Today is our Graduate Recognition, and I feel led to share from a passage in Ecclesiastes. This book is believed to have been written by Solomon, since Ecclesiastes 1:1 says that these are “the words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” To get started, I think these words can easily be applied to high school students; “students” being the key term. You see, one interpretation of the Hebrew name “Ecclesiastes” (Qoheleth) is “assembler of students.”(1) So, Solomon here is acting as a teacher instructing his students on how to comprehend and navigate this thing called life. He concludes the book with his observations about the purpose of life; and in his closing remarks we find four words of wisdom that can be applied to high school graduates. That’s why I’ve entitled our message, “Words of Wisdom for Graduates.” So, let’s get started by reading verse 1.
Make Sure You Know God While You Are Young (v. 1)
1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them.”
To “remember your Creator” means to “think about God”(2) and to acknowledge Him. According to commentator Warren Wiersbe, the teacher here is telling his students they need to pay attention to and consider these words with the intention of obeying.(3) And the first word of wisdom is to make sure you know God while you are still young. In his book Generation Next, George Barna says, “About three-quarters of all people who have consciously, intentionally and personally chosen to embrace Jesus Christ as their Savior did so before their eighteenth birthday.”(4) You see, after your teenage years, it becomes more and more difficult to open your mind to hearing and receiving the Word of the Lord; let alone, surrendering your heart and life to Him.
It’s also important to know the Lord before you encounter the difficulties of what you might call grown-up life. When a valedictorian gives a speech at a graduation, he or she will usually talk about how great life is going to be from here on out; but if you take the time to sit down and talk to someone’s who’s been around awhile, most will probably tell you that life comes with challenges and difficulties – and this is not just me being dismal. Wiersbe is a senior citizen, which means he’s lived a little, and here’s what he has to say: “We know the dark days and difficult evil days are coming, so we had better lay a good spiritual foundation as early in life as possible. During our youthful years, the sky is bright, but the time will come when there will be darkness and one storm after another.”(5)
You see, the storms of life will eventually come, and without Jesus by your side you can easily drown in a sea of hardship. Now granted, you may have already endured some challenges as a teenager; but the truth is that life only gets harder and not easier. But, if you take the Lord with you, then you can better endure what lies ahead. Now let’s skip down just a little, and we’ll look at verses 6-7.
Make Sure You Still Know God When You Are Old (vv. 6-7)
6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. 7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
The “cord” mentioned here is symbolic of a human life (Ecclesiastes 4:12). The “bowl” and the “pitcher” represent the same. For example, Paul said, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7), revealing how the power of God is living within us; within a fragile human vessel. And then we see the “wheel” at the well; the wheel which turns to lift the water bucket. The wheel is symbolic of the turning of our lives, which are constantly in motion. One day, however, the cord will break; the pitcher and the bowl, as Revelation 2:27 tells us, will be dashed to pieces; and the wheel will stop working. This description is referring to aging; how our bodies will weaken and run down; and when our body ceases to function “the dust will return to the earth as it was” (v. 7).
As I said, this is a picture of aging; and the second word of wisdom is to make sure that you still know the Lord; or rather, that you have maintained your relationship with Him even when you are old. Maybe you are already a Christian; meaning that you have confessed Jesus as Savior and Lord. But you need to realize that as you get out on your own and experience the freedom of making your own choices, you’re going to be faced with many different life-philosophies that run contrary to the Bible; and you’re going to be tempted to choose another path than the one that God has laid out for you. Just remember what Jesus said: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). So, be certain you continue to walk “the straight and narrow” all the days of your life.
Now, maybe you’re not a Christian yet. Ecclesiastes 3:20 says, “All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.” This is where we get the expression, “dust to dust and ashes to ashes.” When our body goes back into the ground, the Bible teaches that our spirit will continue on either in spiritual life or spiritual death. Spiritual life is spending eternity with God; and spiritual death is something you don’t want to experience. So, it’s important that you come to know the Creator before you become dust, because you lose that chance after you die. Now, the way you come to know God is through a relationship with His Son. If you know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, then your “spirit will return to God,” just as we read about in Ecclesiastes. Paul said of those who have the hope of heaven, “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God . . . eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1). Now, let’s skip down and look at verses 10-12.
The Most Beneficial Scholarship is from the Lord (vv. 10-12)
10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright-words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. 12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.
Here, we learn that “Solomon sought to be careful in his teaching, so he used ‘acceptable words.’ This means ‘pleasing’ or ‘gracious words’ that would win the attention of his listeners and readers. However, at no time did he dilute his message or flatter his congregation. He always used upright-words of truth . . . [He] claimed that his words were inspired, given by God, the one Shepherd. Inspiration was the special . . . ministry of the Holy Spirit that enabled men of God to write the Word of God as God wanted it written, complete and without error.”(6) For example, 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” and 2 Peter 1:20-21 tells us that “no prophecy of Scripture . . . came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Solomon “compared His words to ‘goads’ and ‘nails,’ both of which are necessary if people are to learn God’s truth. The ‘goads’ [which are sticks for driving livestock] prod the people to pay attention and to pursue truth, while the ‘nails’ give them something on which to hang what they have learned. [Also], good . . . instructors must be able to ‘nail things down’ [so to speak] so that the lesson makes sense.”(7) Verse 12 “is a warning not to go beyond what God has written in His Word. Indeed, there are many books, and studying them can be a wearisome chore. But do not permit man’s books to rob you of God’s wisdom.”(8)
So, let me apply this. The third word of wisdom is that the most beneficial scholarship is from the Lord; and I’m not talking about money to pay for college. Scholarship refers to the words of scholars. If you plan on attending college, then beware of man’s wisdom and beware of the assault on the Christian faith. Arthur Serratelli tells about a class exercise that took place at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton in a course called “Intercultural Communications.” “The professor asked the students to write Jesus’ name in big letters on a paper, place the paper on the ground and then stomp on the name of Jesus. Ryan Rotela, a junior, refused. Ryan was polite and sincere. He calmly disagreed with the professor’s request and refused to do the exercise, [and] he paid the consequence for his refusal – suspension – [and] a university supervisor told him not to return to that class.”(9)
When you get to college you are going to encounter a lot of self-proclaimed “scholars” whose primary goal is to refute the Christian faith, claiming they know better; but keep in mind that true scholarship is contained within the Bible by the words of the one true Shepherd and Teacher. Wiersbe says that the nails upon which you, as a believer, hang your faith “are sure and you can depend on them,” and he advises, “Do not test God’s truth by the many books written by men; test man’s books by the truth of God’s Word.”(10) You see, “our textbook is the Bible, and the Holy Spirit is our teacher. The Spirit can use gifted human teachers to instruct us, but [the Lord] longs to teach us personally from His Word.”(11) So, let’s now look at our last few verses – verses 13-14.
The Most Meaningful Pursuit in Life is God (vv. 13-14)
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.
In Ecclesiastes chapter 1, Solomon began his book by saying, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3); and I found twenty-eight other times where he used the term “vanity” in reference to how he felt about life. The prospect of getting out on your own can be exciting, but there will come a point in your life – whether sooner or later – when you could feel as Solomon and think that life is meaningless. Thankfully, Solomon discovered a higher purpose, which I’ll talk about more in a moment.
The fourth and final word of wisdom is that the most meaningful pursuit in life is God. Upon graduation, it’s exciting to get out and pursue your options for the future and your career. It’s also necessary for your financial security and well-being; for without the security of a good job you will be in no position to raise a family, let alone have a positive influence on society. But, you need to make sure that your career choice is not the end, but a means to an end – the end being to bring glory to God. Otherwise, your life will start feeling empty. It has been said that “some people are only spending their lives; others are wasting their lives; [but only] a few are investing their lives. Corrie ten Boom said, ‘The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration but its donation.’ If our lives are to count, we must fulfill three obligations”(12) mentioned in verses 13-14; and here they are:
1.) Fear God (v. 13). “The ‘fear of the Lord’ is that attitude of reverence and awe that His people show to Him because they love Him and they respect His power and His greatness. The person who fears the Lord . . . will not tempt [Him] by deliberately disobeying or by ‘playing with sin’.”(13) 2.) Keep His Commandments (v. 13). “God created life and He alone knows how it should be managed. He wrote the ‘instruction manual,’ and wise is the person who reads and obeys [it]. When all else fails, read the instructions!”(14) 3.) Prepare for final judgement (v. 14). You “may seem to get away with [your] sins, but [your] sins will eventually be exposed and judged righteously . . . If you die having never trusted in Jesus Christ, you will face judgement at His throne and be lost forever.”(15) 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
Your job or occupation should never become your sole reason for existence; and your career preparation should never distract you from growing in your relationship with Christ. You need to be careful to balance your college study and Bible study; and always keep in mind that the most important pursuit above your career is God. Jobs come and go, but your relationship with Jesus is forever. So, “Is life worth living? Yes! If you are truly alive through faith in Jesus Christ, then you can be satisfied no matter what God may permit to come to your life.”(16) The Scripture says, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).
Time of Reflection
You see, life has no real meaning apart from God. That’s why we read in Colossians, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17), and also, “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24). You see, there are many jobs and opportunities that can bring us a “sense” of fulfillment, but if we have failed to use our occupations and pursuits as a way to serve and glory the Lord, then we will ultimately wind up empty. Our worldly victories will become empty successes. God created us to worship and serve Him, and that is our primary purpose.
So, as you graduate from high school, or even college, and you begin to make your mark on the world; remember the four words of wisdom from this passage: 1.) Make sure you come to know God while you are still young; 2.) make sure you still know the Lord even when you are old, that you keep on loving Him and serving Him; 3.) recognize that the most beneficial knowledge is from the Lord, being sure to place the wisdom of the Bible far above the limited wisdom of man; and 4.) always keep in mind that the most meaningful pursuit in life is God. But none of these things will be useful unless the most important piece of the puzzle is in place, which is to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of your life.
NOTES
(1) “Ecclesiastes,” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ecclesiastes/0 (Accessed May 10, 2021).
(2) Warren Wiersbe, “The Complete Old Testament in One Volume,” The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 1143.
(3) Ibid., p. 1143.
(4) George Barna, Generation Next (Ventura, CA: Regal, 1996), p. 77.
(5) Wiersbe, p. 1143.
(6) Ibid., pp. 1143-1144.
(7) Ibid., p. 1144.
(8) Ibid., p. 1144.
(9) Arthur Serratelli, “Assaults on Christianity – The Challenge to Be Bold,” Catholic News Agency: www.catholicnewsagency.com/column.php?n=2532 (Accessed May 18, 2013).
(10) Wiersbe, p. 1144.
(11) Ibid., p. 1144.
(12) Ibid., p. 1144.
(13) Ibid., p. 1144.
(14) Ibid., p. 1144.
(15) Ibid., p. 1144.
(16) Ibid., p. 1144.
