Ecclesiastes 11: observations
Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. 2Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. 3If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. 4He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. 5Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.6Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
Mysteries of God. 1) investing, giving, or letting go of resources actually brings reward--although it is delayed. Eventually it will find you. Don't believe in karma, although I do believe that you will reap what you sow. It is a mystery because we do not see how the gift comes back to us.
2) God's creativity is beyond our understanding, regardless of how much we can measure it and observe it.
3) Those who do not sow or reap will not benefit from the rain or from the harvest.
4) Timing is important, but hard work is even better.
7The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun. 8Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.
I am starting to wonder if Solomon's emphasis on "futility" and "vanity" is his way of saying "don't worry." As in v. 8, rejoice in the light and remember the dark. Everything else, don't worry about it.
9Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. 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. 10So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.
This does not communicate well to me. I have always considered that the youth should measure their days and choose paths that do not lead to judgment. Maybe Solomon is saying that all paths lead to some kind of judgment. Therefore enjoy the life that God has given. This seems to be one of Solomon's main themes: enjoy the life that God has given. Do not let worry or pain keep you from enjoying the gifts of God.
Mysteries of God. 1) investing, giving, or letting go of resources actually brings reward--although it is delayed. Eventually it will find you. Don't believe in karma, although I do believe that you will reap what you sow. It is a mystery because we do not see how the gift comes back to us.
2) God's creativity is beyond our understanding, regardless of how much we can measure it and observe it.
3) Those who do not sow or reap will not benefit from the rain or from the harvest.
4) Timing is important, but hard work is even better.
7The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun. 8Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.
I am starting to wonder if Solomon's emphasis on "futility" and "vanity" is his way of saying "don't worry." As in v. 8, rejoice in the light and remember the dark. Everything else, don't worry about it.
9Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. 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. 10So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.
This does not communicate well to me. I have always considered that the youth should measure their days and choose paths that do not lead to judgment. Maybe Solomon is saying that all paths lead to some kind of judgment. Therefore enjoy the life that God has given. This seems to be one of Solomon's main themes: enjoy the life that God has given. Do not let worry or pain keep you from enjoying the gifts of God.
Labels: Ecclesiastes
posted by Randy Rogers at
11:02 AM
2 Comments:
"4He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. 5Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.6Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good"
Not being fairly acquainted with the weather regimen in Jerusalem at that time may do as much to hinder our application of this passage as anything else.
My father always prepped the rows in the morning after dew was dry and then planted in the afternoon after the powdered soil was topped with a 1/2"-1" dry layer to cover the seed bed, this seemed to help the seed germinate a little quicker and more uniformly for environmental and biological(agronomic) reasons. Around here, if you are broadcast planting as they did in Sol's time then 'watching the wind' which could mean waiting for it to stop, you might not get a timely planting and thereby lose the crop.
Many a time I went into the field to plow only to be driven home by a sudden downpour, on the other hand many times I went to the field and plowed for hours in the face of what looked like imminent stormweather.
It helps to be a bit back-wards-oops-er-I-mean-woodsy I hope.
I think Sol might have been referring to an old adage I hear around here which goes "If you are trying to predict the weather you are either a fool or new to the country!"
Thanks, Robert. I didn't see it in that light. When I'm staring at the clouds, I'm looking at a lazy day. However, you point about waiting until the time is right is well taken.
So, the one who waits until everything is perfect will never get any work done. Either interpretation, laziness or insecurity, will lead to the same end: no sowing, and thus no reaping.
I think you interp makes more sense in the overall passage. We don't know God's plans--so we can only enjoy our current situation and do our best. Sow where you are--and see what comes out of it!
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