Why Much Study Is Wearisome to the Flesh (Ecclesiastes 12:12), and What We Can Do About It

In Ecclesiastes 12:12 Solomon said, “My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.”

Solomon was making a point about the amount of information that was available, and how overwhelming – and [wearying] – it could be. In Solomon’s day information was mostly limited to books. In our day information takes many other forms. If Solomon could say this when there was no printing press, Internet, television, radio, and only a fraction of the books we have what would he say if he lived in our day?

The amount of information in our day is overwhelming. Whenever someone sends an email, responds to an email, writes a blog, comments on a blog, posts on Facebook, responds to a post on Facebook, tweets, replies to a tweet, uploads a video, comments on a video, this creates data…and the amount of data we create each day is astonishing. By 2025, it’s estimated that 463 exabytes of data will be created each day. An exabyte is one quintillion kilobytes, or the number 1 with 18 zeroes after it…and that’s how much data we create each day. To give that some perspective, it’s the equivalent of 212,765,957 DVDs of data…per day!

If Solomon lived in our day, here’s how he might write verse 12: "Of making many blogs…and podcasts…and online summits…and emails…and Facebook posts…and Twitter feeds…and interviews…and news stations…and Instagrams…and Snapchats…and LinkedIn feeds…and YouTube channels…there is no end, and much studying…and watching…and reading…and listening is a weariness of the flesh."

Much of this information is also untrustworthy. Plant yourself in the Bible where “the words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed; they are given by one Shepherd” (Ecclesiastes 12:11).
Goads were long sticks with points on the end. Shepherds used to use them to poke animals and move them in the right direction, just like God’s Word pokes us and moves us in the right direction. The “nails firmly fixed” are the stakes shepherds used to secure animals who might wander off into dangerous territory, just like God’s Word protects us from wandering into dangerous territory.
The nails are firmly fixed like God’s Word: “Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89). Let Scripture be your anchor during this season.

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SERMON LESSONS

Lesson 1: Man’s words can be:
• (Part I) ________________________ (Ecc 12:12a).
• (Part II) ___________________________ (Ecc 12:12b).

Lesson 2: God’s Word is like a:
• (Part I) ________ that ______________ (Ecc 12:11a; Psa 23:1, 80:1; John 10:11; Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25, 5:4; Matt 12:42).
• (Part II) __________ that ________________ (Ecc 12:11b; Psa 119:89; Isa 40:8; 1 Pet 1:24; Matt 24:35).

FAMILY WORSHIP GUIDE

Day 1: Ecc 12:9-12, 1 Pet 3:15, 2 Tim 2:15, and discuss: According to Solomon, what causes much weariness to the flesh? How do we have a ready answer for those who ask of the reason of the hope we have? Whose approval should we be seeking when studying the Word of God? What is the danger of taking in input from the world more that input from the Bible? How does it affect our world view?

Day 2: 2 Pet 3:18, John 14:26, Ecc 12:11, and discuss: What are we to grow in according to Peter? What did Jesus promise would help us to be guided into truth? How is this a benefit to us in a world so full of information? Where did Solomon say the words of the wise come from? Why is it important to know where wisdom comes from?

Day 3: Ecc 12:11, Ps 119:89, Isa 40:8, 1 Pet 1:24, and discuss: How is God’s Word like an ox goad? What direction does the Bible point toward for hope and purpose? How does the wisdom of the world compete with the Bible? Why is the Word of God more relevant today regarding the pandemic than the latest news?

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