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Dr. Rick Griffith, Crossroads International Church
www.biblestudydownloads.com
Ecclesiastes 12:8-14
Finishing Well
Adoniram
Judson's Last
Words
"I am not tired of my
work, neither am I
tired of the world; yet
when Christ calls me
home, I shall go with
the gladness of a
boy bounding away
from school."
Voltaire's Last Words
"I am abandoned by God
and man. I will give you
half of what I am worth, if
you will give me six
months' life." The doctor
replied, "Sir, you cannot
live six weeks." Voltaire
retorted, "Then I shall go
to hell, and you with me."
I. The Theme: Life is fleeting
(12:8).
Key Word of Ecclesiastes
"Everything is meaningless,"
says the Teacher,
"completely meaningless."
A Very Literal Translation
Metaphor:
what doesn't last
("what is without real
substance, value,
permanence,
significance, or
meaning" BKC, 1:976)
Ecclesiastes
"vanity" (KJV, ESV, NAU),
"meaningless" (NIV, NLT), "futile"
(NET, TLB, BKC)
"fleeting"
Meaning of Hebel
lbh
I. The Theme: Life is fleeting
(12:8).
Key Word of Ecclesiastes
"Everything is meaningless,"
says the Teacher,
"completely meaningless."
78God's words matter!
"9Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he
imparted knowledge to the people. He
pondered and searched out and set in order
many proverbs. 10The Teacher searched to
find just the right words, and what he wrote
was upright and true" (Eccl. 12:9-10 NIV).
Scripture gives wisdom but non-inspired
books have no ultimate answers and
only wear us out (12:11-12)
78The Bible's Wisdom
"11The words of the wise are like goads,
their collected sayings like firmly
embedded nails—given by one
Shepherd. 12Be warned, my son, of
anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end,
and much study wearies the body"
(Eccl. 12:11-12 NIV).
78The Bible motivates and
guides in wise living
"11The words of the wise are like goads"
(Eccl. 12:11a NIV).
78The Bible gives a strong basis for
wise living
"11…their collected sayings like
firmly embedded nails"
(Eccl. 12:11b NIV).
78The Bible is the only Book that is
divinely inspired
"11…given by one Shepherd"
(Eccl. 12:11c NIV).
78The Bible's Wisdom
"11The words of the wise are like goads,
their collected sayings like firmly
embedded nails—given by one
Shepherd. 12Be warned, my son, of
anything in addition to them."
(Eccl. 12:11-12a NIV).
I. The Theme: Life is fleeting
(12:8).
Key Word of Ecclesiastes
"Everything is meaningless,"
says the Teacher,
"completely meaningless."
"That's the whole story.
Here now is my final conclusion:
Fear God and obey his commands"
(12:13a-b NLT).
"That's the whole story.
Here now is my final conclusion:
Fear God and obey his commands"
(12:13a-b NLT).
But why?
"That's the whole story. Here now is my
final conclusion: Fear God and obey his
commands, for this is everyone's duty"
(12:13 NLT).
"God will judge us for everything we do,
including every secret thing, whether
good or bad" (12:14 NLT).
So what does the wisest,
wealthiest, most successful man
in human history tell us in his
last words?
"How can you tell a 1st year seminary
student from a 4th year?"
1st Year 4th Year
?"All zeal,
no knowledge"
"All knowledge,
no zeal"