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THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER VOLUME 3, NUMBER 22, JUNE 29, 2003 “REJOICE, O YOUNG MAN, IN THY YOUTH” One of the most fascinating passages of scripture to me is found in Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:7. It urges the enjoyment of life by the young, when the body is most able to enjoy it, but warns that for everything a person does, he or she must give an answer. Solomon exhorts the young to remember their Creator in the days of their youth, for in the natural way of things the time will come when activity and service must diminish. The passage says, “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. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. 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; while the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 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. 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 music shall be brought low; 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: 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. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” What an interesting description of the aging process and the difficulties it brings! Solomon urges the young to give the Creator the respect and consideration He is due and there is a very good reason why. During the period of youth things of the world can be enjoyed to a greater degree and such enjoyment should always be tempered with a proper regard for the One who made it all. The frailties of age have not yet come. True devotion to God when we are at the height of our physical abilities and mental powers will stay with us in our memory when the years and afflictions that often accompany them come upon us. Verse 2 of chapter 12 compares the sun, moon, stars, and the light they give to the eyes of the human body. Remember, Solomon is urging the readers to be mindful of the Creator while they are young, before the eyes become dim with age. Normally, after a rain, the skies clear and the earth is refreshed. At other times the rain stops but it doesn’t clear, the clouds do not go away. So it is with old age. For the young sorrows and troubles go away after a brief time, but in old age the sorrows keep coming and the troubles and ailments return to cloud the days with pain and anxiety. Verse 3 calls to our attention the fact that as old age comes, many times the hands lose their steadiness, they tremble. Strong men cease to stand quite so erect and proud for the years bend them over. The grinders, or teeth, cease to work as efficiently because they are fewer in number Verse 4 makes a point that is sad but true. It seems that generally speaking, older folks don’t venture out as much, hence, “the doors shall be shut in the streets”. It seems that less food is consumed by those who are older and less work is able to be done. Even the sleeping patterns change for those who are older, according to Solomon. Just the sound of a small bird can awaken them from their light sleeping, and yet the joyous sound of music cannot be as appreciated by the aged because the hearing has deteriorated. Verse 5 points out some additional truths concerning the aging process. Many times older people are afraid of high places, either because of the effort it takes to reach them or their lack of stability once there. Fears of all kinds just seem to be more abundant. The hair turns white, resembling an almond tree in blossom; and the slightest thing, such as a grasshopper, can prove to be a burden. For the aged, death is generally closer, they will go to their “long” or eternal home in just the natural way of things, and it will be up to the mourners to remember them. Verses 6-7 are a poetic description of the time of death. The phrase, “the silver cord be loosed” refers to the time when the body and soul separate. When the “golden bowl “ is broken and the pitcher used to gather water is broken, and the wheel which draws the water at the cistern is broken, physical life ends. The body then deteriorates in the grave while the soul moves on to await its final destination. In keeping with the theme of Ecclesiastes, Solomon is not trying to say that old age is a horrendous time. He is simply making the point that life without God at any age is useless. If the young reject God because they feel they don’t need Him, and place all of their confidence and trust in their physical abilities, they are wasting that glorious time of their life. Solomon is beseeching them to realize that those physical abilities do not last forever and to trust in them is absolute vanity. Indeed, as we all know, Solomon’s conclusion to his search for meaning and happiness in life was simply, “fear God and keep His commandments; for this is the whole of man” (Eccl. 12:13). Greg Litmer
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