Ecclesiastes 12:11 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Ecclesiastes 12:11

Comments

How much words matter and how beneficial are the words of those whose hearts are full of wisdom. Those around them benefit from the overflow of their hearts in the form of words calculated to do good. The wise here are of course, as always in this book, those who possess spiritual wisdom. Their words are first of all compared to goads or pricks that urge on reluctant cattle. They need to be prodded to keep them moving because they are inclined to stop and feed by the way and forget that they are on a journey. They need to be prevented from turning aside to every distraction, by one who remembers better than them the direction they should go in and how soon they need to reach their goal. The words of the masters of the assemblies are like well-driven nails, fastened securely to hold a truth in place. From the beginning of the world, God’s people have met together in assemblies and from the start the Lord has provided teachers to instruct them in the knowledge of God. Truths have a natural relation to other truths and the words of the wise are good to arrange them before us and to construct a whole systematic theology. From a securely fixed nail, we may hang items of usefulness and from a securely fixed truth, we may hang other ideas and arrange a whole structure of thought in our minds. We take for granted our most basic assumptions about the world, but the words of the wise help us to put them in place. We can hardly receive a more precious gift. How much words matter; how precious is the gift of language. With what skill are they used by someone who is an expert in handling them.But behind this multiplicity of teachers is one teacher – the Lord himself, the Shepherd of his people. For all truth is his truth and all true teaching originates from heaven. He is the source of all knowledge and all knowledge centres on him. Knowledge is his gift to his people, a gift without which he knows they cannot follow him, obey him, serve him, worship him.

Application

The preacher has set out acceptable words, but this is a serious message. He has to say we are sinners deserving of death, and yet he has to emphasise it in a way that makes it acceptable. The words of the wise are like goads, or spurs and spikes. He has shown us God’s mercy in overlooking the years we have ignored him. But he has done it in a way that is like a spur to a horse, in order to get us to repent, to make us see how important this is and how desperate we are if we do not repent. The lost need urgent goading to remind them of the cost of not finding forgiveness and salvation from the Lord and the danger of losing their souls, because by nature the dead soul will not stir itself and will linger in Sodom until destruction comes from the Lord. Remember your Creator as soon as you can. You are like one in a quicksand who needs to use his arms to get hold of a rope. God can still save you, but already a significant part of your life has been spent in futility. Do not let life be taken away by short term pursuits. Seek him and humble yourself before him, and none of the troubles spoken of here will be yours in any degree. He will be yours and you will be his child.

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Ecclesiastes 12:11 Commentary and Bible Study