Ecclesiastes 12:1 says, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;  In contrast to the last two verses of chapter eleven, here Solomon offers advice instead of sarcasm to those who are young.  When is the best time to remember God, to look to the Creator instead of to the ways of the world?  From our youth on.  Some people say that when they are older they might follow God, but while they are young they don't want to miss out on the fun. We must remember what Solomon had just concluded about all the things the world chases after in the pursuit of happiness.  It all amounts to nothing.  The longer we wait to follow God, the more we have to be accountable for.  Now, I know that God forgives all sin for all time through our faith in Christ, but that doesn't mean that we are to see how many sins we can commit before turning to Christ.  In the next few verses, Solomon gives us some good reasons to remember God in our youth.  As we grow older, our physical abilities begin to fail us and we are less able to work for God.  In verse two, Solomon says, While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:  I believe Solomon was speaking of vision beginning to dim.  As we grow older, things just don't look as bright as they once did.  Also, the older we get, the more we seem to be afflicted by the weather.  It seems that the sky quickly clouds again after the rain, though it is no sooner for an older person than for a young person.  Verse three says, In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,  I believe Solomon paints a good picture of getting older.  Our arms and legs will begin to tremble as we exert ourselves, our teeth, or grinders will become few, and again our vision will dim.  We need to serve God in the strength of our youth, while our abilities are the greatest.

Ecclesiastes 11:7 says, Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:  Matthew Henry sees this and verse eight as Solomon telling us how to prepare for death after telling us how to live life.  That may be true, but we can certainly say that these verses tell us that even if we live in the light, dark days will come.  When days are going well, when everything is light, life is indeed sweet.  I believe we can all look at life and see that some days stand out as better than others.  Yet, we must remember, as verse eight says, But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.  Solomon tells us that even if we live a long life and enjoy all the years, we must not forget the dark days.  We must learn from the times of struggle and not simply attempt to ignore them.  We cannot allow the dark days to overpower us, but we cannot pretend they didn't happen, even when we are most filled with joy.  This world is going to have dark days, but the one to come, for those who are God's children, will be full of nothing but light.  Verse nine says, 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 thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.  I believe Solomon was speaking sarcastically in this verse.  He was telling us while we are young to go ahead and do whatever our heart tells us to do if we so choose to live without God's direction.  Young people are more likely to be less concerned about the ramifications of their actions.  When we look at what college life is portrayed as today, we can see that even those who are considered to be intelligent are shown to act very foolishly as they follow their heart or the crowd.  Solomon also issues a warning, and that is that God will hold us accountable, even if we are young.  Once we are old enough to know right from wrong, we are accountable for our actions.  No records are sealed with God, no matter our age once we know right from wrong.  Verse ten concludes with, Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.  We are called on to put evil from our heart, and we can only do this successfully by turning to the will of God.  All else amounts to nothing.

Ecclesiastes 11:4 says, He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.  I believe Solomon was once again speaking of living by faith, even in our giving.  I believe farmers must live by the faith that their efforts are going to pay off.  They cannot let the wind or rain determine their efforts, but must sow with the belief that conditions will prove right for a good harvest.  Even when one year fails to produce a good crop, the farmer comes back in faith of a good harvest the next year.  The same is true for our helping others.  We cannot continue to wait for everything to be perfect, but must give when the need arises.  If we wait for the perfect time, we will never give.  If our giving does not produce the results we hoped for, we cannot allow that to cause us to not give in the future.  We must give with faith in God to produce the outcome.  Verse five says, As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.  We today may think we know more about the way the human body grows in the womb.  We may even think we can create life on our own, but we must acknowledge that we do not know how the body and soul are united.  We likewise cannot know all the works of God Who created it all.  We will never be able to take nothing and make something.  We will never be able to breath the breath of life into a person created from the dust of the earth.  No matter how brilliant scientists may think they are, they always work with something and have yet to create something from nothing. Verse six says, In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.  I believe that Solomon was still speaking of helping others.  I would say charity, but charity has taken on such a negative connotation.  We should be ready to help others, no matter the time of day, or as Matthew Henry says, our age.  We can never be certain that our help will have the desired results, but we can never allow that to prevent us from giving.

Ecclesiastes 11:1 says, Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.  I believe Solomon is speaking of charity to the poor in this verse and verse two.  We are not to hoard the bounty of life for ourselves, but are to share liberally with those around us who are less fortunate than we are.  We, as followers of Christ, are called on to help the poor, the widows, and the orphans.  Much of this requirement has been turned over to the government, but that does not relieve us of the obligation.  If the government is taking charge of this requirement, we need to hold them accountable for doing so.  Verse two continues this idea stating, Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.  We often feel that we have helped enough, but Solomon is telling us to not count how many we have helped, but to always be ready to help another.  I know we may at times have people take advantage of us or the government, but we cannot use this as an excuse for not helping someone we see that is in need.  We must do all in under the leadership of God and put the results in His hands.  When we help someone, make sure that God is given the credit for our actions.  We can never know when our fortune may change, so we need to give while we are blessed with enough to share.  Verse three says, If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.  We need to remember that Solomon was speaking of helping others still.  A cloud, when it is full of rain, empties itself of water.  The cloud does not consider the worthiness of the ground to receive the water, nor does it hold anything back.  We are to give the same way.  If we see a need, we are called on to meet it if it is within our ability.  Our reward comes from God, and we can trust that he will meet our needs.  We, like a tree falling where it stands, can only serve where we are.

Ecclesiastes 10:16 says,  Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!  I don't believe that Solomon was referring to age in years, but in maturity of action concerning the way they rule.  If all the people in power are more concerned with meeting their own needs than they are in helping those they govern, then they are acting like a child.  A mature leader cannot act on simply what they want, but must look to what is best for those that they govern.  When leaders are more concerned for themselves than the nation as a whole, even those who may not agree with them, then the nation does live in woe.  Verse seventeen continues this thought stating, Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!  I don't believe this means that we are to have a line of nobility to rule over us, but that we are blessed when we have leaders that are taught nobility of spirit.  We need leaders that look beyond what they may want to what will be best for the nation.  When we have leaders who are not controlled by their own appetites, but by living in moderation in their actions, we are blessed.  Verse eighteen says, By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.  When a person, or a nation, begins to live in a lazy manner, not taking care of their houses or even the structure of the government itself, it will soon collapse.  We are not called to ignore the world, but to care for it.  Verse nineteen says, A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.  I don't believe Solomon is saying that money is the answer to all problems, but that it is better for meeting the needs of life than feasting or wine.  Those things may be enjoyable, but money can be used to meet the needs of life.  We are charged with using it wisely.  Verse twenty says, Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.  We are not called to curse those in power or the rich, but to pray for them continually that they will follow God in all their actions.

Ecclesiastes 10:12 says, The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.  I have heard people say that if you have nothing good to say about a person, then say nothing at all.  We seem to live in a society that takes the opposite view.  Many people delight in television shows that do nothing but speak badly about people.  Solomon tells us that a wise man's words are gracious.  We need to look for something good to say about people, or just say nothing at all.  Many times, the actions people take are done just to create talk.  When we begin to respond foolishly to those actions, and I believe condemning the person instead of the act is one way to do that, then we do ourselves as much harm as we do them.  Verse thirteen says, The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.  We must remember that in this verse Solomon is still referring to the words of the fool.  His words begin in foolishness and end with madness.  Some people speak foolishly, and when others don't believe them, they act maliciously.  We can see that with many groups today.  They spout hatred for other people and then, when words have no effect, they begin to try to harm those who don't listen to them.  This applies to individuals as well as to groups.  The more they are ignored, the more malicious they tend to become.  Then, verse fourteen says,  A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?  I believe Solomon is saying, among other things, that the fool is full of words about the future, which no one can know.  When we hear someone forecasting our future, remember the source.  God tells us we cannot know the future, other than in a broad overview, and we do not need to look to someone who claims to know what our future holds.  Verse fifteen says, The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.  The labor of the foolish making them weary is simple to understand.  They work simply for the things of this world without acknowledging God's plan for their lives, and they are never satisfied.  Matthew Henry says that not going to the city refers to an inability to follow even the most obvious path to meeting their needs.  When we will not turn to God for direction, even if His path for us is obvious, we will miss it.

Ecclesiastes 10:8 says, He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.  I believe that Solomon is warning against trying to set a trap for others or breaking down long established boundaries.  When we attempt to trap others to do them harm, it is often going to backfire on us.  For one thing, if we are following the leadership of God, we are not going to be attempting to harm others, and if we are, ultimately this will cause us harm in the eyes of God.  Likewise, if we are attempting to take something that belongs to others, the same ultimate fate awaits us.  There are wars today where one country is trying to take what belongs to another, sometimes simply because they are more powerful and feel that they have a right to do this because of their might.  This is folly, or foolish thinking according to the wisdom of God.  Verse nine says, Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.  I believe this must be a warning to work with care and wisdom.  If we just randomly or carelessly remove stones from a wall, or tear down established laws just because of a dislike for them, then we set ourselves up to be harmed.  If we are cutting wood, it is better to use a sharp axe.  I believe we can apply this to anything we are doing.  We are better off using well maintained tools.  One of the tools we have to combat the evil in the world is the Bible, and if our knowledge of it becomes blunt, we are less able to shape our lives in obedience to God's will. We must live our lives wisely in all we do.  Verse ten expands the thought, stating,  If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.  We can work wisely or forcefully by our own strength.  We may feel that we can power through on our own strength, but we are better off to be directed by wisdom, the leadership of God.  Verse eleven says,  Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.  I believe Solomon is warning us against idle talk or gossip, which he compares to a serpent.  We may not even understand how many people our blabbering, speaking without real knowledge, may harm.