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Prophets and Kings
“When the sound of the grinding is low,
And he shall rise up at the voice of the bird,
And all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
“Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high,
And fears shall be in the way,
“And the almond tree shall flourish,
And the grasshopper shall be a burden,
And desire shall fail:
“Because man goeth to his long home,
And the mourners go about the streets:
“Or ever the silver cord be loosed,
Or the golden bowl be broken,
Or the pitcher be broken at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the cistern.
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“Then shall the dust return to the earth
As it was:
And the spirit shall return unto God
Who gave it.”
Ecclesiastes 12:1-7
.
Not only to the youth, but to those of mature years, and to those
who are descending the hill of life and facing the western sun, the life
of Solomon is full of warning. We see and hear of unsteadiness in
youth, the young wavering between right and wrong, and the current
of evil passions proving too strong for them. In those of maturer years,
we do not look for this unsteadiness and unfaithfulness; we expect the
character to be established, the principles firmly rooted. But this is not
always so. When Solomon should have been in character as a sturdy
oak, he fell from his steadfastness under the power of temptation.
When his strength should have been the firmest, he was found to be
the weakest.