.
Ecclesiastes 11:10 NIV 2011
10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart
and cast off the troubles of your body,
for youth and vigour are meaningless.
Cast off your anxiety and worries - the one who lives only with God as their Lord finds contentment and peace in each day as it comes - without worry or fear about what the future holds!
- our only concern need be that he will one day judge! remember that !
- stop living for this world and pleasing your body and all the trouble that brings - youth and vigour are meaningless.
Remember the Judge.
Those ignoring God while young because they want to ‘enjoy’ life In their youth - well it’s meaningless!
You’ll just worry and fret - and find nothing - you only need look at some statistics to know that the young are more stressed than they have ever been - more medicated, more confused, more miserable!
But not so for the one who casts all that on the Lord Jesus,
Who remembers that God is judge - we know that what brings joy to our heart and eyes is godliness! Living for and remebering Him
Choose godliness when you are young - don’t put it off.
Rememeber the Lord your God.
remeber your creator God - our judge.
Then you will find joy for your heart and eyes as you live a godly livfe for Him.
Don’t wait..
But the teacher now seems to insist - not only is it better - but if you don’t remember God you judge now - well you simply might run out of time…
Ecclesiastes 12:1–2 NIV 2011
Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
‘I find no pleasure in them’—
2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
2 - Remember the Returning Creator
It’s hard to know if the teacher here is speaking of remembering God the Creator before we get too old and death catches up with us, or if he’s speaking about the end of times when he will return to judge,.
I previously thought it was about death, but in light of his focus on judgement and exact words he uses - I’m actually more pusueded it’s abou the return of the Lord God - our creator.
Either way - the point it similar - remeber the returning creator before it’s too late!
Our own death is certainly in view when we get to v6-7 I think.
Ecclesiastes 12:6–7 NIV 2011
6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
It’s poetic picture of something that seemed so precious and wonderful (life) but just needs one little silver link to fail and the golden bowl comes smashing to the ground.
From dust we came - and to dust we return.
Just as before the Creator created mankind - when we were literally just dust - to dust we will return
life, your life - is meaningless on our own. IN fact worse than meaningless -it will be judged by God.
So don’t ignore him - Rememebr Him now before it’s too late!
What a terrible day it will be when Jesus returns for those who have waited too long…
Remmeber…
Ecclesiastes 12:2 NIV 2011
2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
It sounds so much like the OT prophesies about the end of time when the saviour will return.
Ezekiel 32:7–8 NIV 2011
7 When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens
and darken their stars;
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
and the moon will not give its light.
8 All the shining lights in the heavens
I will darken over you;
I will bring darkness over your land,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
Remeber the Lord - you don’t want that day to bring fear - but hope.
That day will catch us all - no-one can escape it..
Ecclesiastes 12:3 NIV 2011
3 when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
The male servants (as implied by the original text) of the large house - they will tremble
The Male Lords -the strong ones - they will stoop
Ecclesiastes 12:4 NIV 2011
4 when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;
The female servants grinding grain - they will fade
The Ladies of importance who sing like the birds (which is a more literal translation) - they will grow faint.
In other words - male and female - important or slaves - all will fear that day,
The ESV translates v5
Ecclesiastes 12:5 ESV
they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—
The things that come above - the return of the Lord in thunder and cloud will bring fear - terror is in our way.
The almond trees blossoms implies there should be food to eat -but the grasshopper - the locust is so full it drags itself along.
It’s a picture of our desire on that day, but the harvest is ruined - no comfort will come.
Mankind is going to their eternal home - it will be a day of mourning And terror.
SO - remember Him! He says again at the beginning of v6.
Remeber him now - while you’re still young - before the end comes - before death catches you up one way or another.
REmeber HIm! - the creator will return.
Otherwise.
Ecclesiastes 12:8 NIV 2011
8 ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher.
‘Everything is meaningless!’
Remeber Him.
Friends -
we know the temptations of the world - we know they are even more tempting while we’re young - and most of us here are still young in one way or another relatively,
I know the sports or hobbies or the world cup might clash with church
I know your career dreams might clash with your time to parent and raise your children to know the lord,
young people -I know the future might be both daunting - but don’t let any of these things get in the way of remembering the Lord who will judge and who will return in terror and might.
Think how powerful our witness and conversations wil be with out friends and colleagues when we turn down a golf trip, or a football match - because we explain the Lord God captivates our heart and eyes more than such things.
When we don’t have that one more drink, or choose not to indulge in gossip - because we explain - we remeber the Lord who will judge - and yet holds out the offer of forgiveness and grace.
remeber Him with me, join me on Sunday at church. Come to our carol services and find joy with me this year.
In Revelation we get a glimpse of a letter to a church in Sardis from Jesus himself.
and he has exactly this message from this passage in Ecclieatsies
Revelation 3:3 NIV 2011
3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
Hold fast to the gospel. The truth. repent for the times you’ve not lived for what is godly and right.
Don;t delay, don’t forget, for Jesus will come back like a their in the night - and we do not what to be found sleeping.
For those of us who strive to live like this - let God’s ways be the joy of your heart and eyes.
And share this hope with the hopeless.
We have a future that has eternal meaning for Jesus give us life, pays for our sin by his death - he takes our meaninglessness and transforms us to be heirs of the Loving God - judge and creator.
It is exactly what the Lord’s Supper is Which we’re about to share does.
This is not a meal to be taken lightly.
This is our remembrance of th Lord Jesus -the Gospel. It is our joy that we now live for him and a reminder of the judgement to come - and that we have been spared from it because Jesus took death upon himself.
And it is a reminder that he will come again.
In this season of Advent - we look forward both to celebrating the first coming of Jesus - God became man,
And we also look forward to his second coming - where he will bring all injustice and our evil to an end.
We cannot take this meal lightly - as if it’s a little bit of magic that makes everything alright and then back to our anxious striving lives for self,
No we are delivered frEly from that.
It is time to live at every step for Jesus, choose what is actually good for our hearts and eyes.
Remeber our Judge and our Creator - and celebrate this meal together in remeberance of our Saviour.
Pray