And so, we arrive at the last chapter of Ecclesiastes, hopefully a little wiser concerning life in general. Like Qoheleth himself, we may have had our ups and downs as we have worked through this challenging book, but we have arrived and now can’t wait for the final conclusion, although, sorry, not quite yet. That comes in my next Post. Firstly, Qoheleth just needs to stress again why it is so important for us to take his advice from last time, i.e., to Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come… And the reasons he gives are by giving a very poetical but sadly, realistic view of what happens eventually in our lives if we live into our older age. And by then, it may be just a little too late to really make the most of the good life that God desires for us to live in His presence and into eternity.
Consider then the following, which the NIV Study Bible calls “A graphic description of man’s [and woman’s] progressive deterioration; an allegory of aging”, comparing two versions (a translation and a paraphrase) of the same passage:
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; (NIV)
“Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes,
Before your vision dims and the world blurs
And the winter years keep you close to the fire.” (Message)
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;
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;
5 when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
and mourners go about the streets. (NIV)
“In old age, your body no longer serves you so well.
Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen.
The shades are pulled down on the world.
You can’t come and go at will. Things grind to a halt.
The hum of the household fades away.
You are wakened now by bird-song.
Hikes to the mountains are a thing of the past.
Even a stroll down the road has its terrors.
Your hair turns apple-blossom white,
Adorning a fragile and impotent matchstick body.
Yes, you’re well on your way to eternal rest,
While your friends make plans for your funeral.” (Message)
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. (NIV)
“Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over.
Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends.
The body is put back in the same ground it came from.
The spirit returns to God, who first breathed it.” (Message)
I think you might agree that this is not very pleasant reading, and no wonder people (usually unsuccessfully) spend so much time and money trying to prevent (or at least slow down) aging. But the reality is just as Qoheleth has described here and we need to face this truth and therefore remember our Creator and commit our lives to him, before the dust [our bodies] returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Now, the good news is that as true as Qohelth’s description of aging may be, in reality his last words on this subject are actually NOT true. He says:
8 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”
Jesus actually has had the last word and in a right relationship with him, we are able to enjoy the rich life that God has gifted to us, both in our youth and all the way to our old age. Jesus said:
I came that they [you and me] may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (John 10:10b Amplified Bible)
And the grave is not the end of the story either. Again, the words of Jesus to Martha after her brother, Lazarus had died:
I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 1:25-26)
Hopefully, whatever your age, this is also what you believe rather than Qoheleth’s conclusion.
Let me finish with the words of Paul to the Ephesians:
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
