THOUGHTS ON ECCLESIASTES 11:1-2

Robert is a Bible teacher from Africa.  He requests books from David Dyer’s “A Grain of Wheat Ministries” which I distribute around the world for that ministry.  Robert frequently poses very interesting questions.  Very uniquely, most of the time when Robert sends a question, I receive a word of wisdom that is more than just the thoughts of my mind on that issue – a burst transmission from Jesus – as famously coined by the author and podcaster of fame, Steve Quayle. https://www.stevequayle.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your question, Robert, “Please, what is the meaning of Ecclesiastes 11:1-2?”

Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 KJV

Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

 

 

 

 

 

I believe that this scripture references both a spiritual and mundane principle. In the natural way, it refers to using wisdom and common sense in business, whether we are talking international commerce or simply raising a family in our local community. It is related to an old American saying, “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.” The reason for doing this is that if you have eggs in several baskets, sent to customers, chances are most of those baskets will make it to the final destination.  Maybe one person sent with the basket trips over a rock, and smashes the eggs, but the other curriers all make it safely to the customers.  About the same time this saying about eggs and baskets was common, goods were often sent by ship.  It was customary to split large shipments onto several ships for the same reasons.  One ship might sink in a storm or be captured by pirates. If the sum total of your goods were on the one ship, Robert, your business venture would be a total loss. Hopefully, 6/7ths or 7/8ths of your goods, after sales, would still be a tidy profit, after subtracting the loss of goods from the one ship.

 

From a spiritual standpoint, the application is similar, but the outcome is different. Patience, faith and wisdom are all important tenets of walking our walk with Jesus during our earthly life and are reflected in the spiritual principles of these verses.

 

Here is a list of verses, Robert, that in their verse-by-verse wisdom and by virtue of the number of entries, showcase the importance of asking for wisdom: https://www.openbible.info/topics/asking_for_wisdom

 

Generally, we need to ask for wisdom from the Holy Spirit, in the same way that we daily read scripture or pray for ourselves and others. The verses, Robert, that you have asked about are often taught in a commercial light but are not often linked to the spiritual need of Christians to seek the Lord for the skills and gifts of natural and supernatural wisdom and critical thinking.

 

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellers there is safety. Prov. 11:14.

 

One might say that if you have several counselors, you may get several answers and be more confused than before. While there may be some truth in that Robert, we must remember that if the Lord gives us wisdom, we should be able to sift through those answers and come up with the best tactic for our present situation.

Another spiritual point is that we should submit all things to the Lord and be open to His ability to help us understand or mature in Him through a variety of sources.  One day Jesus gives you, Robert, an answer in your daily scripture reading. On the next day a spiritual brother or sister gives you wisdom while sharing about a blessing they’ve received or a sermon they’ve heard.  A week later, something happens that may never happen again, you see an angel appear, when you are about to be robbed on the road, and the hooligans all run away.  During the following month you have three dreams in a row, on consecutive nights, where Jesus tells you not to travel to a far city on business for at least sixty days. Can you see Robert, how this relates, in a spiritual sense, to the principles of Ecclesiastes 11:1-2?

It is great if you read your Bible every day, but if you say, “unless my answer comes from the scripture only, and nothing else,” you may end up blocking wisdom, blessings, and answers to prayer.

Christians may fall short in that we may be lax in certain spiritual responsibilities but never miss a weekly church meeting. Or perhaps we faithfully give appropriately to the Lord concerning finances, but we dishonor our wife or ignore or even aggravate our children in some way. In the same way that mistreating our spouse may block our protection, blessing and answers to prayer, unwise words or life choices, and failure to repent and turn from some wicked way, may result in the same kinds of stumbling blocks.

Discernment is also critical, and we need to pray to Jesus that He will increase our abilities in this area. Natural and supernatural discernment are different, and Jesus, is able, if we cooperate, to hone these traits in us over time.  By reason of experience, when one is older, even if they are not Christians, they may develop the ability to read the weather by observing the sky or see through the schemes of a dishonest salesman or lying relative by observing their body language and facial expressions. Or the Holy Spirit, if we are sensitive, may just show us through the working of a spiritual gift, if we are sensitive enough to hear and do not rationalize the warning.  Exodus chapter eighteen presents a story where Moses’ father-in-law, although he was quite the pagan, was used by God to give Moses’ wisdom on a better way to govern his people.

Here’s the rub, as we mature, we need, to cooperate with Jesus, over time, by allowing Him to mold us and increase our wisdom and other kingdom abilities, natural and spiritual.   By allowing Jesus to train and discipline us, we will become better at assessing such events. We must be ready and willing to swallow our pride and learn from our lessons. Most of the time the advice of a Christian brother or sister will trump that of another who does not serve the Lord.   However, in rare circumstances, the counsel of the pagan may be used by the Lord, like He used Balaam’s donkey, to give us wisdom.  By allowing Jesus, over time, to improve our patience, faith and wisdom, which have bearing on our discernment, natural and spiritual, we will become more efficient at surmising His will and sift through several shiploads of “counseling” options to find our best tactic for any situation that comes our way.

 

 

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