Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes Chapter 11

Cast Your Bread upon the Waters

• Ecclesiastes 11:1  Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 
• 2  Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 

I've heard verse 1 quoted many time throughout the years. I think there was once a song about this.

Cast your bread upon the waters. Give to those that do not have. Have mercy on the poor for we might need that mercy ourselves. This is also a preview of the very words of Jesus.

• Luke 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. 

Giving, especially if it is done with joy and gladness, will be returned to us according to the words of Jesus. Do it willingly though, not to get something in return. It is really fun if done with joy. In saying that though, I do not believe in guilting people and pressuring people to give. That robs them of the joy of giving in love. Threatening them with a curse from God if they don't give also robs them of the joy of giving for then they give out of fear. Teaching people to give with joy because they want to help is best.

• Ecclesiastes 11:3  If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 

This continues in speaking of giving and how blessing will surely come as the rain in due season.

• Ecclesiastes4  He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 
• 5  As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. 
• 6  In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. 

The farmer has to continue to sow his fields and not try to wait until the weather is perfect. Things happen both good and bad to those that do right and to those that sin, but we all must keep going and not be slothful and lazy. Move on, work, be thankful and continue doing right. Of course that doesn't mean he goes out and plants seeds in a bad rain storm or dangerous weather but he can't just wait until it is perfect or it will not be done. I'm thinking that we don't just live our lives in fear of something bad happening and hide in the basement.

• Ecclesiastes 11:7  Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: 
• 8  But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. 

This reminds me of the song, "Rejoice in the Lord, always and again I say rejoice." If we rememer the days of darkness that should make us rejoice even more in good times being always thankful to our maker.

• Eccslesiastes 11:9  Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 
• 10  Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. 

The reason for teaching children about the Lord when they are young is so they can avoid so much sorrow in their youth when they tend to stray away from that which is right. Sunday school taught by teachers under the anointing of the Holy Spirit has helped me through the years of my youth. It's important to teach them about Jesus while they are young, even more than sending them off to public school.

What profit is it when we send them out and let others teach them about the silly theory of evolution when they can learn about the creator instead. Education is good but it should be taught by those that know the Lord or it profits nothing in the long run. If they learn, get degrees, make lots of money but then die without God, it profits nothing if they lose their souls. If they have to go to public schools, make sure they are grounded in the truth at home and at the places of worship. Reading the bible before going to bed at nights as a family might be one way to do that. -DC

Ecclesiastes Chapter 12