Have you ever been to the zoo and seen all the animals like the tigers, lions, alligators, rhinos, bears, and many others? Man’s body is no greater than the body of a beast; they are both mortal. The only difference between them and us is we have an immortal soul which lives for eternity. We have to choose how we live for the destination of our soul going to Heaven or Hell for eternity. Solomon teaches on this very subject in Ecclesiastes 3:18 -21.
In Ecclesiastes 3:18, “I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.” Solomon had all wisdom and was always searching for the meaning of life. On his search, he concludes that all men are beasts themselves. If you consider even the animal world, humans are top of the food chain. We know some mean animals are out there, but even they are scared of us. Most of the meanest and most deadly animals will not attack a human unless they are cornered.
In Ecclesiastes 3:19, “For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.” Solomon tells us here that all beasts die. Even humans being the greatest of the beast, will die at some time. All beasts will take the last breath, and all men will take the last breath. Therefore, we should never think our bodies are more significant than a beast because, in the end, we will both die physically.
In Ecclesiastes 3:20, “All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.” Here Solomon says all beasts’ bodies will return to the dust they were made from. In the beginning, God made man from the dust of the ground, and when a man dies, he turns back to the dust he was created from. There is nothing God created on this earth which will not turn back to the original dust. Solomon goes on in Ecclesiastes 3:21, “Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?” The only difference between man and animals is humans have a soul which will live eternally.
God gave Solomon more wisdom than anyone who has ever lived. He was always searching for man’s true meaning and concluded that man’s whole duty is to keep all of God’s commandments and fear Him. He found all pleasures of this life are but vanity, worthless; the one true meaning to life is pleasing God. In his search, Solomon saw how all beasts and men would die and return to the very dust they were created from. As Christians we must live our lives for God, for this world is not our home and we are only passing through. Knowing your body will return to dust, have you been living a life where your soul will go to Heaven?
-Jesse Stuart, Student at Southwest School of Bible Studies
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