For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Eccles 12:1-8

1 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;
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.

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.

8 ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher.
    ‘Everything is meaningless!’

A. Find out:

1. What does Solomon counsel? v.1a
2. What comes with old age? v.1b
3. How is sight affected in old age? v.2,3
4. How is hearing affected by old age? v.4
5. How is capability affected generally? v.3,5
6. How is death described? v.5-7

B. Think:

1. What are the frailties of old age?
2. What is Solomon’s cry in this passage?
3. Why do you think he is making it?

C. Comment:

In the second half of chapter eleven Solomon was starting to challenge youth, and now he continues with a plea to youth to turn to God and (by implication) enjoy Him and His world before it is too late and old age comes with its accompanying loss of faculties.

This passage, perhaps more than any other in this book, indicates that Solomon was writing in old age himself. The plea is by one who knows about these things: that eyesight fails, hearing fails, confidence in daily life fails as it becomes more difficult to deal with it.

Herein may lie some of the frustrations and source of the cry of “meaningless” that has come so often in this book from Solomon, the frustration of the limitations of old age that can make a person question and say, what was the point of it all? In old age we need to hold onto three things: first the good memories, second the realization that although we may not be physically able we can remain spiritually able (in prayer especially, but also in wisdom), and third that death is not to be feared but seen as the doorway to the wonderful transformation, to the place where we no longer will be burdened by the limitations of a failing body. Easy to say but not, perhaps, so easy to do. But……..

D. Application?

1. The grace of God is available for all, even in old age, especially in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)
2. Experiencing God’s love doesn’t depend on age.

Passage: Eccles 12:9-14

9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.

11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails – given by one shepherd. 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

13 Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
fear God and keep his commandments,
    for this is the duty of all mankind.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
    including every hidden thing,
    whether it is good or evil.

A. Find out:

1. What had the teacher done? v.9,10
2. What effect do the words of the wise have? v.11
3. What does he warn about? v.12
4. What is the whole duty of man? v.13
5. Why? v.14

B. Think:

1. What indication does Solomon give that wisdom and knowledge and understanding do not come easily?
2. What does he hope his words will do?
3. Yet what conclusion does he reach about everything he has written?

C. Comment:

In this closing passage, Solomon first of all summarizes his own activity, what he has done in his life and in his writing. He has become learned and he has imparted the knowledge he has gained to others. He has truly been a teacher.

He has set down much of the wisdom he has learnt in the form of proverbs so they can be easily digested. He has given them to act as a provocation to whoever reads, and he feels there is a certain completeness to them so that anything added to them should be queried. It has been a tiring job, and he warns his son against the weariness of much study.

Finally though, he sums up everything in a final declaration: whatever else, fear God and obey Him. There have been fleeting references to the Lord throughout but this one comes as the capstone to the whole building of this book. Why fear God? Because He will hold everyone accountable for everything they do and therefore everything we do should be with that in mind.

For us as Christians our life is more a response to God’s love shown to us, but nevertheless there should still be that sense in the background of the awesome God who is our Lord and Saviour.

D. Application?

1. Learning and wisdom doesn’t come easily; it takes time and effort!
2. What is most important is not what we do but WHO we do it for.