Compare Job 21:32 with Ecclesiastes 3:20 on life's temporary nature.

Setting the Scene

• Job 21 records Job’s response to his friends; he points out that even the outwardly prosperous wicked ultimately face the grave.

• Ecclesiastes 3 captures Solomon’s search for meaning; verse 20 highlights the common destiny of every human being.

---

Text of the Two Verses

• Job 21:32 – “Yet he is carried to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.”

• Ecclesiastes 3:20 – “All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

---

Shared Truths about Life’s Temporary Nature

• Death is inescapable.

• Earthly status does not alter the final outcome.

• Human life is brief compared to eternity (Psalm 103:15-16; James 4:14).

---

Distinct Accents in Each Verse

• Job 21:32 stresses the observable ceremony: the wicked may even receive an honorable burial—yet that does not spare them from death.

• Ecclesiastes 3:20 underscores the universal return to dust, echoing Genesis 3:19.

---

Supporting Passages

• Hebrews 9:27 – “people are appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

• Psalm 49:10 – the wise and foolish alike perish.

• 2 Corinthians 4:18 – what is seen is temporary; what is unseen is eternal.

---

Implications for Daily Living

• Hold loosely to titles, wealth, and recognition; they cannot follow us beyond the grave (1 Timothy 6:7).

• Let the certainty of death drive us to live in right relationship with God today (Proverbs 9:10).

• Invest in what endures—faith, obedience, and loving service (Matthew 6:19-21).

---

Final Takeaway

Job and Solomon agree: life under the sun is fleeting, the grave awaits everyone, and only what is grounded in the fear of the Lord carries lasting value.