The Truth in Print Vol. 24 Issue 2, Mar. 2018
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website
Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
From Youth through the
Prime of Life (Eccl. 11:9-12:1)
There are Degrees of
Progression of “Age” in this Text
The NKJV reads: *Key words
underlined and referenced are mine.
Ecc 11:9 Rejoice, O young man
(H970), in your youth (H3208), And let your heart cheer you in the
days of your youth (H979); 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.
Ecc 11:10 Therefore remove sorrow
from your heart, And put away evil from your flesh, For childhood (H3208)
and youth (H7839) are vanity.
Ecc 12:1 Remember now your Creator
in the days of your youth (H979), Before the difficult days come, And
the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them":
The NASB reads: *Key words
underlined and referenced are mine.
Ecc 11:9 Rejoice, young man (H970),
during your childhood (H3208), and let your heart be pleasant during the
days of young manhood (H979). And follow the impulses of your heart and the
desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all
these things.
Ecc 11:10 So, remove grief and
anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood
(H3208) and the prime of life (H7839) are fleeting.
Ecc 12:1 Remember also your Creator in the days of
your youth (H979), before the evil days come and the years draw near when
you will say, "I have no delight in them";
Perhaps it is just best to know in 11:9 the definition for “young man”
[H970 bâchûr] - BDB Definition: “1) youth, young man.”
Both youth and the days of or belonging to young manhood are
fleeting.
BDB defines “youth” / “the prime of life” [H7839 shachărûth]
- 1a) blackness (of hair indicating youth).
Not so very long ago as I was getting ready for church one Sunday
morning Wanda said “You’ve got something in your hair.” I checked and it looked
fine. She said, “Well there’s something there.” She looks closely and laughs
for it was gray hair. For most when does the hair change to a lighter color?
Accountability Is Seen
Throughout
Ecc 11:9 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.
What Are Those in Youth
Doing that is Right in Verse 9?
REJOICING. “Rejoicing” [H8055 śâmach]
Strong’s: probably to brighten up, that is, (figuratively) be (causatively
make) blithe or gleesome: - cheer up, be (make) glad, (have make) joy (-ful),
be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, X very.
There’s a main reason for this:
1) Psa 19:8 The precepts of the
LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
2) Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is
clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous
altogether.
3) Psa. 119:128 Therefore I esteem
right all Your precepts concerning everything, I hate every false way.
This “Stage” Is Not
Filled With Doubt and Dissatisfaction
Think “mental” here for a minute.
Life is not gloomy; anxiety is not always taking over.
Life is Not Mostly
Filled with Unhappiness Here
You have the answers the world despises but no one is happier in the
right kind of way. They are rejoicing and God’s wisdom makes them rejoice the
hearts of others as well:
1) Pro_23:24 The father of the
righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in
him.
2) Pro_23:25 Let your father and
your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.
3) Pro_10:1 The proverbs of
Solomon. A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish son is a grief to his
mother.
When children are not righteous there is no lasting satisfaction for the
Christian. If they never obey the gospel that is always in the background. One
sister in Christ explained her answer to a family member who needed
transportation. Paraphrasing her reply: “What if I buy you one and you have a
wreck and kill yourself? You haven’t obeyed the gospel yet.” That happens.
Just the tell the truth about someone’s child dying as a young adult and
being lost, and see if someone doesn’t accuse you of a lack of sympathy or
compassion!
The truth is you don’t rejoice through them like those who are faithful.
4) Pro_15:20 A wise son makes a
father glad, But a foolish man despises his mother.
5) Pro_29:3 A man who loves wisdom
makes his father glad, But he who keeps company with harlots wastes his wealth.
Some miss the point I think in our initial texts. They explain the first
word “youth” as up to 13 years of age (??). They picture little kids knowing
how to “make some fun” by virtue of their own ingenuity —- like the old adage
“All I had to play with was a stick and a can we were so poor.” Kids like to
mimic their parents in their play — how about not caring about God and Christ’s
church.
Fathers and Mothers Greatly Rejoice
Because the Child is Doing
What They Are In Christ
ARE YOU DOING WHAT YOUR FATHER IS? Are you at church on time with no
excuses and lies that allow for missing a whole lot? Are you not letting civic
clubs and volunteer work interfere with faithfulness? Are you not letting
someone else cause you to be late? If they can’t be ready on time then tell
them you’ll pick them up the next time when they are ready and get yourself to
church on time. That’s called teaching by example! Are you working and giving into the treasury
for the work of the church or freeloading? Some are satisfied in “taking” by
letting others give and thus provide the “spiritual” and important works of the
local church. Do you operate on my parents give enough for me too? Is it time
to grow up and act your age like others in supporting the church? Do you count “both”
you and your mate’s income when giving?
What Are Those in Young
Adulthood Doing That is Right in Verse 9?
LET YOUR HEART BE PLEASING.
Pleasing [H3190 yâṭab] - BDB Definition includes: to be good, be
pleasing, be well, be glad 1a 4) to be pleasing, be pleasing to.
1) Pro 15:13 A merry heart makes a
cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
2) Pro 15:14 The heart of him who
has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
The “face” is an index. God’s Word cheering the heart never fails to
work good. The wise grow wiser. As the years add up you grow old and see some
grow more stupid and still feeding on foolishness (Prov. 9:10).
3) Pro 15:15 All the days of the
afflicted are evil (“bad”), But he who is of a merry heart has a continual
feast.
CONTINUAL FEAST (Pr. 15:15) — “a
fixed state of joy and contentment.” The key to it is the Word of God:
1) Pro 15:16 Better is a little
with the fear of the LORD, Than great treasure with trouble.
2) Pro 15:17 Better is a dinner of
herbs where love is, Than a fatted calf with hatred.
3) Pro 17:22 A merry heart does
good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.
What Are Those in Young
Adulthood to Know?
KNOW THAT FOR ALL THE THINGS DONE
GOD WILL BRING YOU INTO JUDGMENT (Eccl. 11:9).
Whatever you think you’d like to do be certain
it is in accord with God’s Word. Perhaps you too have seen the “Fair attitude”
— Christians who’d rather be at the county fair than in worship and proved it;
weekends out of town only to learn that no church was attended; sports on
Sunday that caused feigning sickness; associating with family that had been
withdrawn from in spite of sound teaching on withdrawal and the individual’s
duty to “not even to eat with such.”
They Must
Remove Whatever Is the Result of Sinful Conduct
REMOVE [H5493 soor, soor]
Strong’s: A primitive root; to turn off
(literally or figuratively): - take (away, off), be without.
You remove those things opposed to “rejoice” and “let your heart cheer
you” to get this joy back in your heart.
SORROW – NASB has “GRIEF AND
ANGER.” Strong’s: “sorrow” [H3708 From H3707] vexation: - anger, grief,
indignation, provocation, sorrow, spite, wrath.
People who love sin love strife because they seek justify self with it
(Pr. 17:19). God’s Word and those who uphold it make them angry; they stay full
of spite and wrath. Evil companions corrupt good morals. What’s the simple
solution? Who is told to do the removing here? The child himself or herself is
accountable to God. Moreover they are able. Sinful relationships abound with
anger and strife. Is anyone as grieved as much as one caught up in fornication?
Can the wrong kind of boyfriend or girlfriend take away one from the church
forever? Did Samson have a happy life?
EVIL - “PAIN FROM YOUR BODY”
(NASB).
When it speaks of removing pain from your body just what do you think
he’s been doing? For one have you ever seen someone who got drunk the night
before and then showed up with a hangover? (cf. Prov. 23:29-35). Do things get
any better as you read verses 29-35?
What Portions of Life
Are Fleeting?
Eccl. 11:10 “...because childhood
and the prime of life are fleeting.”
He didn’t say that these portions of life are empty or useless. He said
just the opposite for those serving God and having Him with them through these
two periods of life that merge together.
ARE FLEETING. I’m not in this group
now. When you get to 60 or so you know that for sure. You think 60-20 = 40, and
40 -20 = 20 and you see your youth. When you are 70 or so there is no doubt
that it was fleeting. You tell others that your life has gone quickly.
Who Is to be Remembered
Throughout?
YOUR CREATOR (Eccl. 12:1)
Think of those who had the opportunity in youth and prime of life and
passed it up. Do you really think that somewhere down the road they’ll all be
baptized or they’ll all come back to the church having left the church? What
happened to them? Arrogance against the truth (and we know it), parties (and we
know it), sexual immoralities (and we know it), the influence of older members
who missed church for trivial things (and we know it), education or training
that lead to good jobs and with the success the world’s influence (and we know
it), a boyfriend or girlfriend who they left the faith for (and we know it), a
marriage where Christ was soon forgotten (and we know it). Other things were
more important to them than hearing God’s warning and desire for them —
trusting in their own hearts they are fools (Pr. 28:26).
Valley Church of Christ
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
(928) 782-5058 ~
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Sunday Services – Classes ~10:00;
Assembly 10:50 am; Evening: 6:00 pm.
Wednesday evening – 7:00 pm
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