Ecc 12:8 | KingComments | STEP | Decay, decline and death bring the Preacher back to the beginning of his book, where he already formulated the conclusion of his research ( ; ). All the researches that he is reporting in this book, have shown its truth. Everyone that stands in the reality of life, shall fully agree with his conclusion. The Preacher was “a wise man” ( ). A wise man is someone who fears God. He who fears God will always seek to teach God’s people “knowledge” of His will. This is the first activity that characterizes a wise man. It is about teaching knowledge to the next generation. It is knowledge that is gained by experience. A young preacher preached about Psalm 23. He did his very best to explain the psalm, but his message did not get across. Then an old man preached. He bowed his head, his hands were trembling and his body was marked by many years of hard work. He started to recite: “The LORD is my Shepherd.” When he was finished, there was dead silence, his audience was very impressed. When the young preacher asked the old man why his words made such a difference, the old man replied simply: ‘You know the psalm, I know the Shepherd.’ The truth is that some things are only learned by experience. The purpose of the teaching of the Preacher is to keep the next generation from making mistakes. Therefore it is necessary to be alert and to examine. In the transferring of knowledge, the situation in which the people find themselves must be taken into consideration. It should be noted and examined what knowledge is needed. The Preacher has transferred his teaching by arranging “many proverbs” ( ). He did not transfer things impulsively as soon as something arose in him. He first studied carefully and searched out before he transferred his teaching. He pondered first before he said something. He did just as what was later stated of Ezra: “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel” ( ). So the order is: firstly study, then practice it and afterward teach it in Israel. Also the method of teaching is important ( ). He transfers his teaching in words, but he chooses those words with care. He wants to ‘communicate effectively’. Words cause that thoughts can be passed on. The Preacher has consciously used “delightful words”. He is aware that he is passing on God’s Word to others. Therefore he does not use offensive or rude language, but language that can be simply understood and is also attractive to keep on listening to. What he says is pleasant of content. It is delightful to listen to him. You do not need to use a vocabulary or be suspicious about anything when listening. That does not mean that his words went ‘smoothly’ in the ears, words that ‘tickle’ the ear ( ). He who speaks like that, is not sincere. The words of the Preacher are “with grace”, but at the same time “seasoned with salt”, which means that corruption is repelled ( ). Those words are “full of grace and truth” ( ). What he wrote, “is correctly” and are “words of truth”. Those are reliable words, which you can rely on, as it is also stated of certain things that Paul said that it is “a trustworthy statement” ( ). We live in a time when God’s Word is relativized. It should no longer be said that something is ‘the truth’, at most that it is ’my truth’ and that in this way everyone has his own truth. The Preacher does not take part in this relativization and no one that acknowledges that he has announced “words of truth”, meaning God’s truth, will take part in it. The fact that he has written his words, means that they keep their value for the next generations. Attention to the form is not at the expense of the content. He does not falsify the Word of God (cf. ). He never distorts the truth or violates it. He does not add to it or take anything away from it. More and more people see the Word of God as an open buffet, from which you can take whatever you like, while you simply leave what you do not like. Another person is allowed to eat it, someone who loves it. “The words of wise men” work “like goads and nails” ( ). The ‘wise men’ here are instruments given by God through whom He transmits His words. Therefore it is important to listen to their words. These people know about the practical life, they have experienced things, which deepened and clarified their knowledge. They do not teach theory, but truths that they themselves learned in practice. Words of wise men have a twofold effect, comparable to the effect of the benefit of “goads” and “nails”. Goads are used to keep plowing animals in the right track so that the plough draws straight furrows (cf. ; ). The effect of goads is that they intend to trigger the will and stimulate to cause movement. Goads may hurt sometimes, but they exhort you to activity and also keep you in the right track, the track of righteousness, for the sake of the Name of God ( ). The words of wise men can also be compared to “well-driven nails”. Well-driven nails remain immovable and hold something immovable in place (cf. ). This is how words of wise men are engraved in the memory, they are stuck there and never disappear out of memory. “Masters of [these] collections” are people who have collected those proverbs, or have gathered them together in a collection, in order to teach others. Such a collection is the book of Proverbs ( ). We can – as an application – also become ‘masters of collections’ by learning Bible verses by heart as many as possible. With “one Shepherd” no one else but God is meant ( ; ). It also means the Lord Jesus ( ). He has given those words. Although the words of the Preacher are the result of his meditation, he should not think, and this goes for every wise person, that he owes wisdom to himself. That wisdom has been given to him by Christ. Here we have an example of the teachings of the inspiration in the practice of the Preacher. The Preacher is aware of his own activity ( ), both with regard to the form of his words ( ) and its content ( ). Yet he concludes that the ultimate result comes from God ( ). Inspiration is the work of the Spirit in the personality and in the personal meditation of the author ( ). “But beyond this” ( ) means ‘that what is beyond the things given by the one Shepherd’ ( ) and refers to the wisdom literature he then warns us about. He does not address his warning in general, but to someone specific. It is someone he has a special bond with and whom he calls “my son”. The Preacher addresses a congregation, but makes it personal here. He does not see the congregation as a mass, but as individuals. His concern goes out to every single person. In this way we also hear Solomon often say “my son” in the book of Proverbs. It emphasizes the personal bond and that he gives his special attention to the son. In that way he expresses that the son is important to him. If we want our message to get across, then the individual listener or reader must notice that he is important to us. The reason of the warning is, as Paul says “not to exceed what is written” ( ), meaning that in our thinking we should not go beyond what is written in the Word of God. The many books that were written are compared to the Word of God. “Excessive devotion” to such books “is wearying to the body” and is not profitable. It is foolish to seek and impossible to find answers to questions of life in worldly wisdom literature. Answers to questions of life are only to be found in the Word of God; therefore we should seek them there. Since the existence of the art of writing, there has been an endless series of publications, first on clay, then on leather or paper. Here it is especially about wisdom literature. Countless books have been published on the existence and the meaning of life. Authors have given their opinion about it, without taking God into consideration. The reading of those books is exceedingly wearying and exhausting for the body. You will keep studying until you drop, but it is a waste of effort because you will never get an answer to your questions. The words given by one Shepherd are not always welcome. That is the case for people who have become addicted to the searching in such a way and have fallen in love with the difficult questions, that an answer would only spoil everything. For them there is no such thing as a definite answer. The free world of research should always blow through your mind, in their opinion. Someone who in his arrogance thinks that he is wise, makes his study a prison and his books a guard of his prison. Therefore the question is whether people do want answers. Those are people who are always learning, but are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth ( ). Other books have been written to give us ‘information’, the Bible is written for our ‘transformation’. If we become aware of that, the reading of the Bible will exceed the reading of all kinds of other books. What do we read first when we wake up: the messages on social media and the news or the Word of God?

‏ Ecclesiastes 12:8

The Power of the Word of God

Decay, decline and death bring the Preacher back to the beginning of his book, where he already formulated the conclusion of his research (Ecc 12:8; Ecc 1:2). All the researches that he is reporting in this book, have shown its truth. Everyone that stands in the reality of life, shall fully agree with his conclusion.

The Preacher was “a wise man” (Ecc 12:9). A wise man is someone who fears God. He who fears God will always seek to teach God’s people “knowledge” of His will. This is the first activity that characterizes a wise man. It is about teaching knowledge to the next generation. It is knowledge that is gained by experience.

A young preacher preached about Psalm 23. He did his very best to explain the psalm, but his message did not get across. Then an old man preached. He bowed his head, his hands were trembling and his body was marked by many years of hard work. He started to recite: “The LORD is my Shepherd.” When he was finished, there was dead silence, his audience was very impressed. When the young preacher asked the old man why his words made such a difference, the old man replied simply: ‘You know the psalm, I know the Shepherd.’ The truth is that some things are only learned by experience.

The purpose of the teaching of the Preacher is to keep the next generation from making mistakes. Therefore it is necessary to be alert and to examine. In the transferring of knowledge, the situation in which the people find themselves must be taken into consideration. It should be noted and examined what knowledge is needed.

The Preacher has transferred his teaching by arranging “many proverbs” (1Kgs 4:32). He did not transfer things impulsively as soon as something arose in him. He first studied carefully and searched out before he transferred his teaching. He pondered first before he said something. He did just as what was later stated of Ezra: “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). So the order is: firstly study, then practice it and afterward teach it in Israel.

Also the method of teaching is important (Ecc 12:10). He transfers his teaching in words, but he chooses those words with care. He wants to ‘communicate effectively’. Words cause that thoughts can be passed on. The Preacher has consciously used “delightful words”. He is aware that he is passing on God’s Word to others. Therefore he does not use offensive or rude language, but language that can be simply understood and is also attractive to keep on listening to. What he says is pleasant of content. It is delightful to listen to him. You do not need to use a vocabulary or be suspicious about anything when listening.

That does not mean that his words went ‘smoothly’ in the ears, words that ‘tickle’ the ear (2Tim 4:3). He who speaks like that, is not sincere. The words of the Preacher are “with grace”, but at the same time “seasoned with salt”, which means that corruption is repelled (Col 4:6). Those words are “full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14).

What he wrote, “is correctly” and are “words of truth”. Those are reliable words, which you can rely on, as it is also stated of certain things that Paul said that it is “a trustworthy statement” (1Tim 4:9). We live in a time when God’s Word is relativized. It should no longer be said that something is ‘the truth’, at most that it is ’my truth’ and that in this way everyone has his own truth. The Preacher does not take part in this relativization and no one that acknowledges that he has announced “words of truth”, meaning God’s truth, will take part in it. The fact that he has written his words, means that they keep their value for the next generations.

Attention to the form is not at the expense of the content. He does not falsify the Word of God (cf. 2Cor 4:2). He never distorts the truth or violates it. He does not add to it or take anything away from it. More and more people see the Word of God as an open buffet, from which you can take whatever you like, while you simply leave what you do not like. Another person is allowed to eat it, someone who loves it.

“The words of wise men” work “like goads and nails” (Ecc 12:11). The ‘wise men’ here are instruments given by God through whom He transmits His words. Therefore it is important to listen to their words. These people know about the practical life, they have experienced things, which deepened and clarified their knowledge. They do not teach theory, but truths that they themselves learned in practice.

Words of wise men have a twofold effect, comparable to the effect of the benefit of “goads” and “nails”. Goads are used to keep plowing animals in the right track so that the plough draws straight furrows (cf. Jdg 3:31; Acts 26:14). The effect of goads is that they intend to trigger the will and stimulate to cause movement. Goads may hurt sometimes, but they exhort you to activity and also keep you in the right track, the track of righteousness, for the sake of the Name of God (Psa 23:3).

The words of wise men can also be compared to “well-driven nails”. Well-driven nails remain immovable and hold something immovable in place (cf. Jer 10:4). This is how words of wise men are engraved in the memory, they are stuck there and never disappear out of memory.

“Masters of [these] collections” are people who have collected those proverbs, or have gathered them together in a collection, in order to teach others. Such a collection is the book of Proverbs (Pro 1:1 ; Pro 10:1 ; Pro 25:1 ; Pro 22:17 ; Pro 24:23 ; Pro 30:1). We can – as an application – also become ‘masters of collections’ by learning Bible verses by heart as many as possible.

With “one Shepherd” no one else but God is meant (Gen 49:24; Psa 23:1 ; Psa 80:1). It also means the Lord Jesus (Jn 10:11). He has given those words. Although the words of the Preacher are the result of his meditation, he should not think, and this goes for every wise person, that he owes wisdom to himself. That wisdom has been given to him by Christ.

Here we have an example of the teachings of the inspiration in the practice of the Preacher. The Preacher is aware of his own activity (Ecc 12:10), both with regard to the form of his words (Ecc 12:9) and its content (Ecc 12:10). Yet he concludes that the ultimate result comes from God (Ecc 12:11). Inspiration is the work of the Spirit in the personality and in the personal meditation of the author (2Pet 1:21).

“But beyond this” (Ecc 12:12) means ‘that what is beyond the things given by the one Shepherd’ (Ecc 12:11) and refers to the wisdom literature he then warns us about. He does not address his warning in general, but to someone specific. It is someone he has a special bond with and whom he calls “my son”. The Preacher addresses a congregation, but makes it personal here.

He does not see the congregation as a mass, but as individuals. His concern goes out to every single person. In this way we also hear Solomon often say “my son” in the book of Proverbs. It emphasizes the personal bond and that he gives his special attention to the son. In that way he expresses that the son is important to him. If we want our message to get across, then the individual listener or reader must notice that he is important to us.

The reason of the warning is, as Paul says “not to exceed what is written” (1Cor 4:6), meaning that in our thinking we should not go beyond what is written in the Word of God. The many books that were written are compared to the Word of God. “Excessive devotion” to such books “is wearying to the body” and is not profitable. It is foolish to seek and impossible to find answers to questions of life in worldly wisdom literature. Answers to questions of life are only to be found in the Word of God; therefore we should seek them there.

Since the existence of the art of writing, there has been an endless series of publications, first on clay, then on leather or paper. Here it is especially about wisdom literature. Countless books have been published on the existence and the meaning of life. Authors have given their opinion about it, without taking God into consideration. The reading of those books is exceedingly wearying and exhausting for the body. You will keep studying until you drop, but it is a waste of effort because you will never get an answer to your questions.

The words given by one Shepherd are not always welcome. That is the case for people who have become addicted to the searching in such a way and have fallen in love with the difficult questions, that an answer would only spoil everything. For them there is no such thing as a definite answer. The free world of research should always blow through your mind, in their opinion. Someone who in his arrogance thinks that he is wise, makes his study a prison and his books a guard of his prison. Therefore the question is whether people do want answers. Those are people who are always learning, but are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2Tim 3:7).

Other books have been written to give us ‘information’, the Bible is written for our ‘transformation’. If we become aware of that, the reading of the Bible will exceed the reading of all kinds of other books. What do we read first when we wake up: the messages on social media and the news or the Word of God?