Ecclesiastes 11:1-8 Complete Jewish Bible
11 Send your resources out over the seas;
eventually you will reap a return.
2 Divide your merchandise into seven or eight shares,
since you don’t know what disasters may come on the earth.
3 If the clouds are full of rain,
they empty themselves on the earth.
Whether a tree falls toward the north or the south,
the place where the tree falls is where it stays.
4 He who keeps watching the wind will never sow;
he who keeps looking at the clouds will never reap.
5 Just as you don’t know the way of the wind
or how bones grow in a pregnant woman’s womb,
so you don’t know the work of God,
the maker of everything.
6 In the morning, sow your seed;
and don’t slack off until evening;
for you don’t know which sowing will succeed,
this, or that, or if both will do well.
7 Then the light will be sweet,
and it will be a pleasure to see the sun.
8 For if a person lives many years,
let him take joy in them all;
yet remembering that there will be many days of darkness,
that all to come is futile.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Solomon exhorts men to live joyfully and responsibly while at the height of their energy—investing themselves wisely into living their life and making the most of every opportunity, knowing that God will evaluate every aspect of life.
What is the here and now, the hear and know, meaning of Ecclesiastes 11:8?
We should take care of ourselves, not everyday is going to be our very best day choose to honor God, honor Sabbath day, choose to enjoy every day of our lives.
We should not just try to forget the dark days, but to remember the days of darkness. It is from the days of darkness we can learn the most and grow.
In many respects, the days of darkness, the Category 5 days of what feels like all the worst days of our lives in one, brings potential for gratitude for God’s light.
Psalm 139:11-18 Easy-to-Read Version
11 Suppose I wanted to hide from you and said,
“Surely the darkness will hide me.
The day will change to night and cover me.”
12 Even the darkness is not dark to you.
The night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are the same.
13 You formed the way I think and feel.[a]
You put me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because you made me in such a wonderful way.
I know how amazing that was!
15 You could see my bones grow as my body took shape,
hidden in my mother’s womb.[b]
16 You could see my body grow each passing day.[c]
You listed all my parts, and not one of them was missing.
17 Your thoughts are beyond my understanding.[d]
They cannot be measured!
18 If I could count them, they would be more than all the grains of sand.
But when I finished, I would have just begun.[e]
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God?
How vast is the sum of them?
If I should live long enough to count them, they are far far more than the sand.
I awake, from my category 5 darkest moments and I am still with you and you are still with me, I discover that above even the greatest distractions, tumults of living my life, You are above them, You are bigger than them, give us Your rest.
IF I will, would, should, could, whether I want to or need to or not … honor God, honor His Sabbath and accept the day of His rest … it will go very well with me!
Isaiah 58:13-14 English Standard Version
13 “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath,
from doing your pleasure[a] on my holy day,
and call the Sabbath a delight
and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
or seeking your own pleasure,[b] or talking idly;[c]
14 then you shall take delight in the Lord,
and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;[d]
I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Can you explain .01% the meaning of Ecclesiastes 11:8?
This verse, like much of the Book of Ecclesiastes, is laden with profound wisdom and existential reflection.
To fully grasp its meaning, we must examine the context of the verse within the broader narrative of Ecclesiastes and the theological and philosophical themes it addresses.
The Book of Ecclesiastes, traditionally attributed to King Solomon, is a unique piece of wisdom literature in the Old Testament.
It grapples with the complexities and apparent contradictions of human existence.
The author, often referred to as “the Teacher” or “Qoheleth,” explores the fleeting nature of life, the pursuit of meaning, and the inevitability of death. Ecclesiastes is characterized by its candid, almost melancholic tone, as it delves into the paradoxes of joy and sorrow, wisdom and folly, and life and death.
Ecclesiastes 11:8 is situated within a passage that encourages a balanced approach to life, recognizing both its joys and its inevitable hardships.
The verse can be divided into two parts:
the first part encourages the enjoyment of life, while the second part serves as a sobering reminder of life’s darker moments.
Enjoying Life
The opening phrase, “However many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all,” underscores a recurring theme in Ecclesiastes: the importance of finding joy in the present moment.
This exhortation to enjoy life is not a call to hedonism or reckless indulgence, but rather an invitation to appreciate the simple pleasures and blessings that life offers.
Throughout Ecclesiastes, Teacher often emphasizes the value of enjoying the fruits of one’s labor, companionship of loved ones, and the beauty of creation.
For instance, Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 states, “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.”
This perspective is echoed in Ecclesiastes 9:7-9, where the Teacher advises,
“Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days.”
The Teacher’s counsel to enjoy life is rooted in the recognition that our time on earth is limited and unpredictable.
By encouraging us to embrace joy, the Teacher is not dismissing the reality of suffering but rather advocating for a balanced perspective that acknowledges both the good and the bad.
Remembering the Days of Darkness
The second part of the verse, “But let them remember the days of darkness, for there will be many,” serves as a poignant reminder of the inevitability of suffering and the transient nature of life.
The “days of darkness” can be interpreted in several ways.
They may refer to periods of hardship, grief, and loss that are an inescapable part of the human experience. Alternatively, they could symbolize the ultimate darkness of death, which casts a shadow over all our earthly endeavors.
The Teacher’s acknowledgment of the “days of darkness” is a recurring theme in Ecclesiastes.
In Ecclesiastes 7:2-4, he writes, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.”
Here, Teacher suggests that facing forward, confronting the reality of death and suffering can lead to greater wisdom and a deeper appreciation of life.
By urging us to remember the days of darkness, the Teacher is not advocating for a pessimistic or fatalistic outlook.
Rather, he is encouraging a realistic and mature understanding of life that embraces both its joys and its sorrows. This balanced perspective can help us to wisely navigate the complexities of existence with greater resilience and grace.
Finding Meaning in the Midst of Meaninglessness
While Ecclesiastes often emphasizes the futility of earthly endeavors, it also contains glimpses of hope and wisdom that point us toward a more enduring source of meaning.
The Teacher acknowledges the limitations of human understanding and the mysteries of God’s purposes.
In Ecclesiastes 3:11, he writes,
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
This verse suggests that while we may not fully comprehend the divine plan, there is a sense of eternity and transcendence that God has placed within us.
Our seeking, our searching, our exploration, our discovery of that longing for meaning and our awareness of life’s fleeting nature can lead us to seek a deeper relationship with God, who is our only ultimate source of wisdom and purpose.
Moreover, the Teacher concludes the book with a summons to reverence and obedience to God.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, he writes, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
This final exhortation underscores the importance of kingdom living a life that is grounded in faith, hope, trust and obedience to God. While the pursuits and pleasures of this world may be fleeting and ultimately unsatisfying, a life lived in reverence to God holds the promise of eternal significance and fulfillment.
Conclusion
Ecclesiastes 11:8, with its dual emphasis on enjoying life and remembering the days of darkness, encapsulates the paradoxical wisdom of the Teacher.
It covenants us to HUG, fully embrace the joys of life with gratitude while maintaining a sober awareness of life’s inevitable hardships and the transient nature of our earthly existence.
By acknowledging, recognizing the limitations of worldly pursuits and seeking a deeper relationship with God, we can go forth, to explore, discover, pray, find an enduring meaning and purpose in the midst of life’s Category 5 complexities.
As we reflect on this verse and the broader message of Ecclesiastes, we are now reminded of the importance of living with both joy and wisdom, embracing the present moment while keeping our eyes fixed on the eternal. In doing so, we can try to navigate the paradoxes of life with greater resilience, grace, and hope.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 92 English Standard Version
How Great Are Your Works
A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.
92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me[a] fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 