The End of the Matter (Ecc 12:9–14)

Solomon, the Preacher, has been talking about the frustrating and confusing mysteries of life for twelve chapters. The book of Ecclesiastes takes a long, hard look at some of life’s enigmas that cause us to scratch our head and wonder. But Solomon, the wisest man this world has ever known, addressed these hard questions. Solomon, as we know, was famous for his proverbs, many of which are found in our Bibles (12:9). These are carefully stated truisms of life, which Solomon observed and captured in short proverbs (12:10).
Wise words are like goads, or pointed sticks used to herd animals (12:11). When an animal starts to go the wrong way, a herdsman might poke it until it turned back to the right way. In this way, Solomon’s proverbial sayings (which include the book of Ecclesiastes) are like little points in our minds and lives that stimulate our thinking. They help us think right, they make us uncomfortable when we are wrong, and they encourage us to think about many important areas of our lives. These are not questions that have never been asked before; rather, many men for thousands of years have asked and debated these ideas (12:12). You could wear yourself out trying to read what all these people have said.
The conclusion, according to Solomon, is this: Fear God, and keep his commandments (12:13). This is your responsibility as a human being. Because God made you, you are accountable to him (12:14). You may not understand everything about life. You may not always think things are “fair.” You may be confused at times. But you, as God’s creation, must submit to God as Creator. You must obey him. You must reverence him. You will stand before him as Judge one day. Fear God. Obey his commands.