Ecclesiastes 12:5-8 says,...Bible reading week 14, day 3

Today's verses are Ecclesiastes 12:5-8, which read,

v.5 - Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective.  For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street.

Solomon is giving us some more word pictures of someone getting older.  We are less likely to climb that ladder and let the young buck do it.  We drive a little slower and don't go as far from home as we used to.  The almond tree blossoms are very white against the very dark bark so our hair is getting white on top.  The grasshopper has lost his spring and we sometimes talk about how tired we are that we are dragging our behinds.  The caperberry you will need to look up for yourself of what it is known for but it isn't working like it used to either.  The Jewish funerals always had flutes and mourners so they are assembling for this inevitable event in our lives.  

v.6 - Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed;...

 Solomon continues on with word pictures that were used to signify the end of life.  An oil lamp, which is basically a bowl with a wick in it is hung from the ceiling but the cord has broken that has held it there for so long.  This is one of the descriptions of what is going on here.  The pitcher by the well is shattered because the wheel used many times to lower the vessel into the well has failed and therefore it has broken against the side and now is useless.  These things that have been so useful all these years now have become broken and so our lives that have been so vital to those around us are failing to fulfill all our responsibilities.  Solomon starts these word pictures with the words, "remember Him" just like he told the young in verse 1 to remember their Creator.  Whether we are young or old, we need to remember our God.

v.7 - ...then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

This is a great reference back to creation in the book of Genesis.  Genesis 2:7 says,

Then the LORD God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

Genesis 3:19 says,

You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it.  For you are dust, and you will return to dust.

We were created from the dust and we return to the dust but God breathed in us our spirit which lives on either with Him or away from Him.  Those who fear Him and follow His wisdom which Solomon has been preaching in this book and the book of Proverbs would experience this verse as written.  

v.8 - "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "all is vanity!"

We are winding down as Solomon, the Preacher, comes back to this common theme of this book.  Rev. John MacArthur gives this insight on this passage:

"The gloomy picture of old age does not negate the truth that old age can be blessed for the godly, but it does remind the young that they will not have the ability to enjoy that blessing of a godly old age and a life of strong service to God if they do not remember their Creator while young."

The point here is to remember God and observe all about Him, the younger the better.  Instead of waiting until later to get serious about God, take ahold of Him now so that the life that you have can be a blessing for Him as long as you have.  Even though we all end with this futile death of cords breaking, bowls crushed, pitchers shattered and wheels inoperable, our spirits will return to Him.  We are shaking a little more, getting more white on top, dragging our behinds, and losing our zip but even then we remember Him as we did in our youth.  Let's make sure to tell the youth of our day about this great God.  Let us pray.

"Lord, help us as we grow old.  When things start wearing out, help us to remember that this life was given to us by You and the spirit You have given us will return to You as You have promised to those who call upon Your name.  May we make an effort to share with our youth the joy of following after You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam