Old Age
Ecc 12:1 here the writer is explaining why a person needs to remember and serve God when they’re young. Because life is short and if one lives to become old it has it’s hardships.
Ecc 12;2 While the sun or the light, or moon, or the starts be not darkened, nor clouds return after rain. The darkening of the lights or Heaven, meaning a time of affliction and sadness.
Ecc 12: 3 In the day when the keepers of the house, meaning the body of man here compared to a house the keepers shall tremble, meaning the hands become weak. The strong men shall bow themselves, meaning the legs become feeble, and unable to support the body and grinders cease because they are few, meaning the teeth decay and are lost, and these who look out the windows be darkened, meaning the eyes become dim and not able to see clear.
Ecc 12:4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets when the sound of grinding is low, meaning the way of entry and exit is stopped, little or no sound issues forth to tell of life stirring within. The old man as he grows older loses interest in contact with others. And he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, meaning his sleep is not sound as it used to be. And it is hard to sleep and so he is glad to see the morning. The smallest noise awakes him. And the daughters of Musick shall be brought low, meaning the voice becomes feeble and low tone.
Ecc. 12:5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way meaning being so feeble they are afraid to trust themselves to climb steps stairs, etc. And when they look, upward their head becomes dizzy and they are ready to fall. Fears in the way meaning a second childishness has taken place gears terrors and weakness. The almond tree shall flourish, meaning the hair begins to change, first grey and then white. The grasshopper shall be a burden meaning the body bent at the loins and arms hanging down. Desire shall fail, meaning he has no appetite for food. Because man goeth to his long home meaning he dies and goes into eternity.
Ecc 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.
We have already explained all the external evidences of old age with its infirmities. Next what takes place in order to produce what is called death or the separation of body and soul. Or ever the silver cord be loosed, meaning the spinal cord from which all the nerves proceed the nervous system begins to shut down. Stops functions or the pitcher be broken at the fountain meaning the heart the organ that pushes the fountain of blood threw the body the wheel broken at the cistern meaning the heart and lungs stop and he dies.
The following verse brings us to the conclusion of this truth.
Ecc 12;7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
So in these closing remarks let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Elder Terry L. Harmon