Emptiness
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· 541 viewsScripture stresses the emptiness of human life without God, and notes that Jesus Christ chose to empty himself in order to redeem humanity.
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Emptiness and creation
Emptiness and creation
The world created to be filled
The world created to be filled
Is 45:18; Hab 2:14
See also Ge 1:2
Human life can be empty
Human life can be empty
“I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
See also Ec 1:2; Ec 3:19; Ec 12:8
Human words can be empty
Human words can be empty
“Surely God will not listen to an empty cry,
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
See also Job 35:16; Is 16:6; Is 36:5; Is 59:4; Eph 5:6; 2 Pe 2:18
Human attempts at fulfilment are empty
Human attempts at fulfilment are empty
Work does not satisfy
Work does not satisfy
“Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance.
See also Ps 127:1–2; Ec 2:17; Ec 6:7; Hag 1:5–6
Pleasure does not last
Pleasure does not last
That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the godless momentary?
See also Pr 21:17; Ec 2:1–3; Ec 2:25
Wealth does not satisfy
Wealth does not satisfy
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.
See also Ec 4:7–8; Lk 12:15; 1 Ti 6:9–10
Material possessions are unreliable
Material possessions are unreliable
“Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’
See also Job 8:13–15; Job 15:31; Ps 49:10; Ps 49:12; Ps 49:16–17; Pr 11:4; Ec 5:15; 1 Ti 6:7
False religion cannot save
False religion cannot save
“When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will carry all of them up,
And a breath will take them away.
But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land
And will possess My holy mountain.”
See also Jdg 10:14; Is 44:17–18; Is 45:20; Is 46:7; Je 11:12; Ac 14:15
Emptiness as the result of sin
Emptiness as the result of sin
“So also I will make you sick, striking you down,
Desolating you because of your sins.
“You will eat, but you will not be satisfied,
And your vileness will be in your midst.
You will try to remove for safekeeping,
But you will not preserve anything,
And what you do preserve I will give to the sword.
See also Le 26:14–16; Ps 78:32–33; Ho 4:10; Hag 1:7–9
God wants to remove the emptiness of people’s lives
God wants to remove the emptiness of people’s lives
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
See also Ps 81:10; Jn 1:16; Jn 10:10; Eph 4:13; Col 2:10
Jesus Christ accepts emptiness in order to redeem humanity
Jesus Christ accepts emptiness in order to redeem humanity
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
See also 2 Co 8:9
