"At last the Teacher is approaching the climax of his book. We cannot see God's whole plan, and there is nothing in this world that we can build on so as to find satisfaction or the key to the meaning of things. Yet we are to fulfill God's purpose by accepting our daily lot in life as from him and by thus pleasing him make each day a good day. But how can we please him when there is so much we cannot understand? The Teacher has already shown that certain things stand out as right or wrong, and a sensible conscience will see these as an indication of what God desires. This section gives further wise advice in the light of an uncertain future. We must use common sense in sensible planning and in eliminating as many of the uncertainties as we can."69
Ignorance of the future should lead to diligent work, not despair.
11:1-2 Casting one's bread on the water (v. 1) probably refers to commercial transactions involving the transportation of commodities by ship, not to charitable acts.70If you follow the advice in this verse literally you will experience disappointment. It probably refers to buying and selling. Verse 2 advocates diversifying your investments rather than putting all of your resources in one investment.
"Seven or eight' is a Hebrew numerical formula called X, X + 1. It occurs frequently in Proverbs (chaps. 6, 30) and in the first two chapters of Amos. Here it is not to be taken literally but means plenty and more than plenty,' the widest possible diversification within the guidelines of prudence. . . .' Seven means plenty,' and eight means, Go a bit beyond that.'"71
11:3-4 Do not wait until conditions are perfect before you go to work, but labor diligently even though conditions may appear foreboding. After all, God controls these conditions, and we cannot tell whether good or bad conditions will materialize.
11:5 "Few parents understand precisely how a baby is formed, but most follow the rules of common sense for the welfare of the mother and the unborn child. This is exactly the application that the Teacher makes here to the plan of God. Indeed, it illustrates the whole theme of the book. We cannot understand all the ways God works to fulfill his plan, but we can follow God's rules for daily living and thus help bring God's purpose to birth."72
11:6 Since the future is in God's hands, the wise person proceeds with his work diligently hoping his efforts will yield fruit, as they usually do.
"Put in a nutshell the themeof the passage is this: we should use wisdom boldly and carefully, cannily yet humbly, taking joy from life while remembering that our days of joy are limited by the certainty of death."73
