In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon said, “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 look out of the windows be darkened. 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 music shall be brought low”, and in chapter twelve and verse five of his book Solomon referred to, “when they shall be afraid of that which is high” where we read,
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 a burden, and desire shall fail:
because man goes to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.
The verse reads, “Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, …” Solomon began this verse with the words, “also when they shall be afraid” which means “even so and indeed at the time and moment they, people who have aged, will exist as fearful, in awe, dreading and terrified” “of that which is high” or “pertaining to whatever exists as tall and lofty”, “and fears” which means “and terrors” “shall be in the way” or “will exist within the traveled road, journey, direction and manner of living”. Solomon included the time and moment that a person becomes fearful of heights and tall things as well as terrors and the traveled road and journey.
The verse continues, “… and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail:” Solomon added the words, “and the almond tree” or “and the tree that bears almond nuts” “shall flourish” which means “will spurn, contemn, despise and abhor”, “and the grasshopper” or “and the locust” “shall be a burden” which means “will exists as a load to drag along”, “and desire shall fail” or “and stimulating passion will break, violate, frustrate and be made ineffectual”. Solomon added the time that a tree that bears almonds and locust or “grasshoppers” are despised and stimulating passion diminishes.
Finally the verse says, “because man goes to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.” Solomon concluded this verse with the words, “because man” or “since and on account that a person whether male or female” “goes to his long home” which means “walks, departs and proceeds toward his, the person’s, perpetual, forever and everlasting abode, habitation and dwelling place”, “and the mourners” or “and the people who wail and lament” “go about the streets” which means “turn, circle about, surround and encompass the traveled road or path”. Solomon ended this verse by referring to the destination of all people which he called the “long home” or the eternal dwelling place when people who lament and wail shall be within the traveled road or path.
When we meditate upon words in this verse, we learn how Solomon continued to share with the “young man” about the effects of aging. Fear of heights, terror of might happen, the status of trees that bear almonds, “grasshoppers” and stimulating passion waning may all be a part of getting old. Eventually everyone will encounter their eternal life where we shall spend forever either with our without God. God wants us to be a part of His eternal Kingdom, and entrance into His Kingdom is gained when we put our faith and trust in His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days. When we submit to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us live in a manner that is without “fear” while we trust Him with our eternal future. (See Proverbs 3:5-6; John 16:10)
Next time Solomon shares about when, “the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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