Wisdom From Ecclesiastes: Youth and Age I. Base Text: Ecclesiastes 11:8-12:7 II. Context A. Ecclesiastes 1:1: the words of the Preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem 1. The same, we are told, wrote many proverbs (Ecclesiastes 12:9) 2. Thus Ecclesiastes is a "sermon" of sorts by the Preacher, directly associated with King Solomon (1 Kings 4:32, Proverbs 1:1) B. All is vain, there is nothing new under the sun, all is forgotten, knowing wisdom, folly, madness as striving after wind (Ecclesiastes 2:1-18) C. The Preacher experienced pleasure and labor to the utmost: all vanity, striving after wind, does not last but goes to another; best to enjoy one’s work (Ecclesiastes 2:1-26) D. A time for all sorts of things, God understands the value of things more than mankind, wickedness and righteousness everywhere, yet all, like animals, will die (Ecclesiastes 3:1-22) E. Oppressor and oppressed both die; people seek wealth even without descendants to obtain it; two are better than one; better to be wise than foolish yet all are forgotten (Ecclesiastes 4:1-16) F. God to be feared and respected; the lover of money is never satisfied; man cannot take anything with him, best to enjoy life and labor and all he has while he has it (Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:12) G. Maintaining recognition of one’s mortality a benefit; wisdom has value yet in balance; wisdom has its limitations; man has corrupted what God made straight (Ecclesiastes 7:1-29) H. Fear and honor the king; bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people; such is vanity; the Preacher commends joy; man not able to understand all things under the sun (Ecclesiastes 8:1-17) I. All will die; thus enjoy life, do what you do well; time and chance happen to all; wisdom is good but its practitioners forgettable (Ecclesiastes 9:1-18) J. Folly destructive; social order has value; land does well when properly ruled, governed, and where rule is respected (Ecclesiastes 10:1-20) K. Benevolence is good; one must not just observe but also do; do what you can, for you will not know beforehand what will prosper and what will not; enjoy the light of life (Ecclesiastes 11:1-7) L. As the Preacher concludes his message he turns to the arc of life, youth and age (Ecclesiastes 11:8-12:7) III. Meaning A. The Preacher transitions from enjoying the light of the sun to enjoying all of life, recognizing that even if one lives a long time it is shorter than the day of darkness, and it is all vanity, a breath (Ecclesiastes 11:8) B. Youth (Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1) 1. The Preacher commends enjoying life to young people, to follow their eyes and heart, but know that God will bring all under judgment (Ecclesiastes 11:9) 2. Thus the young are to remove sorrow from their heart, and either pain from body (as ESV) or evil from flesh (as ASV), since youth and the beginning of life is vanity (Ecclesiastes 11:10) 3. Yet young people do well to remember their Creator before the difficult days come; invincibility is a delusion (Ecclesiastes 12:1) C. Age (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7) 1. The Preacher then vividly describes the process of decay and degeneration of bodily functions in the aging process 2. He calls them “evil days”, the time in which a person takes no more pleasure in life because it has become burdensome (Ecclesiastes 12:1) 3. All the lights of the universe are darkened; one cannot see light as strongly as before, and/or does not leave house as much (Ecclesiastes 12:2) 4. Clouds come after the rain: a pallor hangs over life, dampening joy (Ecclesiastes 12:2) 5. The house keepers tremble (weak and unsteady arms), strong men bow themselves (weak and frail legs), grinders become few and cease (teeth), those look out darkened (eyes); doors shut in street (withdrawal/less talking?), grinding, music dampened (loss of hearing), and rise up at bird’s voice (confusion/jitters; Ecclesiastes 12:3-4) 6. Fear of what is high and terrors in the way (greater fear, apprehension, less confidence); almond tree blossoms (white hair); grasshopper is a burden (weakness and everything thus being heavier); desire fails; all this takes place as life begins to end but before the end (Ecclesiastes 12:5) 7. Death is described as man going to his everlasting home, the mourners in the streets, silver cord loosed, golden bowl broken, wheel broken at cistern, dust returning to its source, as does the spirit to its Maker (Ecclesiastes 12:5-7) D. The Preacher then ends as he begins: vanity of vanities; all is vanity (Ecclesiastes 12:8)! IV. Application A. Youth 1. In a world of binary expectations for youth we desperately need the Preacher’s wisdom! 2. The joys, virility, and aesthetics of youth are idolized in culture 3. We are seeing the extension of youth, “extended adolescence”; what was once expected at 16-18 is now expected at 25-30 4. It seems as if many in culture have fully absorbed the Preacher’s exhortation to enjoy life while young: youth are expected to behave irrationally, dangerously, and licentiously, and “adults” secretly or not-so-secretly yearn for those days of “freedom” and “fun” 5. Yet we must consider the other element of the Preacher’s wisdom: the need to remember one’s Creator in the days of youth, recognizing all behavior will come under judgment 6. In terms of behavior “under the sun” the perception of invincibility has led to destructive behavior; one person’s “freedom” and “fun” consigns another to a lifelong prison of pain, suffering, and doubt (e.g. sex and its consequences, abuse, etc.) 7. Life is to be enjoyed but not in a licentious carnal way; the strength, vigor, boldness, etc. of youth ought to be enjoyed and appreciated for what it is, but always in the recognition of its limitations, subject to the Creator and liable to judgment 8. Youth is vanity: a breath, a vapor, gone very quickly, and despite the billions of dollars spent to arrest its departure, impossible to maintain 9. Those in the flower of youth therefore should enjoy the perks of youth but to do so fully aware that pleasure is vain, youth is vain, there is a God, He is to be served, and they will be called into account for all they do! B. Age 1. The Preacher evocatively describes the progression of degeneration in the aging process 2. No one enjoys the physical limitations which come from age, the loss of desire and enjoyment; this is especially so according to the Preacher’s view since said joy is what we humans have been given under the sun (Ecclesiastes 8:15, etc.) 3. The Preacher describes the situation realistically and from the point of view of the one getting old: things sound less strong, things do not work as well 4. Yet even then people ought to rejoice that they have life and try to find ways to enjoy it despite physical limitations (cf. Ecclesiastes 11:8) 5. But is the Preacher really talking to those who are in advanced age? 6. It is expected that those with age have gained some understanding and wisdom (Job 12:12, Psalm 119:100); if they have not yet done so they will soon learn the limitations and handicaps that come with older age 7. Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 is framed as an exhortation to youth: this is what is coming! 8. All the strength and vigor of youth in all its forms will degrade and fail; we are dust, and to dust we shall return 9. That is why we must remember our Creator in the days of our youth, to live wisely yet with joy 10. It is easy to think one can “put off” God, Jesus, religion, faithfulness, etc., thinking that one will have time later to explore such efforts 11. That is dangerous thinking, for we do not know what tomorrow will bring (cf. Ecclesiastes 8:7, James 4:13-14) 12. You may die tomorrow; the future may not be as bright as you imagine, for perhaps today is better than tomorrow; such is why we must remember our Creator now and serve Him now! C. Such is the end of the matter! V. Conclusion A. We have considered the Preacher’s wisdom about youth and age B. Youth is a gift to be enjoyed, but it does not last; it is another vanity! C. Youth ought to have fun but recognize that judgment is coming and they do well to live in light of the Creator D. The day will come when we will return to the dust E. Yet that is not the end: in Christ we have the promise of the day of resurrection, the day on which that dust is raised and transformed for immortality and incorruptibility (1 Corinthians 15:1-58)! F. Let us remember our Creator, enjoy what He has given us to enjoy, and live so as to obtain the resurrection of life! G. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity (Ecclesiastes 11:8). The gift of life is easily taken for granted; the young feel invincible and the aged find it burdensome. Nevertheless we do well to heed the Preacher’s wisdom and rejoice throughout the life God gives us, whether short or long! 2: Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment (Ecclesiastes 11:9). Youth has its benefits; the young should enjoy them. Yet immature “fun” has consequences, and all will be held accountable before God. Let the youth enjoy their strength but do so reverently! 3: Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, “I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Life is short; life is unpredictable. If we are granted the opportunity to grow old we will experience decay and degradation in our bodily functions. Such is why we must remember God our Creator when we have strength so as to serve Him fully! 4: And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Death, the great leveler: all are dust, and all will return to dust. All will experience death. The Preacher sees futility and absurdity “under the sun”; in Christ we have the hope of resurrection, the rising and transforming of that dust into incorruption and immortality, no longer futile, no longer absurd. Let us recognize the wisdom of the Preacher for life under the sun yet put our hope in Christ and His resurrection!