Ecclesiastes 12

The Curious Period of Time Described in Ecclesiastes 12

Ecclesiastes 12

Let's take a look at this period of time that God had released to King Solomon. When we first read this curious chapter of Ecclesiastes it appears very general and random in nature. But when we compare each verse to the rest of the Bible we find that it is describing these End Times. In fact, Ecclesiastes 12 is the final chapter of wisdom that King Solomon had scribed to the world.

Ecclesiastes 12:1:

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Immediately, we find three distinct points of interest in verse one.

1. "days of thy youth" - What can this biblically mean? This word for "youth" is Strong's H979 and only appears in the Bible 3 times. According to Strong's it is the plural form of "youth". The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible (AHLB) better describes it as "of young age". It comes from the root word of Strong's H970 which means chosen or youth. Those are the definitions. Now lets see how the Bible defines "days of thy youth". There are many verses but they all clarify the same circumstances. Here are just a few:

*Psalm 78:63 - a young un-married man, a virgin

*Judges 14:10 - a young un-married man still under his father's care

*Lamentations 1:18 - people of God's spiritual kingdom (saved people, Elect)

*Isaiah 23:4 - whereas, Isaiah declares the youth of the unsaved are not people of God's spiritual kingdom

We can clearly see that Solomon is declaring this warning only to God's Elect whom have salvation. God's people are spiritually called virgins whom are under the Father's care within His spiritual kingdom. Therefore, we can safely say that verse 1 starts off by saying, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy salvation...

2. "evil days come not" - "evil" Strong's H7451 which is defined as "bad". Now let's get a little more clarity on how the Bible defines it.

*Psalm 49:5 - a time of iniquity

*Proverbs 15:15 - a time of affliction

So, these "evil days" are actually a time of iniquity & affliction.

3. "years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them"

It is now shown that these "evil days" are elongated into many years and that those whom have salvation have no pleasure in them. But why?

Verse 2 states:

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

Ok, now the Lord tells us a little more information about these "evil days" that drag into many years. All light is darkened from the sun, moon & stars. What does this mean? There are nine other verses in scripture describing this strange occurrence.

*Isaiah 13:10 - The sun, moon & stars darkened. What happened? Babylon's reign ends.

1. Babylon was under God's wrath and judgment to make it desolate (Isaiah 13:9).

2. Babylon's king no longer provides Peace & Safety (darkened) by the Medes/Persians (Isaiah 13:17).

3. Peace & Safety are taken away in Babylon (Isaiah 13:7-8).

*Ezekiel 32:7 - The sun, moon & stars darkened. What happened? Egypt's reign in Judeah ends.

1. Egypt was under God's wrath & judgment to make it desolate (Ezekiel 32:15).

2. Egypt's king no longer provides Peace & Safety in Judeah (darkened) by Babylon in Judeah (Ezekiel 32:11).

3. Peace & Safety are taken away in Judeah (Ezekiel 32:8).

*Joel 2:10/Luke 23:44-45 - The sun, moon & stars darkened. What happened? The Temple Age ends.

1. The Temple was under God's wrath & judgment to make it desolate (Joel 2:1-3).

2. The Temple's King (God) no longer provides Peace & Safety (darkened) (Joel 2:11).

3. Peace & Safety (salvation) is taken away in the Temple (Luke 23:45).

*Joel 3:15/Revelation 8:12

- The sun, moon & stars darkened. What happened? The Church Age ends.

1. The Church was under God's wrath & judgment to make it desolate. (Revelation 8:8).

2. The Church's King (God) no longer provides Peace & Safety (darkened) (Revelation 8:12).

3. Peace & Safety (salvation) is taken away in the Church (Revelation 8:10-11).

*Matthew 24:29/Mark 13:24/Revelation 9:2

- The sun, moon & stars darkened. What happened? The Great Multitude ends.

1. The World is under God's wrath & judgment to make it desolate (Revelation 9:1-2)

2. The Great Multitude's King (God) no longer provides Peace & Safety (darkened) (Revelation 9:6).

3. Peace & Safety (salvation) is taken away worldwide (Matthew 24:20-21).

1Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Now that we have many comparisons concerning the sun, moon & stars being darkened, we can understand that it is describing a period of time in which God implements His wrath & judgment on a people group to which He reigned over as King but no longer provides "Peace & Safety" (salvation) to that people group. We seen it happen in the Temple, the Church and now to the World.

But how do we know which period of time and people group this chapter is referring to? The Lord graciously shows us in the last part of the verse...

"...nor the clouds return after the rain"

If we look at when God stopped using the Temple (when the Light was darkened), His Light re-emerged outside the Temple with the Church. Likewise, when we look at when God stopped using the Church (when the Light was darkened), His Light re-emerged outside the Church with the Great Multitude. But there is no evidence within scripture that shows that God's Light re-emerges after He stopped using the Great Multitude which no man could number (when the Light was darkened). Therefore these "evil days" of no Light is referring to the last years of the Great Multitude.

God is declaring that these clouds return after the final salvation period of the Great Multitude that no man could number outside the Church.

These "clouds" that return are not normal clouds found in the Bible. They are strong's H5645 that are described as enveloping (covering), dense, darkness, thick. Therefore this ominous cloud covering blots out the Light. Knowing this, we know that the darkness of no Light is continuous until The End, which are described as "evil days" continuing for many years (verse 1).

Let’s continue with

Ecclesiastes 12:3:

In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that lookout of the windows be darkened,

This verse describes four groups of people whereby we shall see are all examples of God's people, the Elect. Each of them portray an issue of either fear, humbleness, anxiety or sadness.

1. Keepers of the house trembling - Notice it states, that there are numerous keepers but one house. This is not referring to a homeowner. But instead God's people. This is referring to the House of God. Not a physical building but instead the spiritual kingdom. Whom are the keepers? Well, the keepers of the Temple were the priests. Revelation 1:6 declares that all saved people are priests of God. Therefore, the keepers of the house are the Elect that tremble because of these final "evil days".

2. Strong men bowing themselves - 1 John 2:14 tells us that His Elect are "strong". That is why they are being humbled and bow themselves to their God's will.

3. Grinders cease because they are few - Grinders are workers. His Elect do His good works (Matthew 5:16). They cease their work for two reasons. The first is because their work of spreading the gospel is finished, that is why these are the "evil days". The second is as these final years count down there are fewer and fewer Elect to be raptured as they age and die off to return to their Lord.

John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

4. Darkened people looking out windows - What could "those that lookout of the windows be darkened" mean? This hebrew word for "windows" is Strong's H699. It is the same hebrew word used for Noah's Flood:

Genesis 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

So, it is safe to say that "those that lookout of the windows be darkened", are God's Elect that are darkened in the heaven (sky). We can make sense of this by comparing it to other scripture. For instance, we find another verse in Joel that describes the exact same period of time in another way:

Joel 3:15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The stars (the Elect) in the heaven (sky) are darkened. Or even in the previous verse above, "While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain".

This brings us to the next verse,

Ecclesiastes 12:4:

And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

1. Doors shut - We know that only the Lord can shut the door to salvation (Revelation 3:8). So, it is the Lord whom shut the doors to the world.

2. Grinding is low - Grinding is our good works of spreading the gospel and the warning of Judgment Day. This Hebrew word for "low" is Strong's H8213 which means to bring down, humiliate or make humble. His Elect experienced all of the above. His Elect were correct about Judgment Day and stopped broadcasting the gospel/warning but were humiliated and humbled that the Rapture did not occur at the same time.

3. Voice of the bird - People are symbolically referenced as birds or fowl in scripture and in Ecclesiastes 10:20 it goes a step further as a bird that brings a message. Therefore, it is the Lord whom is rising at the voice of the bird to hear a message (prayer) of His Elect during the "evil days" as per Luke 11:5-8. He will always hear the prayers of His Elect.

4. Daughters of Music - These once again are God's Elect. We know this when we compare it with 1 Chronicles 15:16 And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy. Even though they praise and worship the Lord in these End Times, their voice of joy has been brought low as verse 1 stated, "while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them".

The next verse, also tells us about a time of fear:

Ecclesiastes 12:5

Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be aburden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

Here in verse 5 we see 5 depictions of God's Elect.

1. They shall be afraid and have fears - We know that these that are afraid and fear God (that which is high) are the Elect because we see in Romans 3:8 that the unsaved have no fear of God. This word "afraid" is Strong's H3372 which means to have reverence or fear. The unsaved have neither towards God.

2. The Almond Tree shall flourish - Almonds are mentioned as one of the best choice fruits (Genesis 43:11) and also God's chosen are represented as the Almond Tree via Aaron's rod blooming with almonds (Numbers 17:8) and also in Jeremiah 1:11. Sadly, it is only the Almond Tree that flourishes and no other trees. But this word "flourish" has a main meaning of, to abhor, scorn, or despise. Could it possibly mean that the Almond Tree (God's people) are scorned or despised in these "evil days"?

3. The grasshopper shall be aburden - Grasshoppers/locusts are the only insect declared to be "clean" by God (Leviticus 11:22). Therefore, we can see that these grasshoppers represent the Elect again. There are four different descriptions of flying grasshoppers/locusts within scripture: H697, H5556, H2284, H6767. The one used in this verse (Ecclesiastes 12:5) is Strong's H2284. When we look at the 5 times that it is mentioned, we find that these grasshoppers/locusts are weak yet become strong in God's work. In this verse, the grasshopper is said to be "aburden". This is Strong's H5445 meaning to carry or bear a burden or burdemsome. It appears *the Elect) are carrying a heavy burden in these "evil days" of years. It goes on to say, "and desire shall fail". The heavy burden of no Light in the world.

4. Man goeth to his long home - This hebrew word for "long" is Strong's H5769 which means concealed, vanishing point, continuance or eternal. So, we can surely understand that this is referring to Heaven our eternal home. As these "evil days" of years continue, there will be less and less Elect to be raptured due to the fact that little by little their live's expire and they go home. We see this same example in the previous verse (Ecclesiastes 12:3) where the grinders cease because they are few.

5. The mourners go about the streets - These mourners are consistant with the grasshopper/locust dragging along with a heavy burden in these last "evil days" of years.

Ecclesiastes 12:6:

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

All of the above examples are concerning the death of the vessel (the True Believer's body). Verse 6 is understood but very hard to precisely interpret. Therefore only a vague interpretation can be said.

1. The silver cord be loosed - The body dies and the soul is released to go home.

The next 3 examples have something to do with vessels no longer able to hold water. Each of the 3 vessels mentioned seem to represent the body unable to hold it's life force and dies.

2. The golden bowl be broken - Golden (royal) bowl is broken and can't hold water.

3. The pitcher be broken - The pitcher is broken and can't hold water.

4. The wheel broken - The crank wheel for getting water from the well is broken and can't get water.

We know verse 6 is referring to the Elect's bodies dying off because verse 5 was talking about the Elect dragging along life being burdened in the last days and mourning because they are few as one by one they die off.

In verse 7

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Verse 7 further clarifies our correct understanding of verse 6 because after the Elect's bodies die, it states that their bodies return to the earth and thier spirit go home to the Lord.

CONCLUSION:

*Ecclesiastes 12 is the final chapter of wisdom that Solomon scribed to the world. It is specifically referring to the Elect having no pleasure in the final "evil days" which will last for many years (verse 1).

*He explains that God has stopped using the Temple for His salvation plan, then He stopped using the Church for His salvation plan, and finally He stopped using the Great Multitude for His salvation plan at the end (verse 2).

*The Elect tremble and fear God as they bow down to God's plan & purpose of no salvation in these final years. Ceasing their work of broadcasting the gospel and the warning to the world because they are few (verse 3).

*Praying to the Lord with humbleness in the "evil days" of years waiting until the End (verse 4).

*Praising the Lord daily but without spiritual joy, being burdened and mourning for the world knowing salvation has ended (verse 5).

*Seeing their numbers diminish year by year as their fellow servants die off going home to Heaven until the Rapture occurs (verse 6 & 7).