Transcript

Introduction

Today is Poetry Thursday, and we’ll finish the book of Ecclesiastes by reading chapters 11-12. 

And I hope you’ll forgive me, but today I am just going to run a repeat of last year’s episode for this reading. As I record this, it’s about 8:30 at night, which means there is only 90 minutes before the show is due to publish, and this is the first chance I’ve had to be in the studio all day, which is highly unusual. So there is no time to produce a new episode for you today. The first thing this morning, I got a call from Del that Kathi was on the way to the Emergency Room. I won’t go into all the details, but suffice to say that she has been checked into Loma Linda University Medical Center with internal bleeding. We’ll know tomorrow. And then the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I had to go out today to do our weekly rounds for the family business. Long story short, this is one of just a very small number of episodes this season that will be a repeat. 

Pray for Kathi, and I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks for your understanding. 

Wrapping Up Ecclesiastes

Chapter 11 began with a message that would not come from an old, jaded, cynical Scrooge-type man.

He started with the advice that you should be generous with those in need, because your giving is like a farmer sowing grain. It will yield a return. And if you have the ability now, you never know when your fortunes may change and you may need someone else’s generosity.

And then Solomon advised that the young should enjoy their youth, keeping in mind that God will be the judge of all that we do. So we should avoid evil.

Chapter 12 says the young should keep the Creator in mind, because in our old age life becomes difficult. Our senses dull and our bodies become weak. And ultimately, we die.

And at the very end of the chapter and the book, Solomon refers to himself in the third person and calls himself the Preacher. And he says that after observing all that he could, he wrote down the best words that he could; words of truth. Words that could hold you steady in the storms of life. Words that were given by God. 

Solomon’s Conclusion

And his conclusion was this: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Because God will judge every work, every act, whether good or evil.

The Key to Lasting Happiness and Peace

Beloved, the only true and lasting happiness and peace is found in knowing God and pleasing Him. Anything apart from that will only bring emptiness, heartbreak, spiritual bankruptcy and ultimately eternal separation from God. And as Christians, we know that the only way to truly know God is when we have a personal relationship with Jesus. 

Solomon didn’t know Jesus by name, but he came to know that God was his only hope, and I am sure that God credited his account in the same way as He did with Abraham because of that faith.

My Discovery

I’ll be 67 years old in a few weeks, and even though I have not lived my life with the same privileges as Solomon did, my experiences have taught me the same lessons. When I have gone my own way, veering from the path that I knew God would want me to travel, I have always found nothing but emptiness and sadness. It is only when I cling tightly to Him that I find that unshakeable peace, that joy which is independent of my circumstances, that *knowing* that everything will be alright.

Abundant Life

I hope you have found that marvelous truth in your own life. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” That is what God wants for you. And so do I.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 11-12 NKJV

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Transcript

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INTRO S12E330 – 0:00
Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today is Poetry Thursday. And we’ll finish the book of Ecclesiastes by reading chapters 11 and 12.

And I hope you’ll forgive me, but today I’m going to run a repeat of last year’s episode for this reading. As I record this, it’s about 8:30 at night, which means there’s only about 90 minutes before the show was due to publish, and this is the first chance I’ve had to be in the studio all day long, which is very unusual. So the bottom line is, there’s no time to produce a new episode for you today. You’re saying, Steve, why what happened? Well, the first thing this morning, I got a call from Del that Kathi was on the way to the emergency room. I’m not going to go into details. But suffice to say that she has been checked into Loma Linda University Medical Center, which is closer to their home than City of Hope is and she has internal bleeding. We’ll know tomorrow, what exactly is going on. And then the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I had to go out today and do our weekly rounds for the family business. Long story short, this is just one of a very small number of episodes this season that will be a repeat. Pray for Kathi, and I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you for your understanding. And now here’s the episode. God bless you. Thank you for being here.

TEASER – 1:24
Knowing that everything will be all right.

INTRO S11E330 – 1:38
Lifespring Family Audio Bible episode number 330. This is the daily podcast where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. I’m Steve Webb. I’m your host. How are you? Are you doing well today? I hope so. We’re going to finish the book of Ecclesiastes today by reading chapters 11 and 12.

OPENING PRAYER – 1:58
Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for the senses you gave us to experience the world around us. We thank you for loving us and for giving us your word that we might know you. Above all, we thank you for your son, and the salvation he offers to all that will accept. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.

All right, let’s go.

ECCLESIASTER 11 (NKJV) – 2:23
Ecclesiastes, chapter 11.

(1) Cast your bread upon the waters,
For you will find it after many days.
(2) Give a serving to seven, and also to eight,
For you do not know what evil will be on the earth.

(3) 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.
(4) He who observes the wind will not sow,
And he who regards the clouds will not reap.

(5) 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.
(6) 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.

(7) Truly the light is sweet,
And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun;
(8) But if a man lives many years
And rejoices in them all,
Yet let him remember the days of darkness,
For they will be many.
All that is coming is vanity.

(9) Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,
And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth;
Walk in the ways of your heart,
And in the sight of your eyes;
But know that for all these
God will bring you into judgment.
(10) Therefore remove sorrow from your heart,
And put away evil from your flesh,
For childhood and youth are vanity.

ECCLESIASTES 12 (NKJV) – 3:54
Ecclesiastes, chapter 12.

(1) Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come,
And the years draw near when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”:
(2) While the sun and the light,
The moon and the stars,
Are not darkened,
And the clouds do not return after the rain;
(3) In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
And the strong men bow down;
When the grinders cease because they are few,
And those that look through the windows grow dim;
(4) When the doors are shut in the streets,
And the sound of grinding is low;
When one rises up at the sound of a bird,
And all the daughters of music are brought low.
(5) Also they are afraid of height,
And of terrors in the way;
When the almond tree blossoms,
The grasshopper is a burden,
And desire fails.
For man goes to his eternal home,
And the mourners go about the streets.

(6) Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
(7) Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

(8) “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“All is vanity.”

(9) And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs. (10) The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. (11) The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. (12) And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.

(13) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
(14) For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.

COMMENTS – 6:04
Chapter 11 began with a message that would not come from an old, jaded, cynical Scrooge-type fella that Solomon has sounded like during much of this book.

He started chapter 11, with the advice that you should be generous with those in need, because you’re giving is like a farmer sowing grain, it will yield a return. And if you have the ability, now, you never know when your fortunes may change, and you may need someone else’s generosity.

And then Solomon advised that the young should enjoy their youth, keeping in mind that God will be the judge of all that we do so we should avoid evil.

Chapter 12 says that the young should keep the creator in mind, because in our old age, life becomes difficult. Our senses dull, and our bodies become weak. And ultimately, we die.

And at the very end of the chapter in the book, Solomon refers to himself in the third person and calls himself The Preacher. And he says that after observing all that he could, he wrote down the best words that he could, words of truth, words that could hold you steady in the storms of life, words that were given by God.

And his conclusion was this: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Because God will judge every work, every act, whether good or evil.

Beloved, the only true and lasting happiness in peace is found in knowing God and pleasing Him. Anything apart from that will only bring emptiness, heartbreak, spiritual bankruptcy, and ultimately, eternal separation from God. And as Christians, we know that the only way to truly know God is when we have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Solomon didn’t know Jesus by name, but he came to know that God was his only hope. And I’m sure that God credited his account in the same way as he did with Abraham because of that faith.

In a few weeks, I’m going to be 67 years old. And even though I’ve not lived my life with the same privileges as Solomon did, my experiences have taught me the same lessons. When I’ve gone my own way, veering from the path that I knew God would want me to travel. I’ve always found nothing but emptiness and sadness. It’s only when I cling tightly to him, that I find that unshakable peace, that joy, which is independent of my circumstances, that knowing that everything will be alright.

I hope you found that marvelous truth in your own life. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” That is what God wants for you, Beloved, and so do I. I invite your comments. Write to me at st***@*************ia.com.

OUTRO S12E330 – 8:58
Our reading tomorrow will be the book of Malachi.

Until then, may God bless you richly. I’m Steve Webb.

Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Corrected by Denise