Ecclesiastes 3 highlights the theme of life’s seasons, emphasising that everything has a time and purpose. It contrasts life’s cyclical nature—birth, death, joy, sorrow—and notes that humans cannot fully grasp God’s plans. Solomon concludes that fearing God and living righteously bring true meaning amidst life’s uncertainties.
You Are Valuable to God
In Ecclesiastes 3:18-22 (AMP), Solomon reflects on the shared fate of humans and animals: “God is surely testing them in order for them to see that [by themselves, without God] they are [only] animals. For the [earthly] fate of the sons of men and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no pre-eminence or advantage for man [in and of himself] over an animal, for all is vanity. All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. Who knows if the spirit of man ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth? So I have seen that there is nothing better than that a man should be happy in his own works and activities, for that is his portion (share). For who will bring him [back] to see what will happen after he is gone?”
This passage might evoke a sense of similarity between us and animals, especially when contemplating the inevitability of death. Solomon emphasises that without God, life feels as fleeting as that of animals. However, while death may be shared, humans are distinctly different because we are made in God’s image.
Mortality
Genesis 1:27 (AMP) reminds us: “So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.” This divine imprint gives us immense value. Though our earthly lives are brief, we are more than just creatures bound by mortality. Our time is precious, and we are called to live wisely.
Psalm 90:12 (AMP) calls us to ask God for wisdom in using our time well: “So teach us to number our days, that we may cultivate and bring to You a heart of wisdom.” Solomon’s primary aim in writing Ecclesiastes was to demonstrate that without God, life feels empty and vain. But the good news is that we don’t have to live without Him.
Galatians 2:20 (AMP) affirms the new life we have in Christ: “I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” In Christ, we are given meaning, hope, and eternal life.
Though our bodies return to dust, Ecclesiastes 12:7 (AMP) assures us: “Then the dust [out of which God made man’s body] will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” Life is temporary, but God’s love for us is eternal.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV) captures the beauty of God’s design: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” This eternity in our hearts reflects our longing for God and the eternal significance He gives us.
Our value to God is beyond measure. Psalm 139:14 says we are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” and Romans 8 reminds us that nothing can separate us from His love. Though we share the inevitability of death with all living creatures, our faith in Jesus Christ guarantees eternal life with God. In Him, our lives are filled with purpose, value, and the promise of forever.