Difference between revisions of "Ecclesiastes 12:7"
m (1 revision imported) |
|
(No difference)
|
Latest revision as of 19:52, 4 August 2016
|
Summary
- What happens at death? This verse tells us the first thing that happens.
- Once this happens, we will never return to this life "under the sun." At this point, the full reality of "meaninglessness" will take over - from the perspective of life "under the sun." (The focus here is not on what happens after life "under the sun" is over.)
Details and/or Comments
- This passage fits with what was written in 3:21, "Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"
- In chapter 3, we are told that people who are living cannot observe what happens to the spirit after death - though perhaps what happens is implied.
- In chapter 12, we are told what happens to humans.
- There is a fundamental difference between humans and animals - a difference also seen in the book of Genesis. Unlike animals, God personally breathed the "breath of life" into humans (Genesis 2:7); and at death, some part of the human - called the "spirit" (or "breath") will return to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
- The Hebrew words in these two verses are different. The Genesis word for "breath" is more inclusive of the totality of human life; the Ecclesiastes word for "spirit" (or "breath") has a greater emphasis on the aspect of a human that relates to God.
Scripture
Ecclesiastes 12:7
Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
Ecc 12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. | What happens at the death of a human?
Those who are still alive can observe this: The body ("dust") returns to the earth. What we can't observe: The spirit returns to God. (Yet it is stated as a fact that it does happen.) |
Scripture Passages
(Only books that have relevance to this study have active links. The others are in italics.)
Genesis • Exodus • Leviticus • Numbers • Deuteronomy • Joshua • Judges • Ruth • 1 Samuel • 2 Samuel • 1 Kings • 2 Kings • 1 Chronicles • 2 Chronicles • Ezra • Nehemiah • Esther • Job • Psalms • Proverbs • Ecclesiastes • Song of Solomon • Isaiah • Jeremiah • Lamentations • Ezekiel • Daniel • Hosea • Joel • Amos • Obadiah • Jonah • Micah • Nahum • Habakkuk • Zephaniah • Haggai • Zechariah • Malachi Matthew • Mark • Luke • John • Acts • Romans • 1 Corinthians • 2 Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians • 1 Thessalonians • 2 Thessalonians • 1 Timothy • 2 Timothy • Titus • Philemon • Hebrews • James • 1 Peter • 2 Peter • 1 John • 2 John • 3 John • Jude • Revelation |
—— To avoid any copyright issues, all Scripture is either from a public domain translation (such as the World English Bible), my own translation, or a combination of these. ——
|
The name "Yahweh," when present in an Old Testament passage, represents the Hebrew name for the God of the Bible.
|
Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.
|