GOD BRINGS INTO JUDGMENT

Passage: Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

Key verse: 22

NIV

16 And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
    in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

17 I said to myself,

“God will bring into judgment(A)
    both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
    a time to judge every deed.”(B)

18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.(C) 19 Surely the fate of human beings(D) is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[a]; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.(E) 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward(F) and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work,(G) because that is their lot.(H) For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Ecclesiastes 3:19 Or spirit
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

From Dust to Dust

16 Moreover, (A)I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even (B)there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, (C)God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is (D)a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but (E)beasts. 19 (F)For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.[a] 20 All go to one place. All are from (G)the dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether (H)the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is (I)nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for (J)that is his lot. Who can bring him to see (K)what will be after him?

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Ecclesiastes 3:19 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Wickedness in the place of justice (16-17) The Teacher saw something else under the sun. He saw wickedness on the earth where there should be judgment and justice. The Teacher's conclusion to this was that God would bring both the righteous and wicked to justice in His own time. There is a time for judgment for every deed under the sun. 2. We are like animals (18-22) The Teacher postulates that people are just like animals. Just like the wise and the foolish both have the same fate, so do both people and animals. Just as we both live, we both will die in God's time. The Teacher decides that because of this, people have no advantage over animals. Who knows who will go to heaven and who will go to hell? So what are we to do? The Teacher concludes that our God-given lot is to work. So, we should enjoy it! How can we enjoy our work? Know that it is from God.

Prayer: Lord, all things are from you. Help me to enjoy the toil and work you have given me.

One Word: Enjoy your work!