GOD’S JUDGMENT AND TEST

Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 / Keywords 3:18

I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.

 

3:16 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

    both the righteous and the wicked,

for there will be a time for every activity,

    a time to judge every deed.”

18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[c]; 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. 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward 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, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

Footnotes

c. Ecclesiastes 3:19 Or spirit

1. The Teacher saw that where there should have been judgement and justice, there was wickedness. Wickedness in the world breeds more wickedness, fear, anger, selfishness, or even indifference. The Teacher did not despair. He turned his mind to God. Both the righteous and the wicked must face God’s judgment (17). Every activity and deed will be judged by God in his time (2 Co 5:10). Only those whose full hope and faith is in Jesus Christ can have confidence at the judgment (1 Jn 4:17).

 

2. God has also tested us so that we may know that our earthly fate is like that of the animals. All animals and people face death. No animal or person is exempt. From the perspective of mortality, we are no different from animals. People and animals come from dust and will return to dust. Without God, death makes life meaningless.

 

3. God tests us to help us know that death is inevitable so that we see ourselves for what we really are – sinners awaiting judgment and death and in need of a Savior. God gave his Son Jesus to be our Savior. Jesus saves us from sin and death. We may experience physical death but we can face it with hope of eternal life in God’s kingdom when we put our faith in Jesus. Our fate may physically be like the animals but Jesus gives eternal life!

 

Prayer Father, thank you for Jesus who saves us from judgment and death. My hope is in you alone.

One Word How will you respond to God’s test?