As we've been working through God's Wisdom; today we turn to Ecclesiastes chapter 12. Although this is the final chapter of this book of wisdom, Solomon's wise conclusions are just as relevant today, as they were when he first wrote them. Join us! STUDY AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Who is the likely author of the Book of Ecclesiastes? According to the podcast, at what point of life did he write this book? What path has he taken to arrive at these conclusions? 2. Read verses 1-7. What stage of life is Solomon referring to? Why is it important to follow God when we're young and not just when we're at the later stages of our life? 3. What does the term "vanity" mean in verse 8? What does Solomon mean by saying that "ALL is vanity"? What is he referring to? 4. According to verse 11, what are wise words liken to? How are they like this? In your own life, do wise words have this effect on you? Why or why not? 5. In verse 12, what is the danger of "many books"? What could "many books" be compared with in our day? Is there a danger, in your life, of reading too many "books"? 6. Verse 13 sums up the whole book by saying "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments." From what you know of Solomon's life, why is this final conclusion so surprising? Why do you think he eventually came to this conclusion? Have you come to this conclusion yourself, yet? Why or why not? 7. Verse 14 provides the reasons for Solomon's conclusions in verse 13. Why should we always be aware of the fact that "God will bring every act to judgment"? Think about that word "every". How should the fact that God will bring your "every" act under judgment change how you live? 8. Verse 14 has an added layer of meaning for those whose sins have been cleansed by Christ. How does the fact that Jesus has paid the penalty of your "every" sin change how you live? 9. As we wrap up our short study in Ecclesiastes, are there any life-corrections that you need to make in light of this key chapter in God's Word? The Key Chapters Bible Podcast is a daily, 15ish minute podcast that goes over the key chapters of the Bible, one per day, explaining how it fits into the overall message of God and how it relates to our lives now. Jump in today or start back in Genesis 1! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Available on all major podcast platforms, and now on YouTube. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.