Evaluations and Ends of Life

Introduction: Solomon identifies the injustices and faults of the world and concludes that only God will settle the score and make things right in his time. Until then, many is advised to live with integrity, knowing there is a judge who will resolve all wrongs. Until then even men at their highest and lowest is nothing without a savior so he should enjoy life without worry or over estimation of himself.

There Will Be an Evaluation of Public and Parochial Leaders (3:16-17)

Concerning Observations (3:16) - “16 I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness.”

2 Chronicles 19:6-7 (HCSB) - “6 Then he said to the judges, "Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the matter of judgment. 7 And now, may the terror of the Lord be on you. Watch what you do, for there is no injustice or partiality or taking bribes with the Lord our God."

Psalm 125:4-5 (HCSB) - “4 Do what is good, Lord, to the good, to those whose hearts are upright. 5 But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways, the Lord will banish them with the evildoers. Peace be with Israel.”

Comforting Assurance (3:17) - “17 I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, v since there is a time for every activity and every work.”

Psalm 37:1-3 “1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed."

Psalm 97:1-2 (HCSB) - “1 The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coasts and islands be glad. 2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.”

Job 3:17-18 (HCSB) - “17 There the wicked cease to make trouble, and there the weary find rest. 18 The captives are completely at ease; they do not hear the voice of [their] oppressor.”

There is an End to Life (3:18-20)

Clarity About Life (3:18-19) - “18 I said to myself, “This happens concerning people, so that God may test them and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.” 19 For the fate of people and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile.”

Genesis 2:26-27 (HCSB) - “26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth." 27 So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.”

Psalm 49:20 (HCSB) - “20 A man with valuable possessions but without understanding is like the animals that perish.”

Psalm 146:3-4 (HCSB) - “3 Do not trust in nobles, in man, who cannot save. 4 When his breath leaves him, he returns to the ground; on that day his plans die.”

Romans 6:23 (HCSB) - “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Conclusion of Earthly Life (3:20) - “20 All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.”

Note: “Their bodies return to the dust of the earth in the same manner. Insofar as the body is concerned, man has little or no advantage over the beasts of the field. A dog has a keener sense of smell, a leopard can run faster, a turtle lives longer, and an eagle has better eyesight. It is in the realm of the mind and the spirit that man has superiority. Only man is made in the image of God.”

Genesis 3:19 (HCSB) - “19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust."

Job 7:9 (HCSB) - “9 As a cloud fades away and vanishes, so the one who goes down to Sheol will never rise again.”

Psalm 49:16-20 (HCSB) - “16 Do not be afraid when a man gets rich, when the wealth of his house increases. 17 For when he dies, he will take nothing at all; his wealth will not follow him down. 18 Though he praises himself during his lifetime- and people praise you when you do well for yourself- 19 he will go to the generation of his fathers; they will never see the light. 20 A man with valuable possessions but without understanding is like the animals that perish.”

There is Enjoyment in Life (3:21-22)

Consider The Spirit’s Destination (3:21) - “21 Who knows if the spirit of people rises upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth?”

Ecclesiastes 12:7 (HCSB) - “7 and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

Celebrate The Blessing of Life (3:22) - “22 I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?”

Matthew 6:19-24 (HCSB) - “19 "Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness-how deep is that darkness! 24 "No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.”