Ecclesiastes 11 what does it mean

A pressing exhortation to works of charity and bounty to the poor, as the best cure of the vanity which our worldly riches are subject to and the only way of making them turn to a substantial good account v. A serious admonition to prepare for death and judgment, and to begin betimes, even in the days of our youth, to do so v.

Verses Solomon had often, in this book, pressed it upon rich people to take the comfort of their riches themselves; here he presses it upon them to do good to others with them and to abound in liberality to the poor, which will, another day, abound to their account. How the duty itself is recommended to us, v. Cast thy bread upon the waters, thy bread-corn upon the low places so some understand it , alluding to the husbandman, who goes forth, bearing precious seed, sparing bread-corn from his family for the seedness, knowing that without that he can have no harvest another year; thus the charitable man takes from his bread-corn for seed-corn, abridges himself to supply the poor, that he may sow beside all waters Isa.

We read of the harvest of the river, Isa. Waters, in scripture, are put for multitudes Rev. Thou must give bread, the necessary supports of life, not only give good words but good things, Isa. It must be thy bread, that which is honestly got; it is no charity, but injury, to give that which is none of our own to give; first do justly, and then love mercy.

Give freely to the poor, as that which is cast upon the waters. Send it a voyage, send it as a venture, as merchants that trade by sea. Trust it upon the waters; it shall not sink. Excuse not thyself with the good thou hast done from the good thou hast further to do, but hold on, and mend. In hard times, when the number of the poor increases, let thy charity be proportionably enlarged.

The reasons with which it is pressed upon us. Our reward for well-doing is very certain. Long voyages make the best returns. Our opportunity for well-doing is very uncertain: "Thou knowest not what evil may be upon the earth, which may deprive thee of thy estate, and put thee out of a capacity to do good, and therefore, while thou hast wherewithal, be liberal with it, improve the present season, as the husbandman in sowing his ground, before the frost comes.

Many make use of this as an argument against giving to the poor, because they know not what hard times may come when they may want themselves; whereas we should therefore the rather be charitable, that, when evil days come, we may have the comfort of having done good while we were able; we would then hope to find mercy both with God and man, and therefore should now show mercy.

If by charity we trust God with what we have, we put it into good hands against bad times. How he obviates the objections which might be made against this duty and the excuses of the uncharitable. Some will say that what they have is their own and they have it for their own use, and will ask, Why should we cast it thus upon the waters? Why should I take my bread, and my flesh, and give it to I know not whom? So Nabal pleaded, 1 Sa. Are the heavens thus bountiful to the poor earth, that is so far below them, and wilt thou grudge thy bounty to thy poor brother, who is bone of thy bone?

Or thus: some will say, Though we give but little to the poor, yet, thank God, we have as charitable a heart as any. He that draws out his soul to the hungry will reach forth his hand to them, as he has ability. Some will say that their sphere of usefulness is low and narrow; they cannot do the good that they see others can, who are in more public stations, and therefore they will sit still and do nothing.

Nay, says he, in the place where the tree falls, or happens to be, there it shall be, for the benefit of those to whom it belongs; every man must labour to be a blessing to that place, whatever it is, where the providence of God casts him; wherever we are we may find good work to do if we have but hearts to do it.

Or thus: some will say, "Many present themselves as objects of charity who are unworthy, and I do not know whom it is fit to give it to. As the tree falls at death, so it is likely to lie to all eternity. Some will object the many discouragements they have met with in their charity. They have been reproached for it as proud and pharisaical; they have but little to give, and they shall be despised if they do not give as others do; they know not but their children may come to want it, and they had better lay it up for them; they have taxes to pay and purchases to make; they know not what use will be made of their charity, nor what construction will be put upon it; these, and a hundred such objections, he answers, in one word v.

If we stand thus magnifying every little difficulty and making the worst of it, starting objections and fancying hardship and danger where there is none, we shall never go on, much less go through with our work, nor make any thing of it. The duties of religion are as necessary as sowing and reaping, and will turn as much to our own advantage.

The discouragements we meet with in these duties are but as winds and clouds, which will do us no harm, and which those that put on a little courage and resolution will despise and easily break through. Note, Those that will be deterred and driven off by small and seeming difficulties from great and real duties will never bring any thing to pass in religion, for there will always arise some wind, some cloud or other, at least in our imagination, to discourage us.

Some will say, "We do not see in which way what we expend in charity should ever be made up to us; we do not find ourselves ever the richer; why should we depend upon the general promise of a blessing on the charitable, unless we saw which way to expect the operation of it?

Thou mayest be sure he will make good his word of promise, though he does not tell thee how, or which way, and though he works in a way by himself, according to the counsels of his unsearchable wisdom.

He will work, and none shall hinder; but then he will work and none shall direct or prescribe to him. The blessing shall work insensibly but irresistibly. Maybe that will be successful. Just be wise and engage in business and diversify your investments to try to minimize risk. And with that, the Preacher will start to address a topic that will occupy him for the rest of this book. The reality is that light and the sun are pleasant.

And while you have the light, rejoice in the light. Enjoy your youth — because darkness is coming…. All that cometh is vanity. As long as you live, rejoice! But, again, the Preacher wants us to consider our mortality and respond wisely in light of our imminent death. Days of darkness are coming.

And the Preacher says that they will be many. The worst years of life. The hardest years of life. So, enjoy your current life in light of the difficult days ahead. Follow your heart. Follow your eyes. Enjoy life to the fullest. And we all in this room are pretty well past childhood and youth.

Some of us are in the prime of life. And for those kinds of folks, the Preacher says — enjoy it while you can. Really, enjoy it. But really, do it while you can. Thank you.

It has shed new light on many things I had been overlooking. With these ideas he continues to direct us towards the place of true wisdom. If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie.

He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap. If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth : With these proverbs Solomon emphasized the idea of cause and effect. This principle alone directs us toward eternity, because the wickedness or goodness of man in this earthly life is often not answered in this life.

The necessary effect from that cause must be realized in eternity. Clouds are designed to be full of rain , and therefore to empty themselves upon the earth. Why, that he may empty himself upon the earth. There was no need that he should be a man full of sympathy except to sympathize with mourning men and women. There was no need that he should bleed except that he might bleed for you. There was no necessity that he should die except that the power of his death might deliver you from death.

The tree, he said, is the dead person, and his destiny is fixed at death. But while this is true enough, it cannot be proved from this verse. He who observes the wind will not sow : The farmer who is overly analytical about the wind or the clouds will never plant his fields, and thus he will not reap. The Preacher gently pushes us away from an overly analytical approach to life. God bids me sow: I do not sow, because the wind would blow some of my seed away.

God bids me reap: I do not reap, because there is a black cloud there, and before I can house the harvest, some of it may be spoiled. I may say what I like; but I am guilty of disobedience.

Spurgeon went on in that sermon Sowing in the Wind, Reaping Under Clouds to describe other ways that this attitude sins against God and man. To observe circumstances instead of trusting God shows unbelief , rebellion , foolish fear , and idleness.

As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. As you do not know what is the way of the wind : Solomon again reminds us of the limitations of human knowledge. The mystery which shrouds our very origin underlies the whole of reality. As Jesus would later say, The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.

So is everyone who is born of the Spirit John The Preacher brings us to a place of humility and submission to God and His works that again pushes us out of the previously entrenched under the sun premise. In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.