Ecclesiastes 12:10 Commentary and Bible Study

Even though he wrote by inspiration, the Preacher did not receive ready-made sentences from heaven by dictation. Instead, the inspiration of Scripture involved him using his mind to its full extent, carefully about what he was going to write and studying his subject with all his ability. He had to search for words that were suitable, acceptable. The idea of pleasing or delightful cannot be that Solomon constructed words that would please his hearers in their fallen state. Many times he had hard things to say which would have been unwelcome to the flesh. How much consideration did the Preacher give to not causing offence? Probably very little; he wanted to win his hearers but he knew that his message would do no good if it was never at risk of bringing his hearers under conviction. The things that unregenerate man needs to hear from God will undoubtedly cause offence unless the Spirit subdues his pride and rebellion. The word is ‘pleasing’ in the sense that Solomon’s instruction was well fitted to its purpose, that it pleased its author, that it hit the nail on the head, that it was constructed in such a way as to have the desired effect on its readers, and that it pleased its hearers when they understood and submitted to the message. How careful we have to be with our words. They are like the sculptor’s chisel which cuts away just the right amount of stone to create the intended shape. They lead the mind into places that it has not been before and so they are like the hand that guides the blind. But Solomon was not writing for himself or for the people of his day alone, but for the entire history of the world. How could even Solomon, with all his wisdom, have chosen words fit to be included in Scripture unless he had been overruled by Holy Spirit? We cannot anticipate what God is going to say? How great a privilege it was to be a human author of Scripture. At the end of his work he had no doubt that what he had written was true, not just in the limited sense in which men may tell the truth, but in the sense that God’s word is true. Did Solomon know that his words were inspired? If those that followed him knew, then unquestionably he knew as well. Therefore he rejoiced to have been used by God especially after having departed so seriously from the way of obedience during his lifetime.