“Resolved, I will live so, as I wish I had done when I come to die.”

These words were penned by nineteen-year-old Jonathan Edwards, who in 1722, kept a diary and wrote seventy guidelines which he called “Resolutions”. In his article, “The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards”, Dr. Stephen Nichols writes that Jonathan Edwards resolved to live a life that counts, not through legalistic grit and determination, but with God’s help and grace in accordance to His will.

Edwards’ seventy resolutions deal with various topics and themes. One such theme is the reality of his death and living before God with an eternal perspective. In his youth, Edwards knew all too well about the brevity of life. His life and preaching demonstrated that he took seriously that life is a breath, a mist, “that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (Jas. 4:14). Just as life in Edward’s 18th century was frail and fragile, life continues to be frail and fragile today.

One theme that Solomon has addressed in Ecclesiastes is the sober reality of death. The brevity of life is a reality we just as soon forget, escape from, ignore and not talk about. In his sermon “The Bad Days are Better”, pastor Dan spoke of how a sober look at the reality of death actually helps us to put life into proper perspective and order.

We know that “for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die;” (Ecc.3:1-2). We are all going to die yet none of us know the day and hour when death shall overtake us. Though life is hebel - a vapor - a breath - Scripture actually teaches us that the fleeting, transient, breathiness of life can actually teach us how to live with eternity in view.

In Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8, Solomon deals with the reality of death and the afterlife in such a way to help prepare us, I believe, for eternity. From the context, it seems to me that the main idea of this passage is the call to live life in light of eternity.

In our passage, there are three ways where Solomon instructs us to live life in light of eternity:

· Rejoice in life while remembering that one day we will give an account to God. 11:7-9

· Remove sorrow and put away evil. 11:10

· Remember your Creator in the days of your youth. 12:1-8

Living life in light of eternity is to rejoice in life while remembering that one day we will give an account to God.

“Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.” Ecc.11:7

Each morning I am greeted by Abdel, one of the security guards where I work. After saying good morning, Abdel will almost always tell me the day’s weather forecast. If it is cold, but the sun is out, he will always emphasize that it is sunny. Abdel’s optimism speaks to the joy we get from the sun. The correlation between the light of the sun and joy, I believe, is God-given.

It also gives us a sense of the poetic imagery Solomon is using here. Just as being surrounded by the light of the sun is sweet and pleasant for the eyes, our present life is intended by God to be enjoyed. As we have learned, to rejoice in life is a good gift that only God can give. Enjoying life may look different to each of us, but we must keep in mind that someday we are going to give an account to God, so we need to enjoy that which glorifies God.

Ecc. 11:8 says:

“So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.”

Verse eight tells us that if we should live many years we are to remember there will be “days of darkness”. It’s not entirely clear as to what is meant by “days of darkness”. From the context of the following chapter 12:2-8, “days of darkness” likely speaks of when our bodies and minds are suffering in decrepit decline towards disease and inevitable death. In the face of such decline, if we should live for many years, we are to rejoice in this gift of life all of our days.

Then we come to 11:9 where it reads:

“Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgement.”

OT scholar, Walter Kaiser Jr., points out the sense of irony in this verse. “Walk in the ways of your heart” seems to be a direct contradiction of Numbers 15:39b: “You shall … not follow after your heart and your own eyes”. Verse 9, however, is no contradiction to Number 15:39b or invitation to live sinfully in sensual pleasure. It is not an invitation in which anything goes. Enjoy life. Enjoy what you see and desire. Rejoice and delight yourself in the thrill of living. But enjoy life in the fear of God and to the glory of God. Don’t abuse this gift with evil comforts, pleasures, and stuff that offer no real joy and have no eternal value. Enjoy life in a way that brings glory to the One who created you, “loved you and gave Himself for you” (Gal. 2:20b).

Each week at the Courthouse I see people come before a judge to give an account of what they have done or witnessed. At the end of the trial the judge will give a verdict based on the evidence that was presented before the court. I think this is a mere shadow of the heavenly court. In the heavenly court, there will be but One Judge, who “will bring every deed into judgement, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecc. 12:14).

All of us are transients on this earth. Whether it be today, tomorrow, or many years from now, our lives will soon be past. There will come a time when God will judge both the righteous and the wicked. One day each of us will give an account of ourselves to God (Rom.14:12). Our life is from God and for God, so how we live on this side of eternity matters to Him. David Gibson reminds us that “enjoyment is a gift from God and we are responsible to God for what we have done with it”. Only what was done for Christ, for His glory, will last. To live in light of eternity is to rejoice in life while remembering that one day we will give an account to God.

Living life in light of eternity is to remove sorrow and put away evil.

Ecc.11:10 reads:

“Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.”

First, we must remove “vexation” which also translates as “sorrow”. There is a sorrow that may be caused by depression, anxiety, suffering, or grief over the loss of a loved one. Some of you here this morning may be experiencing this kind of sorrow. If this you, the Bible invites you to “cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you” (Ps.55:22). I want to encourage you to speak with pastor Dan, one of the leaders, or a trusted mature friend in Christ who can help bear your burden and bring your sorrow before the Lord in prayer.

But the sorrow that I think Solomon is speaking of is when one sorrows over needless frustrations and anxieties. It is the sorrow that robs us of our God-given joy in life. Youth and the prime of life are a “fleeting breath” that is here today and gone tomorrow. Don’t sorrow over things that have no eternal value. It’s so easy to get lost in the small matters of life and lose sight of the big picture. Don’t sorrow over the things that you cannot fix or control. Whatever sorrow you may be dealing with, the remedy is always same: take it the Lord in prayer as the old hymn reminds us:

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!

Second, we are to put away “pain”. The Hebrew word for “pain” is the word ra-ah which literally means “evil”. One commentator writes that to put away “pain” or “evil” is essentially to ‘put away sin’. Author, Daniel Akin writes:

God has made life as a gift to be enjoyed as He designed. We run into major problems when we depart from His good design. When we choose to do marriage, relationships, food, money, and work in ways He did not intend, it leads to brokenness and pain in our lives…”

If there is sin in your life, confess your sin and ask God for forgiveness. We all need to face ourselves daily in the mirror of God’s word. Through the conviction of the Spirit, we are to put away evil by turning from sin - and in faith - turn to the Lord who is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). It is to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Rom 13:14). John Piper reminds us that the “Christian life is one long process of crucifying those old desires and experiencing by the power of the Holy Spirit, new passions and new desires.” To live life in light of eternity is to remove sorrow and put away evil.

Living life in light of eternity is to remember your Creator in the days of your youth.

“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them.” Ecc. 12:1

The very God who calls us to rejoice is the same eternal God whom we have to give an account of ourselves. The God who requires us to r...