Shabbat Shalom everyone. We are talking about the Tanakh today from the book of Ecclesiastes. In Hebrew we call it Kohelet, the words of the Lord through Shlomo, Solomon the king of Israel, to the nation of Israel, in which he gave them instruction as to how to live their life here on earth, especially, beloved brothers and sisters, in a world that is full of vanity, full of sins. As we began in the study of the book of Ecclesiastes, Shlomo, the king of Israel, says, Vanity of vanities, sayeth the preacher, vanity of vanity, all is vanity. What prophet hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun?

That's how the book of Ecclesiastes began. But today we are studying in the 11th chapter. We are drawing near towards the end of the book of Kohelet. And it is so interesting what Shlomo, Solomon, has to say to Israel in those 10 verses of chapter 11. So please follow me as I'm reading these 10 verses of Kohelet chapter 11. So Shlomo, the king of Israel, is saying to his people of old Israel, Cast thy bread upon the waters For thou shalt find it after many days Give a portion to seven and also to eight For thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth If the clouds be full of rain They empty themselves upon the earth And if the trees fall towards the south or towards the north In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be He that observeth the wind shall not sow And he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit know how the bones to grow in a womb of her that is with a child, even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

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. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. 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 come is vanity. 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. Therefore, remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity. And I'm stopping here. And brothers and sisters, as Shlomo Hamelech, the king of Israel, is now, you might say, leading towards the conclusion of the writing that he had given, or the messages that he had given to the people of Israel. He is now speaking about many things that are very practical in the life of God's people. It was practical in the life of Israel historically, and it ought to be practical in the life of us who are believers in this present day age, the assembly, the congregation.

And these things are needful in every generation. You remember in the previous chapter, in chapter 10, He's emphasizing the foolishness and the harms that foolishness produce here in this world. But on the other hand, wisdom is really being productive. It is very profitable for mankind. Sometimes we as believers act foolishly here in this world and it doesn't help anybody. He's not a prophet in this. So that's why he says foolishness harms, but wisdom is profitable. And God's people, Israel, God's people, the body of Messiah need to walk wisely, to walk carefully in order that we will be profitable here in this world. But now he's moving along and in this 11th chapter he's really emphasizing how to live a life here in this world that is filled with vanity.

You know, brothers and sisters, that's how the book began and that's how the book will end. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, saith the preacher. In Hebrew, Kohelet said that everything is vanity here in this world. Since Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, sin entered into this world. The world is now, you might say, occupied by a population that rejects God, deny the Bible, rejects the Messiah, And therefore, sins and self-will is existing here in this world. Under the sun, Tachat Hashemesh, he's not speaking about heaven. He's speaking about here on earth as we are here under the sun. And here under the sun, there are problems, there are conflicts, there are wickedness and sins and all sort of things that are existing here in this world.

Well, we are part of this world, but we are saved, we are forgiven, just like Israel. Israel was chosen to be a separated nation unto God and they needed to live for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as you and I need to live for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who sent the Son, the Messiah, Yeshua, to this world. So we need those instructions. And in this 11th chapter, Shlomo is again using Proverbs. Remember that we read in 1 Kings 4 verse 29 to 34 that he wrote 3,000 proverbs, Meshalim. And he wrote more than 1,000 songs, Shirim. And out of those, he brings out these proverbs, these Meshalim, to teach us spiritual truth in our life today.

So he's very practical. And he began, by the way, in this 11th chapter, how to live our life here in this world that is filled with vanity, he gives us four points in this 11th chapter. First of all, in verses 1, 2, and 3, Shlomo is saying to Israel that every one of the nation of Israel, and you and I can apply it to the church, to the body of Messiah, everyone that believes in Yeshua the Messiah needs to seek to be a generous giver. You know, it is amazing if you remember in Exodus, God have asked the people of Israel to bring some of the gold and the silver that they have had.

And all what they have brought, he had to say to them, Enough, don't bring any more because they have brought so much that he didn't need any more to build the tabernacle that is in the wilderness at that time. Later on in Jerusalem when King Solomon built the temple, They also, the nation of Israel, have brought so much in order to build the temple in the city of Jerusalem. And so God desired from the people of God to be generous towards himself, but not only generous towards himself, but also generous towards others in the world in which we live in. And so you notice what he said, seek to be generous giver.

He began by saying to them in verse 1, notice that he says, Cast thy bread upon the waters. Why to cast thy bread upon the waters? He says at the end of verse 1, For thou shalt find it after many days. Now, what does he mean by that? Cast thy bread upon the waters, and then after many days you are going to find it. This is like a proverb. It's a message to say, listen, bread, it speaks of that which is needful. In the book of Deuteronomy, In Hebrew, men shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.

In other words, bread is needful for the physical need, and the word of God is needful for the spiritual need. And so you know what Shlomo is saying to Israel? Israel, you know what? Kes, the Hebrew word there for kes is shlach. Send it. Send your bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days. In other words, he says, be gracious in your seeking to help people and spreading what the Lord has entrusted unto you in order to assist people that may have a need. Send it upon the waters. By the way, the word for waters, maim in Hebrew, waters, is often found in the scripture a representation of the nations of the world.

People, nations, population of the world are represented by the word waters. Turn to Revelation for a moment, please, with me. Chapter 17. Here is what the Lord is saying to his angels, to Yohanan, the apostle. He said to him in verse 15, He saith unto me, The waters which you saw where the horse sits, namely the false church, he said, these are peoples and multitude and nations and tongues. The waters represent the nations of the world. You know, sometimes we say, I'm going overseas, over waters. Why? Because the divisions on earth between one nation and another nation is the sea, is the waters. And it represents the nations.

Now what King Shlomo says to Israel, he says, listen, send the bread. You never know what's going to happen. You shall find it after many days. In other words, don't be in such an extent that you don't share what the Lord had given to you. You don't spread the word of God, which is also represented by the bread. Make sure that you spread it around, that you cast it upon the water because you never know what's going to happen. Later on, when there is a need that arise in your life, you will see how the Lord will bless you and will return the graciousness that you have expressed by spreading, by sending the bread upon the water.

In Hebrew, it's so beautiful. It says, Send your own bread upon the face of the waters because you shall find it after many days. And you know, beloved brothers and sisters, how neatful it is, Not only the physical needs, the people need help in various situations. The Lord's work needs to be supported by the people of God. The gospel needs to be spread around how it's going to be done. It's not hocus pocus. It's not happening just like that. It needs an effort of the people of God in order to be able to spread the word of God. And when the word of God is spread to the peoples of the world in due time, you receive, you will find that after many days, somehow the Lord will use the word and will use your kindness and your graciousness in giving and supporting and helping so others will benefit from this.

So important to realize what Shlomo is saying to Israel. So send it, you never know what's going to happen. I know one thing that you heard the message of the gospel once by somebody who shared the word of God with a person. Later on, many years ago, the Holy Spirit of God took the very same message that you have shared and he convict that person and bring that person to the knowledge of the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. Same thing with a gracious, a kindness that you have helped somebody who needed or you supported some ministry, you did something for the Lord's work And then later on, how much fruit is going to come out of the graciousness of the people of God.

So Israel, Shlomo is saying, Send thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days. God promised, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but it will accomplish that for which I have sent it. Isaiah said to Israel in Isaiah chapter 55. But he continued because he's encouraging Israel to seek to be a gracious giver to the nation of Israel. And he's saying to them now in verse 2, he says, give a portion. Notice that verse 2. Give a portion to seven and also to eight. For thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Now use those two numbers. Seven, Sheva in Hebrew, and eight, Shmone in Hebrew. In other words, the word seven in the scripture oftentimes represents full number, completeness. And the full number represents the fact that you seek to meet needs around you. Don't forget that God had provided for you. Don't neglect to have your responsibility. So give a portion to seven, but yet not only to seven, even go a cut above. Go even, as it says here, give a portion to seven and also to eight. For you do not know what evil shall be upon the earth. You do not know what's happening, what's going to happen in a future day.

Maybe one day you will have that need. Maybe one day you will be situated in your life in such a way that you will say, boy, Lord, I have a certain problem in my life and please help me. And you might need that your need will be met in certain time in your life. And so Shlomo is saying, you make sure that you don't neglect to give and to support and to make sure that you don't neglect to have your responsibility. Seven, and not only seven, but even to eight, for you do not know what evil will come. You know, God is able to remove from us that which He has given to us previously.

How many men, how many people can testify to that? That God has given us so much, but I was not gracious in giving. I was not seeking to be a gracious giver. And God removed from me what I've had. And how many have testified to this? And yet what a blessing those that have been gracious enough in not only giving portion to seven, but also to eight. In other words, going above what is even needful in order to meet the need of the people of God and the problems that rise around us. Turn with me to Philippians chapter 4 for a moment. I want you to see what Shaul Paul said to the Philippians in chapter 4 and verse 15.

Shaul Paul wrote to the Philippians. Remember, he was in prison. And the Philippian brethren have supported the missionary, this Shaul Paul. And he said to them, now ye Philippians, Philippians 4.15, know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, No assembly communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but you only. Then he said, For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Now, not because I desire a gift, he said to them, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, he said, and I abound. I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an order of sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing unto God.

Can you imagine? The brethren in Philippi sent to the apostle Paul some things for his needs through Epaphroditus, and for him it became like a sweet smell and a sacrifice that was acceptable and went pleasing with God. You see, faith in God is not merely a religion, it's a relationship. And therefore, even before the Messiah Yeshua was born, under the law, the nation of Israel were instructed through Shlomo, the king of Israel, give a portion to seven. And also to aid, for thou knowest not what evil shall befall upon the earth. You never know what's going to happen in the future. One day your turn will be.

And you will need to be the one who will need the help or the support and whatever problems you might have. Make sure that you are not neglecting to seek to be a gracious giver. And now in verse 3, Solomon points to nature. He looks at nature and he makes an application to the situation or to the statement that he just said. And so in verse 3 he says, If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth. And if a tree falls towards the south or towards the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. Now it's so interesting.

You know, he's remarkable in the way in which he presents things. now you and I looking at the clouds we see the clouds are dark they are filled with water what do you think they're going to keep it there? no Shlomo is saying he says really act the way the clouds will act if the Lord had blessed you so much and the Lord had been gracious towards you he's saying to Israel don't neglect to pour out so others can be blessed as well That's like the cloud. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty. It is natural for them to empty themselves upon the earth.

So the cycle will continue. The evaporation of the water will come up. They will be filled again and they will pour again. They will be filled again and they will pour again. You see, he says, Lily, look at it in a natural way. Even the clouds can teach us a spiritual lesson. Even the nature that God has provided for us here on earth teaches us a great lesson. And you know, when our people of old Israel came to the promised land, in Deuteronomy chapter 11, before they even entered into the land, God said to our people of old Israel, He said, If you will obey me, if you will submit to my authority, I promise you that I will send rain upon the land of Canaan, the land of Israel.

It represents blessing, showers of blessing. And he's saying, Israel, don't forget. Obey my words in order that the blessings will flow upon the land. But when you don't obey, then what happens? The rain is not descending. God shut the clouds. He stopped them from pouring, from giving rain on the land of Israel because the way Israel reacted is the way God had poured upon the nation, the people of Israel, the blessing. So he told them this in chapter 11 of the book of Deuteronomy, you make sure that you obey my word in order for the showers of blessing to come, the early rain and the latter rain.

And if you know Israel, those of us that were born and raised in Israel know very well that if there is no rain in the land of Israel, we're in big trouble. Today, if you're going to go to the Sea of Galilee, it's over five meters below the right place where it should be because there was not enough rain in the last couple of years. Even today, they are speaking about the danger of what's going to happen when there is not enough rain. We are depending upon the rivers. We are depending upon the Kineret, the Sea of Galilee. We are depending upon the rain that comes from heaven.

No rain, no food, no bread. So Israel is dependent upon the blessings of God. And what about us? Spiritually speaking, if we are going to be spiritually blessed by the Lord, the Lord also desires us to respond, to learn from the clouds. But also, beloved brothers and sisters, realize, Notice that what he says in the same verse 3, verse 3b of Ecclesiastes chapter 11, he says, not only look at the clouds who will pour the rain when they are full upon the land, upon the earth, but even if a tree falls towards the south or towards the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

Here's another lesson. Now a tree that is falling down the south or the north represents the location where we are. We cannot meet every need in the world, obviously. But there are local needs. We have family needs. We have congregational needs. We have work needs. We have all sort of needs that surround us. He says wherever you fall, in the north or the south, it will stay there. You fix your faithfulness and your commitment there because it is going to stay there. In other words, you learn even from the natural way when a tree falling and so on, there you need to look around and see the situation that's existing there and meet the need right there and then.

So act like the clouds and realize like the tree who falls down, where are you located that you can meet the need where the tree fell, there he stays, there is the responsibility that one has in their life. Now amazing how Shlomo can take a proverb such as this, a tree falling, fall there, here's the application. The clouds are full with water pouring rain, here's the second application. He's very practical. He's using natural things, he's using the things that are by nature, we can see them as they are, and he applied them spiritually to his people, the people of Israel. And we can learn, beloved brothers and sisters, from these lessons.

Let me just read one more verse that is found in Mark chapter 16 in connection with giving and spreading. Look what Yeshua said in Mark chapter 16, Yeshua said in verse 15, this is before his ascension, he said, and I'm reading, go into all the world represented by the waters here and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and be baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be condemned. And what we learn here that when Yeshua left his sin back to heaven, he says, spread God's word. Spread the bread upon the waters. You never know what's going to happen. There are some who will believe and accept the Lord and some who reject the message.

But you make sure to be faithful. Both spiritually give the word and practically help people with need. Support the things that need to be supported. Don't neglect it because if you are going to be a blessing and live a life that is pleasing to the Lord, you need to seek to be a gracious giver. Verses 1, 2, and 3. So he continues now. The second thing that Shlomo is saying in this passage, not only that God's people, Israel at that time, are to be a generous givers, but Israel, and that is you and I as well, are to seek to be diligent. Diligent laborers. Not to be careless and undiligent and indecisive in what we do.

We are to be diligent, faithful, to be committed to what we do, not to be careless. And so again, Shlomo, to remind you, he's writing about 900 BC. He's the king of Israel. He's writing at the latest part of his life. He's older by now. He made many, many mistakes. He can see the vanity of vanity, that all is vanity. What shall it profit a man here under the sun? Everything that he do, everything seems to fail here in this world. And so he's saying now, even though this is the condition in this world, Let us seek to be generous givers, but also let us seek to be diligent laborers.

God has given to us a work to do. And so he says in verse 4 now, Do not be indecisive, sow in order that you will reap in due time. Don't hesitate. And again, I would like you to see the context here of the whole chapter is giving. It is giving to wherever needs exist here in this world. So he says in verse 4, In other words, if you're going to say, well, I'll wait till things will be fine with me, I'll get a good job, I'll get a good situation in my life, things will be well with me, then maybe later on I will give to the Lord's work.

Or later on, I will help this brother, this sister in need. Later on, you see, because I'm watching the clouds, right? You see? I'm watching the wind. I want to see how it's blowing. Is it blowing to my favor or not? Or is it blowing against me? Are the clouds already filled with the rain? Is everything is fine with me? I'm at all my needs. Everything is okay and so on. Then later on, maybe, I might be helpful a little bit. You know what he said? He that observes the wind shall not sow. Why should I sow? The wind doesn't come to my favor, you see.

And then he said, he that regards the clouds, they are not yet full, why should I reap? I'll take my time. In other words, this kind of attitude is so unhealthy, both for the spiritual life of a person and for the practical life of a person. We're going to wait only when things are well and everything is fine. Only then we're going to help people or only then we'll support the work of the Lord. Now, can you imagine if the Lord's work will be done without any support from the people of God? I often wondered, somebody asked me the other day, Brother Gideon, do you preach on giving?

I said, I don't like to preach on giving because if I preach on giving, people will think that we are only those preachers who won't just give me, give me, give me. But I arrived at chapter 11. I didn't say give. Shlomo HaMelech said. Shlomo the king says give. But the point is, he's teaching all of us, all God's people, to develop an attitude of being gracious giver but also realize that we have to be diligent in things in the work of the lord and in the work that the lord have entrusted unto us and that's why he says you know don't wait until the wind will blow your way and don't wait until the clouds will be filled with water and then you can say now i can help and i can give no it's got to be part of our regular routine.

God's people are to learn from the Lord and how often time the Lord have taught us these lessons throughout scripture. And I want you for a moment to turn to John, the gospel of John chapter 4. Just turn there for a second. John chapter 4, there the Lord is speaking. In verse 34 says, My food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. And then he continued, Say ye not there yet four months, and then comest a harvest? Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the field, for they are white and ready for harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

And therein is the saying true, one soweth another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor. Other men labored and ye have entered into their labors. See what the Lord is saying? Don't wait until maybe later on. I mean don't delay in participating in the Lord's work and in sowing and reaping. If you will wait until the wind blow your way and until the clouds be filled with the rain, until everything is fine with you and everything is okay with you, you will never have part in the things of the Lord. You will never have part in sowing and reaping. God's people are to participate in sowing and reaping.

And whatsoever man soweth, Galatians 6, that shall he also reap. And it's good, it's very healthy for God's people to participate in the things of the Lord and be helpful and blessing to the children of God around them. And even outside the gospel, think about the message of the gospel that had been proclaimed for many, many generations from the time that Yeshua went to heaven, went back to heaven, and the Spirit of God came on earth. Think about the disciples and later on those that heard the message. Up till today, 2,000 years, the message of the gospel is being proclaimed. Door to door, Bible classes, through the pulpit ministry meeting, through the television and the radio and internet and newspaper and magazine and all the messages that are being proclaimed in one way or another, recording CDs, cassettes, and all the things that have been prepared in order to share the message of the gospel.

Are we going to wait until the wind blows our way and the clouds are filled with water before we'll participate in that? We will never sow. That's what Shlomo says. He that observes the wind will not sow. He who will regard us, the clouds shall not reap. And therefore, notice what he says now in verse 5. There are things that we just do not know when and how they will happen. Verse 5, as thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the bones do grow in a womb of hair that is with a child, even so thou knowest not the work of God who make us all.

You never know, beloved brothers and sisters. You never know how your prayer, your support, your help, and my help, all of us who work in the things of the Lord, you never know how God will use what gracious things that we have done in the Lord's things in order to be a blessing to people around us. We do not know the way the wind blowing. We either do not know how bones are growing in the womb of a woman that's going to give birth one day to a child. We do not know. God knows. And therefore God doesn't want us to withhold and say, wait a minute, you know, until I make sure that everything is my way.

And you never know how things will happen. The Lord is the one who knows all things. He's the one that makes all things. He's going to use your gracious giving and support in order to be able to lead others that will benefit from the grace giving that you have shown, that the people of God have shown. He's saying this to Israel. And he's saying it to us as well today. And so in verse 6, Therefore, in light of what I said, don't wait until the wind goes your way. And don't wait until you know exactly every detail. Make sure, not in verse 6, He said, in the morning sow thy seed.

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. Keep on sowing, he's saying to Israel. In the morning sow. In the evening don't withhold. Why? Because you do not know what's going to happen. how the Spirit of God working, how God is going to use the support, the giving of God's people for the benefit of others. As he said earlier, cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days. One day the Lord will reward his people for their gracious giving, but also for their diligent in laboring, in doing that which he called them to do.

So, and you will see how in due time you will also reap. Turn with me to Colossians chapter 3 for a moment. Another verse from the New Testament to link with it. Colossians chapter 3, and the verse is 17. And whatsoever you do in word or indeed do it in the name of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father, but whatever the Lord have entrusted us to do, whatever responsibility that He had had, whatever He lay on our heart in order to participate in the Lord's work, we are to do it as unto the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, because God is being glorified, and we can give thanks to Him.

He ultimately will use it for the glory of the Lord. I often like the story of the boy, this Jewish boy in Galilee, that he had five loaves and two fishes. And you remember in John chapter 6, how the Lord took the five loaves and two fishes of this little boy. And some said to him, you know, there's a boy here. But what is it? He had just five loaves and two fishes. What is it among so many? There are thousands of people in Galilee, in the Galilee, they're waiting there to be fed. And Yeshua took the bread and the fish and he lifted up his eyes and he prayed to God.

Can you imagine? And out of five loaves, two fish, more than 5,000 people had been fed. Amazing. Amazing. Of course, you know, you and I might say, ah, this is not going to happen these days. I mean, how is it possible? Well, it happened because the Bible teaches us this. God is able to multiply, to bless what we do for Him, and to bring an increase. Wherefore, He says, so in the morning, withhold not in the evening. Just keep on doing what the Lord has asked you to do. Be faithful. You never know what will happen. Eventually, the Lord is going to bless His Word. So we are in Ecclesiastes chapter 11, Kohelet chapter 11, verses 1 to 3, seek to be a generous giver.

Verses 4 to 6, seek to be a diligent laborer. Now in verses 7 and 8, he continues, he says, listen, seek to be a pleasant person. A pleasant person. So I'm reading verse 7. You see, in verse 7 now, he says, Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. Then verse 8, he says, But if a man living many years and rejoicing them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many, all that cometh is vanity. So now in verses 7 and 8, he continued to speak to Israel, and then he's saying to Israel, listen, it's not only that it's important for you to be a gracious giver, not only that it's important for you to seek to be diligent laborers, but Israel, and he's saying to us as well, you also need to be a pleasant person.

You know how it is so wonderful. I just came, as you know, I was speaking in the States and I just returned back and we were staying in a location where the young girl that was responsible there had such a cheerful heart, a cheerful voice. I had to call her, Irene and I were there, and I had to call her, listen, you know what, we are going to come to this place again just because the way that you presented yourself to us. Hello, how are you? How are you doing? You know, it was so pleasant when you look around and everybody is gloomy and moody and sad in this sad world.

This young, she was a believer in Yeshua. Apparently her father is one of the leaders in one of the local churches there, local assemblies there. And she was so cheerful. She was so pleasant. It was enjoyable to be listening to her and being in her presence because of the manner where she conducted herself. And so, you know, brothers and sisters, if we are going to be a generous givers and a diligent laborers, we also, Shlomo says to Israel, need to be a pleasant people, pleasant persons. It is very hard to be with one, you might say, it could be me, it could be you, when we are not pleasant, when we are not kind and gracious.

In fact, sometimes people, when we behave like that, people can say, listen, I don't want to hear what you have to say. I don't want to be beside you even. Because you are not pleasant. You are not kind. You are not gracious. I cannot take it. I have enough problems at home. I have enough problems with this and that. Shlomo, Solomon is encouraging, Kohelet is encouraging the people of Israel to be pleasant. That's why he says, truly, the light is sweet. And a pleasant thing it is for the eye to behold the sun. You know, when we look at everything bright and pleasant and light, it's such a joy to be there and to enjoy the sun.

It is pleasant. It is sweet. But then, he says, time has come in your life when things will be not as sweet as before. It's not always going to be sunshine. It's not always going to be free from problems. Realize when good days are coming and you enjoy a pleasant time and a pleasant circumstances and a pleasant situation in your life, don't forget for a moment because he says, notice in verse 8, But be aware and remember that dark days shall surely come in a world in which we live in. This world in which we live in is full of sin. This world in which we live in is full of problems.

Sometimes we enjoy and experience some great time. And the Lord, you might say, shining upon us. And we enjoy the presence of the Lord. He blessed us. He gave us a good family or a good home and a good job and a good situation in our life. And things are great. But other days will come when there will be trials, when there will be problems. And that's why Shlomo is saying to either, but if a man lived for many years and he rejoiced in them all. He says, yet let him remember, remember the days of darkness for they shall be many. they are yet to come all that is going to come is vanity is heavily is empty don't forget that and again I would like to connect this with the whole theme of giving because the whole theme of chapter 11 of Ecclesiastes is not to be selfish to be gracious with others to be sensitive to needs to recognize it's not only me me me me me me it's not healthy spiritually it's not healthy and therefore make sure that you are being a blessing to others you are a generous giver you are diligent laborer but that you are also a pleasant person because God is providing for you now deal in the right way with others and then the time will come that you will be in a dark day.

You will need as well that somebody will come and cheer you up and help you in a need. Don't neglect it. Shlomo is saying to the people of Israel, enjoy what the Lord has given to you now, but remember, don't neglect to remember. Sometimes, brothers and sisters, we can be so careless. Everything is fine. I care for no one else. It's only me, we say. And the Lord says, no. Remember, you will experience some days of darkness, of choshech, in which you will say, Lord, I need some encouragement and help in these days. Enjoy the good days, but remember we live in a dark world, full of sin and vanity.

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, sayeth Kohelet. What shall it profit a man here under the sun? Without God, nothing will be profitable for anyone here under the sun. And so now, beloved brothers and sisters, after he presented these three points, seek to be a generous giver, seek to be a diligent laborer, Seek to be a pleasant person. Then notice what he says. Realize, live in such a way, realizing that there is coming a day of judgment, a day of reckoning, which not only the unbelieving world will not escape, even the people of God will have to stand one day at the judgment seat of the Messiah.

And so in the last two verses of Kohelet chapter 11, here we see the last words in this chapter where Kohelet, where Solomon is saying, notice what he says in verse 9 and verse 10. He says in verse 9, Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thine heart cheer thee in the day of thy youth. Walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes. But, here is that but. In Hebrew the word is aval. But. But, know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Don't forget that. You know, this is also something we don't realize. One day we're going to stand before God.

It's not a matter for us believers. It's not a matter of standing before God in order to be either saved or cast into the lake of fire. No, because our judgment have been met already. Yeshua HaMashiach paid for the price of our sins. But that judgment, called the judgment seat of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10, or the judgment seat of the Messiah, is for believers. It's for how did we live our life here on earth as believers? It's not a matter of how, whether we're going to go to heaven or hell. No, because death has been dealt with already during our lifetime when we have accepted that Yeshua has died for my sin, for your sin.

He paid the price for our sin. We are forgiven once and for all. But it's an issue of how did we live our life from then to the time that the Lord will take us to be with him in heaven. And so the apostle Paul also mentioned that in his writing, and I would like you to turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 3, 1 Corinthians chapter 3, first of all, and you see how Shaul, that is Paul, said to the Corinthian brethren, he said to them in 1 Corinthians 3.11, he said, for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest.

For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work, what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so is by fire. Know ye not, he continued in verse 16, know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are.

See, Paul is writing to believers. The Corinthians were believers. But apparently there was so much disorder in the assembly, in the local assembly in Corinth. There was immorality. They were taking each other to court. They were pride in abusing gifts. They were fighting who is greater than the other. They were looking after gifts, external gifts, and priding themselves as I have this and I have that. And love and grace was not practiced there. So Shaul Paul was writing to them. He says, listen, brothers and sisters of the local assembly here. He says, you know, realize every man's work shall be made one day manifest. The day shall declare it.

And it will declare it because everything will be revealed before the Lord one day. Corinthians, just like Israel, Ecclesiastes 11, one day we will have to stand before the Lord. How it's going to be? What will the Lord say? Will he say, well done, good and faithful servant? Will he be happy with the manner whereby we lived our lives as a people of God? Shaul, Paul, is writing just the same like Shlomo. Remember, they are writing by divine inspiration. Shlomo write by divine inspiration, Ecclesiastes 11, and Shaul, Paul write, 1 Corinthians 3, by divine inspiration. Both of them believing in the same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Shlomo waited for the coming of the Messiah, while Shaul already have accepted the Messiah who came.

But both of them writing by the same divine inspiration. And both of them are saying, listen, there is a day coming in which we'll have to stand before God. And Shlomo is saying there in verse 9, rejoice, young man, in thy youth. Let thy heart cheer thee. Be thankful for what the Lord has given you, the young people and so on. Young men, he says, but remember, he says, walk in the ways of thine heart. Have your heart desires here in this world with the help of the Lord. but really realize, know that whatever you do in life, eventually going to stand one day will be reckoned before the Lord.

Know for all these things, how you live your life, God will bring it eventually into judgment. You know, and every one of us can search our own hearts, don't we? Think about how many times we dishonor the Lord. How many times we should have done something and we didn't. How many times we should have said the right word, but we didn't? How many times we should have not said anything, but we had to say the right word? How many times we could have helped somebody, but we didn't? How many times we sinned against God, against the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah? It's not a matter of our salvation now.

Oh no, praise God. All our sins, so great and so many, have been dealt with once and for all by Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, when He died for us on the tree. But God is going to have to present before us how we lived our lives. How did we conduct ourselves? And He said this to the young men. And of course, He's saying it to all of us, He says, for all these things, God will bring into judgment. one day we're going to stand before the lord and you know is it would be so wonderful when he can say to us you know what i realized that you saw that you have done that wrong and you corrected it you repented of that you turn away you have done something you shouldn't have done and you repented and you turned to me.

You confessed these sins. What a wonderful thing is to know that the clouds you know sometimes we have clouds that do not allow us to enjoy the Lord. Dark clouds. Because we know we haven't been right with the Lord. No liberty. No joy. No purpose. We know very well. It's not that God had moved. We are the ones who have dishonored him and he wants us to move those clouds you might say if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness god delight to have fellowship with his own children he delights to have fellowship with us and so beloved brothers and sisters listen and i'm going to close with verse 10 in verse 10 shlomo said therefore if you know that you need to be a generous giver and you are to be a diligent laborer you are to be a pleasant person and that you know one day the judgment is coming then he says look he concludes here he says therefore the therefore is because of what he had already said in the previous verses in view of what I said to you Israel in view of what he said to us all today.

He says, therefore, remove sorrow. That word for sorrow comes from the Hebrew word kaas, which means anger. Deal with anger. Remove it from your life. Don't be angry at God like Cain was. And don't be angry with men. Learn to forgive. Learn to humble yourself. He says, remove anger from thy heart. He says, internally, don't harbor hatred and anger and covetousness and all that which is, and pride and all that which we keep inside, but not only inside. He says, but also, he says, and put away evil from the flesh. In other words, deal with it internally, which will lead you to deal with it practically.

Remove all that which is wrong from your heart, confess it, repent it, turn towards God, and remove it, put it away from your flesh, because childhood and youth are vanity. In other words, childhood, carelessness, childhood represents carelessness, youth. You know, they are not like the older people, you know. They are just living carefree type of thing. They don't have as much responsibility as the older generation. So childhood and youth are ultimately really vanities, empty. Don't have anger and all that which dishonor the Lord in your heart, which will lead you to remove evil from your flesh and to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord.

And that is the thought, beloved brothers and sisters, that Kohelet Shlomo is seeking to guide Israel for. Israel, make sure that you live life in a world that is filled with vanity in a way that is pleasing to God and you will be blessed. The Lord will use you for his honor and for his glory and for his people around the world today. Well, may the Lord bless his word. Can we say amen to that?