ECCLESIASTES LESSON 13


     We will begin in Ecclesiastes 11:1 "Cast thy bread upon the
waters: for thou shalt find it after many days."

     "Casting thy bread upon the waters" is speaking of sharing bread
with those less fortunate. When you give to those in need, you are
giving to God. God will give back to you in such abundance, you will
never know need. Psalms 112:9 "He hath dispersed, he hath given to the
poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted
with honour." Luke 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall
men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete
withal it shall be measured to you again."

     Ecclesiastes 11:2 "Give a portion to seven, and also to eight;
for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth."

     This is expounding on verse 1. It is saying, do not stop by
giving one person bread, but give to everyone in need. A person never
knows what time he will need help himself. Those who have helped
others, will be helped themselves. Psalms 41:1 "Blessed [is] he that
considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble."

     Ecclesiastes 11:3 "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."

     Some things are inevitable. The clouds being full and pouring
rain is natural, the tree falling is not under our control either.
This is just saying, that life is uncertain. We do not know when
troubles will come. We must be thoughtful of others in trouble, and
then, God will take care of us in our trouble. Trouble is inevitable.
It comes to everyone sometime. We must learn to accept things the way
they are.

     Ecclesiastes 11:4 "He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and
he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap."

     This is speaking of someone who makes excuses for not doing
things. Just because the wind is blowing, is no reason not to sow. The
idea is to find a way to sow in the wind, not to make excuses why you
cannot sow. The very same thing is true regarding reaping. There are a
thousand excuses that could be made why you cannot reap, but that will
not bring in the crops. No one will benefit from the crop then.

     Ecclesiastes 11:5 "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."

     These are speaking of some of the mysteries of God. The spirit is
like the wind. The wind blows, and we enjoy the freshness of the air,
but we cannot see it, or describe it. The bones in the mother's womb
is another mystery that truly only God knows. God is the Creator of
life. Everytime a baby is born, we know that God has not given up on
mankind. Somehow, mothers and daddies are coupled with God in the
process of creating this new life. Man and woman are the instruments
God chooses to create life through. That is one really good reason
that homosexuality is not an alternate lifestyle. Sex occurs to create
life. Two men cannot create. For men to sleep with men is against
nature. The same is true with two women. The natural thing is for a
man and a woman to sleep together and pro-create life with God.
We do not understand the process. We just know that is the way God
made things.

     Ecclesiastes 11:6 "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."

     Generally, early in the morning, the wind is not blowing. You,
also, are fresh and energetic in the morning. You have more energy to
work. This is not just speaking of farming, but is speaking of all who
have work to do. Do not be lazy, get up and be about your work. It is,
also, saying do not quit half-way through the job. If the sowing in
the morning happens not to take, then the sowing in the evening will.
We must put out whatever effort is needed to succeed. We do the work,
and it is God who prospers the effort. If both morning and evening
efforts prosper, how great that prosperity will be.

     Ecclesiastes 11:7  "Truly the light [is] sweet, and a pleasant
[thing it is] for the eyes to behold the sun:"

     Light, in this sense, could be, also, speaking of life. We do
know that all believers are children of the Light. We are not in
darkness.  Very little can be accomplished in the dark. After the
night is passed and the sun comes up in the morning, it is very
pleasant. The darkest time is just before the sun comes up. I John 1:5
"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto
you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."  I John 1:7
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin."

     Ecclesiastes 11:8 "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."

     The time of darkness, spoken of here, is speaking of tribulation
that comes upon all men. It is not the amount of trouble we have that
makes us what we are. It is our attitude toward that darkness. We must
use that time of darkness to make us better appreciate the Light. The
time of darkness makes us remember how wonderful the Light is. If we
had light all the time, we would not appreciate the Light.  There is
physical darkness, and there is spiritual darkness. I believe this
Scripture is speaking of both. Solomon, again, feels that man has
little control over the times of darkness and light. He does have
control; of his own attitude about that darkness.

     Ecclesiastes 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."

     In the book of Proverbs, Solomon went into great detail about the
conduct of a young man. He explained that his mother and father had
taught him well in this matter. Young people are supposed to enjoy
their youth, but they are, also, apt to get themselves in trouble.
They must control their desires, to avoid sinning against God. Youth
do not have the problems that older people do. Older people are
already in the process of making a living and meeting the bills for
the family. Youth, who follows the call of his flesh, will bring
himself into the judgement of God, because of the sins he commits. It
is best to let the Spirit of God teach and direct your life from an
early age, to avoid much sin.

     Ecclesiastes 11:10 "Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and
put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity."

     Children and youth make a lot of mistakes. They are not trained
in the school of experience. II Timothy 2:22 "Flee also youthful
lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that
call on the Lord out of a pure heart."  I Corinthians 13:11 "When I
was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as
a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." As
never before, the youth of our generation should follow after their
spirit, and not their flesh. Lust of the flesh is not only sin in the
sight of God, but today can, also, get you exposed to A.I.D.S. In this
sense, the warning above is physical, as well as spiritual.





















                       Ecclesiastes 13 Questions


1.  Cast thy bread upon the ___________.
2.  What does that expression mean?
3.  When you give to those in need, you are giving to _______.
4.  Quote Psalms chapter 112 verse 9.
5.  Quote Luke chapter 6 verse 38.
6.  What is verse 2 saying?
7.  Quote Psalms chapter 41 verse 1.
8.  What causes the clouds, full of rain, to empty themselves upon the
    earth?
9.  Who is verse 4 describing?
10. The spirit, in verse 5, is like the _______
11. The things mentioned in verse 5, are ____________ of God.
12. ________ is the Creator of life.
13. What do we realize every time a new baby is born?
14. Sex occurs to _________ ______.
15. Two men having personal relations is ___________.
16. Verse 6 says, sow _________ in the __________.
17. Do not _________ half-way through the job.
18. In verse 7, the light is spoken of as being ________.
19. It could, also, be speaking of what?
20. Quote 1 John chapter 1 verses 5 and 7.
21. Why is it necessary to have darkness?
22. What book, in the Bible, is about the conduct of the young man?
23. The youth that follows his flesh has what happen?
24. Why do the youth make so many mistakes?
25. Quote 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 22.
26. Quote 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 11.
27. What are some of the dangers today, that go with lust of the
    flesh?