Ecclesiastes 11
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6. morning . . . evening--early and late; when young and when old; in sunshine and under clouds.
seed--of godly works ( Hosea 10:12 , 2 Corinthians 9:10 , Galatians 6:7 ).
prosper--( Isaiah 55:10 Isaiah 55:11 ).
both . . . alike--Both the unpromising and the promising sowing may bear good fruit in others; certainly they shall to the faithful sower.
7. light--of life ( Ecclesiastes 7:11 , Psalms 49:19 ). Life is enjoyable, especially to the godly.
8. But while man thankfully enjoys life, "let him remember" it will not last for ever. The "many days of darkness," that is, the unseen world ( Job 10:21 Job 10:22 , Psalms 88:12 ), also days of "evil" in this world ( Ecclesiastes 11:2 ), are coming; therefore sow the good seed while life and good days last, which are not too long for accomplishing life's duties.
All that cometh--that is, All that followeth in the evil and dark days is vain, as far as work for God is concerned ( Ecclesiastes 9:10 ).
9. Rejoice--not advice, but warning. So 1 Kings 22:15 , is irony; if thou dost rejoice (carnally, Ecclesiastes 2:2 , 7:2 , not moderately, as in Ecclesiastes 5:18 ), &c., then "know that . . . God will bring thee into judgment" ( Ecclesiastes 3:17 , 12:14 ).
youth . . . youth--distinct Hebrew words, adolescence or boyhood (before Ecclesiastes 12:13 ), and full-grown youth. It marks the gradual progress in self-indulgence, to which the young especially are prone; they see the roses, but do not discover the thorns, until pierced by them. Religion will cost self-denial, but the want of it infinitely more ( Luke 14:28 ).
10. sorrow--that is, the lusts that end in "sorrow," opposed to "rejoice," and "heart cheer thee" ( Ecclesiastes 11:9 ), Margin, "anger," that is, all "ways of thine heart"; "remove," &c., is thus opposed to "walk in," &c. ( Ecclesiastes 11:9 ).
flesh--the bodily organ by which the sensual thoughts of the "heart" are embodied in acts.
childhood--rather, "boyhood"; the same Hebrew word as the first, "youth" in Ecclesiastes 11:9 . A motive for self-restraint; the time is coming when the vigor of youth on which thou reliest, will seem vain, except in so far as it has been given to God ( Ecclesiastes 12:1 ).
youth--literally, the dawn of thy days.