Ecclesiastes 12:9-14

For Reading and Meditation:     Proverbs 8:1-21

We are taught over and over again in Scripture that because God is uniquely and awesomely holy - pure, separated, and shining in His moral majesty - we are to draw near to Him with godly reverence and fear. The fear of the Lord (we said the other day) is the beginning of wisdom. Contemplation of His character,...

For Reading and Meditation:     Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Today our exploration of Ecclesiastes comes to an end. We have traveled with Solomon over many roads, and have listened to a wide variety of reflections. The world does not have the resources to meet the needs of the soul, he has been saying, and any attempt to try to find meaning in life apart from God is...

For Reading and Meditation:     Ecclesiastes 12:12

Solomon seems to have held off counseling his son until now. First, he counsels his son not to put too much trust in words or books that go beyond the Scriptures. I think Moffatt best captures the thought of Solomon in his translation of this verse: "My son, avoid anything beyond the scriptures of wisdom; there is no...

For Reading and Meditation:     Ecclesiastes 12:11

Living as he did in an agricultural community, it is easy to see why Solomon likens words to goads. A goad is a long stick with an iron point that is jabbed against the tough hindquarters of an animal to make it increase its speed. Words motivate and urge us to action. The New Living translation used a different...

For Reading and Meditation:     Ecclesiastes 12:9-10

In these last few verses Solomon moves into a brief autobiographical section. These are a wise man's studied reflections and conclusions. The Preacher tells us what a preacher should be like. There are five characteristics. First and foremost a preacher should be wise. He gets this wisdom not from his years, but...