There was once an elderly gentleman who loved playing golf. But he was almost eighty, and his vision was not very good anymore. He always had partners with him when he went out to play so they could watch his ball and tell him where it went. One day his buddies did not show up. It was a beautiful day for golf, and as he waited at the clubhouse he got more and more upset that he wasn’t going to get to play his round. Another elderly man in the clubhouse saw him and asked, “What’s wrong?” The man explained his predicament: “I was really looking forward to playing golf today. But I don’t see very well anymore, so I need someone to watch the ball after I hit.” The second man was even older than he was, but he said, “That’s no problem. I’ll be glad to ride around with you. I’ve got 20/20 vision. I can see like a hawk. You just hit the ball, and I’ll watch it fly right down the fairway.” So they went out on the first tee, and the old man hit the ball right down the center. He turned to his spotter. “Did you see it?” The man replied, “I saw it all the way until it stopped rolling.” “Well, where did it go?” The older man paused for a moment and then said, “I forgot.”
That just goes to show that even the best-laid plans don’t always work out – a message that we have seen over and over throughout the Book of Ecclesiastes. So how are we to live in the face of the uncertainly of life? That’s the question that Qoheleth answers at the beginning of Chapter 11. And I think that the answer certainly surprised his readers. And perhaps it will surprise us as well. Since we’re only covering 8 verses this morning, let’s stand and read them out loud together:
1 Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days. 2 Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, For you do not know what evil will be on the earth. 3 If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie. 4 He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap. 5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. 6 In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good. 7 Truly the light is sweet, And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun; 8 But if a man lives many years And rejoices in them all, Yet let him remember the days of darkness, For they will be many. All that is coming is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 11:1-8 (NKJV)
In many ways, this is one of the easiest passages to understand in the entire book of Ecclesiastes. The thoughts all seem to be related to each other and to a common theme. But there is still some room for a variety of interpretations that depend almost entirely on what the author meant in verse 1. There are basically three schools of thought regarding that verse and this is such a crucial matter that I’m going to take a few moments to examine each one:
Verse 1 – Three Possible Approaches
1. Refers to commercial activity
The verse could accurately be translated something like:
Send out your bread upon the waters…
So some commentators have taken the position that this proverb relates to the overseas trade that took place during Solomon’s reign. According to most of these commentators, bread is not just to be taken literally, but rather to refer to goods in general. So the idea expressed here has to do with engaging in trade with those who are across the sea – commercial activity that would have been quite risky in Solomon’s day.
If one follows that approach, then this passage focuses primarily on financial matters. In that case, verse 2 becomes an admonition to reduce risk by diversifying one’s investments.
To me, there are several problems with that approach. First, it ignores the plain reading of the text. There is nothing in the passage or its surrounding context to lead us to believe that Qoheleth is not referring to literal bread here. The other significant issue is that such a focus on finances and commercial activity doesn’t seem to fit within the overall context of the Book of Ecclesiastes.
2. Refers to taking a chance
The second approach takes a more literal view of the verse. It assumes that the author is picturing taking good bread and casting out into the water. Now I know that a few times when I’ve gone camping I might have done that accidentally, but it is not something I plan to do on a regular basis since I don’t really like soggy bread.
But that’s exactly the point here. The author is using the casting of bread on the water as an illustration of doing something risky that won’t make sense to others who observe what is going on. That idea is certainly consistent with some of the principles that we’ll find in this passage, but I don’t think it was exactly what Qoheleth had in mind.
3. Refers to sowing and reaping
The most likely explanation, in my opinion, is that this takes us back to the banks of the Nile River where every year as the normal spring flooding would begin to subside, the farmers would go out in boats and sow. But notice that it is not seed that they would sow or cast, but rather bread. Without having to do any plowing or other preparation, the farmers would take some of their bread corn and cast it upon the waters. The bread corn was the grain which they used to make their bread, but rather than consuming it all, they would set some of it aside to cast upon the waters. And then later, as the flood waters continued to subside, they would eventually reap a crop of new bread corn.
This is certainly more consistent with the rest of the passage and the frequent references to sowing and reaping than either of the first two alternatives and it also fits the plain reading of the text. So I’m going to use that approach as the basis for the message today. With that in mind, let’s use this passage to help us determine the answer to the question that we posed earlier:
HOW ARE WE TO LIVE IN THE FACE OF UNCERTAINTY?
1. Be patient (v. 1)
1 Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days.
When the farmers along the Nile would sow their bread corn, it would take quite some time before they would see the results of their work. Notice that it would take “many days” before they would see the results of their efforts. They had to be patient.
Unfortunately, we have a tendency to take exactly the opposite approach when we are faced with uncertainty. We want results and we want them now. We’ve become what I refer to as the “24” culture where Jack Bauer can protect our country from terrorists and bring everything to a nice tidy conclusion in only a 24 hour period. But in the real world, things don’t usually work out quite that neatly.
2. Be generous (vv. 1, 2)
2 Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, For you do not know what evil will be on the earth.
Because this principle runs so contrary to our natural tendencies when we face uncertain times in our lives, I’m going to focus a good deal of my time on it this morning.
Our natural tendency in the light of uncertainty is to hoard our resources in order to protect our own interests. But the Bible instructs us to do just the opposite – to be generous with others. Both verses 1 and 2 emphasize that principle. In verse 1, we are instructed to “cast” or to “send”, not to “keep” or to “store”. Notice that the farmer could not consume all his bread corn himself as he would be left with nothing to sow. And in verse 2 we are instructed to “give”. In that verse, Qoheleth employs a common Hebrew literary construction when he instructs his readers to give to “seven and also to eight.” Remember that seven is the Hebrew number that indicates something that is complete, like seven days in a week. And then the number eight is intended to picture something that is even beyond that which is complete. So the idea here is that when we face uncertainty, we are to give completely and then even beyond that. In other words, we are to give generously. That is a principle that is confirmed in both the Old and the New Testament.
Qoheleth and his readers certainly would have been familiar with this Proverb:
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:24, 25 (NIV)
Jesus also spoke often about the importance of giving generously and the New Testament writers, especially Paul, reinforced this principle. So I think that most of us know, at least in our head, that we are to be generous. But how many of us really take to heart these words of Jesus and put them into practice?
Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ lend to ’sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Luke 6:30-35 (NIV)
Most of us don’t have a problem giving to those that our close to us – family, friends and fellow believers. But Jesus took it a step further. We are even to give to those who are enemies – both our enemies as well as those who are enemies of the Kingdom of God.
I have to be real honest with you this morning. This passage has been very convicting to me. Several months ago when I became really concerned that the actions our government was taking might very well cause some significant long-term financial problems for our country, I thought about how I ought to respond to that uncertainty. And so I’ve been considering how I could prepare for what might be coming down the road.
My thought, up until I read this passage this week, is that Mary and I ought to begin stockpiling some basic provisions – food, water and other necessities. And then, in order to make sure that I could protect against others who might come and try to take those things from me if things get really bad, I would also go out and buy some guns.
But that is exactly the kind of thinking that this passage is teaching against. In the light of uncertainty, I am to be a giver, not a hoarder. And here is what really pierced to the core of my heart this week. In his commentary on Ecclesiastes titled A Table in the Midst, Jeffrey Meyers wrote these penetrating words:
And if you want to store food and stuff at your home, fine, but do not run off with it when the crisis begins. Stay in your neighborhood and pass it out.
When I read those words, it was as if Mr. Meyers was reading my mind. And I realized I needed to make some radical changes in my thinking and my actions.
There is no doubt that we live in uncertain times. But in the face of that uncertainty, we are to be givers, not hoarders. I could easily spend the rest of our time this morning just on this point. And it is such a key that maybe I should. But let me leave you with this one last verse from Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus:
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
Ephesians 4:28 (NIV)
The reason we are to work hard is not to accumulate a bunch of stuff for ourselves, but so that we might have something to share with those in need.
Let me point out one last thing about this principle, and the ones to follow. Qoheleth is not just dealing with our money and possessions here. We also need to be generous with our time and our talent, investing in the lives of people and making disciples, just as Jesus commanded.
3. Be trusting (vv. 3-5)
3 If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie. 4 He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap. 5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
Once again, Qoheleth reinforces the idea that there is so much of life that is out of our control. We can’t keep the clouds from producing rain when they become saturated. And we can’t cause a tree to fall to the ground where we want it to go. He also reminds his readers once again that there is no way they are going to figure out God. Life is indeed uncertain and uncontrollable.
For many people that uncertainty tends to lead to paralysis in their lives. Since they don’t know what life is going to bring, they tend to just sit there and do nothing. They are a lot like this farmer I read about this week.
A Georgia farmer was sitting out on the steps of his tumbledown house. A stranger stopped by for a drink from the farmer’s well and asked: “How’s your cotton coming along?”
The farmer replied: “Ain’t got none.”
The stranger asked, “Did you plant any?” “Nope,” said the farmer, “Afraid of boll weevils.”
The stranger then asked, “Well, then, how’s your corn?” “Didn’t plant no corn either. Afraid there weren’t gonna be enough rain.”
The stranger persisted. “How are your potatoes?” “Didn’t plant none. Scared of potato bugs.”
The stranger was now frustrated. He asked, “Well, what did you plant?” The farmer said, “Nothing. I just played it safe.”
That’s a pretty good illustration of how many of us live our lives. In the face of all this uncertainty, we don’t do anything. Qoheleth addresses that attitude with a healthy dose of sarcasm in verse 4. I’ve always loved the way the Living Bible renders this verse. Although it is a paraphrase, it certain captures the essence of this verse:
If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.
Too many of us suffer from the paralysis of analysis. We spend all of our time planning and watching and waiting for the conditions to become just right and we never quite get around to executing our plans. How many times in your life have you told yourself that you would get around to doing something as soon as your circumstances change?
• I’ll pay of my debts just as soon as I get that promotion.
• I’ll restore the relationship with my family just as soon as they make the first move
• We’ll quit just living together and get married as soon as I finish school or get that new job.
• We’ll have kids as soon as the economy gets better
• We’ll start giving to meet the needs of others as once we take care of our own needs first.
The problem is that we’re so busy looking around at the circumstances and waiting for them to change that we don’t have time to just trust God. Frankly, much of what the Bible commands us to do really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to most of the world, or even to us. When uncertainty is rampant, it doesn’t make sense to give to others rather than hoard for ourselves. And the only way we’re able to do that is to trust God.
But I’ve seen even believers who sincerely want to do the will of God get so paralyzed with the fear that they aren’t going to do the right thing that they just won’t make a decision. I think that is because we’ve been misled about what it means to do the will of God.
In our lives, we have two types of choices that we have to make. I like to refer to them as:
• Right and wrong choices
These are moral choices where one choice leads to righteousness and one choice leads to sin. Frankly it’s pretty easy to know God’s will regarding these choices because He has revealed it in His Word. We may need to pray and ask God to help hold fast to His Word and pursue righteousness in these decisions, but we sure don’t need to ask Him to reveal His will since He has already done it in His written Word.
• Right and left choices
These are decisions in our lives where we have to choose among options that are all morally right. Things like what job should I take, or where should I go to college, or which restaurant should we go to. In those cases, God Is not obligated to reveal His will to us and frankly in most cases He doesn’t.
Far too often, Christians are looking for some kind of insider information so that we can get a guaranteed deal or so we can blame God if things don’t work out.
I’m obviously not saying that we shouldn’t pray and ask for God’s direction. But we also have to avoid the position that many believers put themselves into where they just won’t make a decision until they get some kind of a sign from God. And even then, they still won’t act until they get another sign.
I’m convinced that if we really love God and are following after Him that in most of these cases, we need to simply make a decision and follow through with it based on what we want to do. I know that sounds pretty radical, but I think there is adequate Scriptural support for it:
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
That verse is not saying, as some people try to use it, that you can just ask God for anything you want and He’ll give it to you. Instead, it says that if you really delight in God, that He’ll put His desires in your heart. And when that happens, you just need to make a decision based on those desires and follow through with it.
4. Be persistent (v. 6)
6 In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.
Once again we are reminded that we are completely unable to control the outcome of our work. Sometimes we work really hard at something and it never seems to come to fruition and other times only a little effort will bring great success. And much of the time it really doesn’t seem to make much sense why some of our efforts produce much fruit and others don’t.
So our natural reaction might be to just get frustrated and give up altogether. But we’re commanded here to do just the opposite. Rather than giving up we are to persist in our efforts. Qoheleth tells his readers to work day and night because they don’t know which of their efforts will pan out. This is a case where the old adage – throw enough mud against the wall and some of it will stick – seems to actually be Biblical.
Inherent in this principle, however, is the truth that it is God, and God alone, who determines the ultimate outcome of our efforts. When some of the members of the church in Corinth got into a spat about who was greater, Paul or Apollos, Paul put that argument in its proper context:
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
1 Corinthians 3:7 (NIV)
Paul is reinforcing here what we already saw in verse 5. We don’t know the ways of God, whether it is his work of creating the wind or of creating a new life in the womb. And even where we can have some influence in those processes, ultimately God is the one who is responsible for the results.
But even though we may not understand God and His ways, that is not an excuse for idleness. No parent understands precisely how a baby is formed in the womb. But they still don’t just sit idly by and let the baby fend for himself or herself. They have to expend effort day and night, doing what is prudent and wise, both before and after the birth. But ultimately they still have to trust in God and depend upon Him to create and grow that child.
5. Be joyful (vv. 7, 8)
7 Truly the light is sweet, And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun; 8 But if a man lives many years And rejoices in them all, Yet let him remember the days of darkness, For they will be many. All that is coming is vanity.
This may be the hardest part of this passage to understand, especially verse 8. Although some other translations are a bit more helpful, the last part of verse 8 could accurately be translated something like this:
Let him remember the days of darkness [referring to death], for they will be many, [by contrast] all the days to come [in this life on earth] will be hebel. [vapor, breath, mist].
Qoheleth is merely trying to contrast life and death here and to make the point that since life here on earth “under the sun” is brief, we need to rejoice in every day that God allows us to wake up and experience the light of day.
Here is the bottom line this morning in just three words:
TAKE A RISK!
Overall that is the theme of this passage. In light of the uncertainly we face, our natural tendency is to withdraw and to try and protect that which we already have. But in fact, we are to do just the opposite. We need to take a risk to sow into the lives of others, to be generous with our time, talent and treasure, to make a decision and work hard and trust God for the results, and to enjoy whatever days God gives us on this earth.
