Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Ecclesiastes
Book: Ecclesiastes
Chapter: 11
Overview:
Exhortation to liberality.
(1-6) An admonition to prepare for
Death, and to young persons to be religious.
(7-10)
1-6 Solomon presses the rich to do good to others. Give freely,
though it may seem thrown away and lost. Give to many. Excuse
not thyself with the good thou hast done, from the good thou
hast further to do. It is not lost, but
Well laid out. We have
reason to expect evil, for we are born to trouble; it is
Wisdom
to do good in the
Day of prosperity. Riches cannot profit us, if
we do not benefit others. Every
Man must labour to be a blessing
to that place where the
Providence of
God casts him. Wherever we
are, we may find good work to do, if we have but hearts to do
it. If we magnify every little difficulty, start objections, and
fancy hardships, we shall never go
On, much less go through with
our work.
Winds and clouds of
Tribulation are, in
God's hands,
designed to try us.
God's work shall agree with his
Word,
whether we see it or not. And we may
Well trust
God to provide
for us, without our anxious, disquieting cares. Be not weary in
Well-doing, for in due season, in
God's time, you shall reap,
Ga 6:9.
7-10 Life is sweet to bad men, because they have their portion
in this
Life; it is sweet to good men, because it is the time of
preparation for a better; it is sweet to all. Here is a caution
to think of
Death, even when
Life is most sweet.
Solomon makes
an effecting address to young persons. They would desire
opportunity to pursue every pleasure. Then follow your desires,
but be assured that
God will
Call you into
Judgment. How many
give loose to every appetite, and
Rush into every vicious
pleasure! But
God registers every one of their sinful thoughts
and desires, their idle words and wicked words. If they would
avoid remorse and terror, if they would have
Hope and comfort
On
a dying
Bed, if they would escape misery here and hereafter, let
them remember the vanity of youthful pleasures. That
Solomon
means to condemn the pleasures of
Sin is evident. His object is
to draw the young to purer and more lasting joys. This is not
the language of one grudging youthful pleasures, because he can
No longer partake of them; but of one who has,
By a
Miracle of
Mercy, been brought back in safety. He would persuade the young
from trying a course whence
So few return. If the young would
live a
Life of true happiness, if they would secure happiness
hereafter, let them remember their Creator in the days of their
youth.