Pastor's Sermon Notes: Ecclesiastes (series), #39 - A Dose of Reality for the Young (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10)

Series: Ecclesiastes

Sermon #39: A Dose of Reality for the Young

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

[Audio file from Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/Ecclesiastes119-10.]

⁹ 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. ¹⁰ Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Outline:

I. Positive Commands for the Young (11:9)

II. Negative Commands for the Young (11:10)

Transition:  

On these verses see especially Matt Chandler, “Youth” (Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8), in The Scriptures Testify About Me: Jesus and the Gospel in the Old Testament, ed. D. A. Carson (Wheaton: Crossway, 2013), pp. 103-125; see esp. pp. 104-107, and 117-118. This is from an address presented 13 APR 2011 during the plenary session of the 2011 TGC National Conference in Chicago, IL. The video and audio of this address are on The Gospel Coalition at http://resources.thegospelcoalition.org/library/youth [accessed 14 AUG 2016].

I. Positive Commands for the Young (11:9)

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.

Four positive commands are found in the verbs of this verse: rejoice, let…cheer, walk, and know.

The first two are directly related as indicated by their sense, and by the two qualifying prepositional phrases associated with each verb respectively. The third command has two qualifying prepositional phrases. The fourth command serves as a caution or a warning related to the third command.

1. The First Two of Four Positive Commands for the Young

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth,

These first two positive commands are directly related as indicated by their sense, and by the two qualifying prepositional phrases associated with each verb respectively.

The two commands are: Rejoice….let thy heart cheer thee

The two qualifying phrases are: in thy youth…. in the days of thy youth

The emphasis on the young and youth is obvious. What may not be obvious in some translations is that the Hebrew words translated here as youth are actually two different words. The first is only found elsewhere in verse 10, and in Ps. 110:3. The second in this form is found only in Num. 11:28, but is directly related to the Hebrew word translated young man in the beginning of this verse. That is why some translations have differentiated them:

NASB: young man…childhood….young manhood

YLT: young man….childhood…. youth

Ps. 110:3 — Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

Num. 11:28 — And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.

“The period of youth ought to be the time of joy and of ardently devoted love (Eccles.11.9; Jer.2.2; Ezek.16.43).”

— Hans Walter Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, trans. Margaret Kohl (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1974; from Anthropologie des Alten Testaments, Munich: Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1973), pg. 122, s.v. 3. Characteristics of youth.

Jer. 2:2 — Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

Ezek. 16:43 — Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.

Eccl. 2:10 — And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

Eccl. 9:7 — Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

Eccl. 6:9 — Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

2. The Third of Four Positive Commands for the Young

and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes:

Remember: the third command has two qualifying prepositional phrases: in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes

Even when the NASB disagrees with the KJV in the translation it acknowledges in the notes that impulses is “Lit., ways,” and desires is “Lit., sights.”

There can be little doubt what is involved with the two spheres embraced by these two qualifying phrases.

1 Jn 2:16-17 — ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Is there an apparent contradiction within the Old Testament?

Num. 15:39 — And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

Job 31:7 — If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

3. The Fourth of Four Positive Commands for the Young

but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

Remember: The fourth command serves as a caution or a warning related to the third command.

Robert L. Saucy:

“A personal judgment after death does appear to be the thought of the writer of Ecclesiastes, who after discussing certain actions during this life, concludes, “Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things” (11:9, NASB; cf. 12:13).”

— Robert L. Saucy, “The Eschatology of the Bible,” in The Expositor's Bible Commentary with The New International Version of the Holy Bible, Vol. 1, Introductory Articles: General, Old Testament, New Testament, gen. ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979),  pg. 124, s.v. III. The Eschatology of the Individual, B. The Final Judgment and Final Destiny.

John MacArthur:

 “Rejoice…judgment. The two terms seem to cancel out the other. How can this be explained? Enjoy life but do not commit iniquity. The balance that is called for insures that enjoyment is not reckless, sinful abandonment. Pleasure is experienced in faith and obedience, for as Solomon has said repeatedly, one can only receive true satisfaction as a gift from God.”

— John MacArthur, MacArthur Study Bible, rev. ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), pg. 938, note.

Notice the distinct difference here in the counsel to the young when compared to that to the old in the previous two verses. One is a backward look. This is a forward look. Both are necessary since they are not instinctive or preferred.

Eccl. 3:17 — I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

Mt. 12:36 — But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Rom. 14:10 — But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Rev. 20:11-15 — ¹¹ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴ And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Eccl. 12:1-8 — ¹ 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; ² While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: ³ 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, ⁴ And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; ⁵ Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: ⁶ Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. ⁷ Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. ⁸ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

Eccl. 13-14 — ¹³ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. ¹⁴ For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

II. Negative Commands for the Young (11:10)

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Two negative commands followed by the reason

1. The Two Negative Commands for the Young

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh

Two commands: remove, and put away

Two objects: sorrow (trans. vexation - ESV, NKJV note; grief and anger - NASB),

            and evil (trans. pain - NASB, ESV, HCSB, NIV; NASB note: “Lit., evil”)

Two spheres: from thy heart, and from thy flesh

childhood is translated as youth (ESV, HCSB, NIV, NLT)

youth is translated as the prime of life (NASB, HCSB, NIV, NKJV note), and the dawn of life (ESV)

2 Cor. 7:1 — Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Tim. 2:22 — Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2. The Reason Given for the Two Negative Commands for the Young

for childhood and youth are vanity

Ps. 39:5 — Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.  Selah.

[Sermon preached 14 AUG 2016 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]

Complete Outline:

I. Positive Commands for the Young (11:9)

1. The First Two of Four Positive Commands for the Young

2. The Third of Four Positive Commands for the Young

3. The Fourth of Four Positive Commands for the Young

II. Negative Commands for the Young (11:10)

1. The Two Negative Commands for the Young

2. The Reason Given for the Two Negative Commands for the Young

Select Sources on Ecclesiastes:

J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore The Book: A Basic and Broadly Interpretive Course of Bible Study from Genesis to Revelation, 6 vols. in 1 ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d., 1960 printing).

William D. Barrick, Ecclesiastes: The Philippians of the Old Testament, Focus on the Bible series (Fearn, Ross-Shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2012). Barrick’s lecture notes (PDF files) and audio (mp3) are on Dr Barrick at http://drbarrick.org/teaching/ecclesiastes/ [accessed 3 FEB 2016].

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes (New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1860); on Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/expositionofbook00bridrich [accessed 11 MAY 2015]; on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=e4kOAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 11 MAY 2015]; and linked on Precept Austin at http://preceptaustin.org/proverbs_commentaries.htm#cb [accessed 11 MAY 2015].

C. Hassell Bullock, An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books: The Wisdom and Songs of Israel (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979).

Franz Delitzsch, “Commentary on The Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes,” trans. M. G. Easton, in Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Vol. VI: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon: Three Volumes in One (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., n.d., 1975 reprint), III:179-442.

Michael A. Eaton, Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary, Vol. 16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity, 1983).

ESV Study Bible (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008).

Sinclair B. Ferguson. The Pundit's Folly: Chronicles of an Empty Life (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1995).

Duane A. Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Vol. 14, New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman, 1993).

Donald R. Glenn, “Ecclesiastes,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. J. F. Walvoord, and R. B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1985).

William Henry Green, “Scope and Plan of the Book of Ecclesiastes,” Biblical Reparatory and Princeton Review 29 (1857), pp. 419-40; on Gordon Faculty Online at http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/21-Ecclesiastes/Text/Articles/Green-ScopeofEccl-1857.pdf [accessed 7 NOV 2015].[1]

Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Coping With Change: Ecclesiastes (Fearn, Roth-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2013).[2]

Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Ecclesiastes: Total Life, in Everyman’s Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979).

Derek Kidner, The Message of Ecclesiastes: A Time to Mourn, and a Time to Dance, in The Bible Speaks Today, Old Testament series ed. J. A. Motyer (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1976).

H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Ecclesiastes (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1952).

Tremper Longman III, The Book of Ecclesiastes, New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).

John MacArthur, MacArthur Study Bible, rev. ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997).

Tim Mackie, “The book of Ecclesiastes explained with illustrations,” on The Bible Project at http://www.jointhebibleproject.com [accessed 18 JUN 2016]; includes downloadable full resolution video (700+ mb), and poster; for the video see also “Read Scripture Ecclesiastes” (10 JUN 2016), on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrsQ1tc-2wk [accessed 18 JUN 2016].[3]

Roland Edmund Murphy, Ecclesiastes, Vol. 23A, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, 1992).

New Geneva Study Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995).

John G. Reisinger, Studies in Ecclesiastes (Frederick, MD: New Covenant Media, 2008).

Philip Graham Ryken, Ecclesiastes: Why Everything Matters, in Preaching the Word, gen. ed. R. Kent Hughes (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010).

Philip G. Ryken, Why Everything Matters: The Gospel in Ecclesiastes (Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Publications, Ltd., 2015).

Benjamin Shaw, “On Reading Ecclesiastes,” in The Hope Fulfilled: Essays in Honor of O. Palmer Robertson, ed. Robert L. Penny (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2008), pp. 47-58.

Peter B. Steese, ed., Ecclesiastes, gen. ed. Leonard F. Dean (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1966).

Tom V. Taylor, Studies in Ecclesiastes (Port Colborne, Ontario, CA: Gospel Folio Press, 2013).  See also the “Thomas V. Taylor Library” on the Interdisciplinary Biblical Research Institute at  http://www.taylorlib.ibri.org/ [accessed 27 NOV 2013].

Addison G. Wright, “The Riddle of the Sphinx: The Structure of the Book of Qoheleth,” in Reflecting with Solomon: Selected Studies on the Book of Ecclesiastes, ed. Roy B. Zuck (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994), pp. 45-66; originally published in Catholic Biblical Quarterly 30 (1968), pp. 313-334.

J. Stafford Wright, “Ecclesiastes,” in Psalms-Song of Songs, Vol. 5, Expositor's Bible Commentary, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991).

J. Stafford Wright, “The Interpretation of Ecclesiastes”, in Classical Evangelical Essays in Old Testament Interpretation, ed. Walter C. Kaiser Jr. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1972), pp. 135-150; from J. Stafford Wright, “The Interpretation of Ecclesiastes,” Evangelical Quarterly 18 (1946), pp. 18-34; on Rediscovering the Bible at http://rediscoveringthebible.com/InterpretationOfEcclesiastes.html [accessed 7 MAY 2015].

Ronald F. Youngblood, “Qoheleth's 'Dark House' (Eccl. 12:5),” in A Tribute to Gleason Archer, eds. Walter C. Kaiser and Ronald F. Youngblood (Chicago: Moody Press, 1986), pp.211-228; also published in Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 29:4 (DEC 1986), pp. 397-410; on Biblical Studies at http://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/29/29-4/29-4-pp397-410_JETS.pdf [accessed 4 APR 2016].

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Notes:

[1] Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. inexplicably refers to this as an “unsigned article” on at least two occasions in his commentary despite the facts that: 1) William Henry Green is clearly indicated as the author under the title on the first page of the article (pg. 419), and 2) one of his own faculty members (Ted Hildebrandt) has posted the article on the school’s web site where Kaiser served as both faculty member and President. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Ecclesiastes: Total Life, in Everyman’s Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979); and Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Coping With Change: Ecclesiastes (Fearn, Roth-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2013).

[2] Although not indicated on the copyright page, this appears in all respects to be a revised edition (2nd ed.) of the Moody Press 1979 original. The relationship to the original is referenced in the “Preface,” where the author mentions the inclusion of his own translation of Ecclesiastes in this revision as one significant change. “Dale Ralph Davis compares the two and says, “the ‘bones’ are much the same but the whole has been updated and expanded.” Source: Tim Challies, “Best Commentaries on Ecclesiastes” (18 NOV 2013), on Challies at http://www.challies.com/resources/best-commentaries-on-ecclesiastes [accessed 7 NOV 2015].

[3] “This video explores the main ideas and flow of thought of the book of Ecclesiastes.

The Bible Project is a non-profit creating animated videos that explain the narrative of the Bible. These videos are free to use for personal and educational purposes. Download a full resolution version of this video along with a study guide at www.jointhebibleproject.com.”

“About the author: Tim Mackie is a Pastor of Door of Hope church and a Professor at Western Seminary - timmackie.com”