Some claim that such passages as Ecclesiastes 3:19,20;9:2,3,5,10 cannot be used to refer to the state of the dead. According to these passages, the same thing happens to both men and beasts, in that they all die, and the dead know nothing. This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event for all. How do the traditionalists explain away these scriptures?
One writer refers to Ecclesiastes 12:11: “The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.” According to the writer, the goads mean problems and the nails mean solutions. How the author arrives at this conclusion is not explained, but, using this interpretation, he explains:
“The goad, according to that interpretation, would be that which perplexes the man who looks at things from the standpoint of the earth (under the sun’). Well as it looks from here, is it not true that men and beasts all die, and that when they die they lose all direct contact with this world? Are not all the same in that respect? But there is a nail, a solution. Viewed from the region of the sun, the author of Ecclesiastes knows that the lot of the righteous is not the same as that of the wicked (Ecclesiastes 2:26). Also he knows that there is, indeed, a life after death. Man’s spirit does not go out of existence. On the contrary, Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.'” — The Bible on the Life Hereafter, by William Hendricksen
There is no reason whatsoever for the above explanation except that one wants to hold onto the traditions of man. The Bible itself never gives us the interpretation that the quoted writer gives, nor do the statements in Ecclesiastes conflict with the rest of the Bible. It may conflict with traditionalists’ ideas of “going to heaven” at death, but nowhere does the Bible hold out the hope of “going to heaven” when one dies. With these thoughts in mind let us look further at the claims made in BLH book.
We should note that Ecclesiastes 2:26 is qualified by the statement: "This also is vanity and vexation of spirit." presents a riddle. If so, in effect Solomon asks: “Is God giving to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy, while to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he might give to him that is good before God? This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.” Evidence that this verse must be looked upon as riddle can be seen from what is said directly after: “This too is vanity and chasing after the wind.” It is true that after the day of judgment God will set all matters right, but in this present world, it is not so. Not all good people experience wisdom, knowledge, and joy in this present life; likewise not all who are wicked receive travail, to gather and to heap up, that he might give to him that is good before God. Indeed, we find that generally the reverse is true. As Solomon later states: “There is a vanity that is done upon the earth: that there are just men, to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.” — Ecclesiastes 8:14.
Job similarly observed: “Why do the wicked live on, reach old age, and grow mighty in power? Their children are established in their presence, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them. Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and never miscarries. They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children dance around. They sing to the tambourine and the lyre, and rejoice to the sound of the pipe. They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.” — Job 19:21:7-13, New Revised Standard Version.
Likewise, Jeremiah says; “Righteous are You, O Jehovah, when I might complain to You, yet let me speak with You of Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are all those dealers of deceit at ease?” — Jeremiah 12:1, Green’s Literal.
Further, Malachi states: “Now we call the proud happy. Yes, those who work wickedness are set on high. Yes, those who tempt God re even saved.” — Malachi 3:15.
Additionally, the rest of the Bible agrees with Solomon’s observations regarding man’s subjection to vanity. “Surely every man standing is all vanity.” (Psalm 39:5) “For the creation was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but through him subjecting it.” — Romans 8:20.
In the same manner, the rest of the Bible agrees with Solomon’s description of death. “His breath (Hebrew, rûwach, Strong’s No. 7307, wind, breath, power) goes forth, he returns to the earth. In that very day his thoughts perish.” (Psalm 145:4) Now if man should continue to think, even if he no longer had his human form, this scripture simply could not be true. “The dead do not praise Jehovah, nor do any who go down into silence.” (115:17) Again, this scripture could not be true if the righteous were still alive and praising God even though dead. Job agrees that all go to the same place: “They shall die alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.” (Job 21:26) And with this the apostle Paul agrees: “Therefore, by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, because all have sinned.” (Romans 5:12) As a result, God subjected man to the present sun of vanity. (Ecclesiastes 1:2,3,13-15; Romans 8:20-22) Thus there is no reason for rejecting the statements in Ecclesiastes concerning the condition of the dead.
But some say that Ecclesiastes 9:10 does not mean to exclude all activity from the “life after this life” not any more than the saying of our savior recorded in John 9:4 (Night is approaching when no man can work’). According to this argument, such expressions refer only to the cessation of all toil under the sun,’ that is, of all human activity here on earth. — Commentaar op het Oude Testament, p. 205.
In actuality John 9:4 has nothing to do with Ecclesiastes 9:10, nor with life after death. John 9:4 is referring to the falling away “when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own unrighteous desires they will collect for themselves teachers, having itching ears.” (2 Timothy 4:3,4) This happened with the foretold apostasy and the development of a religious hierarchy and its subsequent suppression of truth. (Matthew 13:24-30; Acts 20:29,30; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:3,4) Although this falling away had already begun in the first century, the apostasy was restrained for only a short while. (2 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 John 2:18,19; 2 Corinthians 11:4) The apostasy spread rapidly after the death the apostles and developed into a religious hierarchy under which no man could actually do work in harmony with truth. Nor does Ecclesiastes 9:10 purport to say anything about the life after this life,’ that is, the resurrection. In the life after this life during the resurrection one will certainly be able to work, devise, think, and perform. — Isaiah 26:8.
One author claims that one cannot depend on Ecclesiastes as describing the condition of dead, because it not only states the dead know nothing in Ecclesiastes 9;5,6, but that he goes on to deny they will be resurrected by adding that "they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun." Those who have accepted the Greek philosophy that the soul (or spirit) of man never dies often understand this to mean that it saying that the idea will never be raised. Once one understands that "under the sun" is speaking of being under the condemnation of Adam under the present sun of vanity, one can understand that the dead are not raised back to being under this present sun, but that in the last day they will be praised under the sun of righteousness. (**** scriptures need to be provided) Thus, Solomon wrote wrote of man under this present sun of condemnation resulting in vanity and crookedness. Thus, Ecclesiastes 1:13-15, states: "It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous [one made straight -- justified -- through faith] and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead." (Ecclesiastes 9:2,3, New American Standard) This agrees with Romans 5:12-19; 8:20-23.
See also our study: Under the Sun - What Does It Mean?
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