What does "comes in futility and departs in darkness" teach about life's brevity? Setting the Scene Ecclesiastes 6:4: “For he comes in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.” Solomon is surveying life “under the sun.” He notices that even a man blessed with wealth, honor, or a hundred children (6:3) may still live a short, empty existence if he never enjoys God’s gifts. Verse 4 is his sobering summary: life can slip in unnoticed and slip out unremembered. Unpacking the Imagery • “Comes in futility” – arrival is marked by hebel, the Hebrew word for vapor or breath. From the first cry, life is fragile, fleeting, and unable to secure lasting satisfaction. • “Departs in darkness” – departure is shrouded, unnoticed, without legacy. Darkness hints at the grave (Job 10:21-22) and obscurity; even the name fades. Together the phrase is a poetic snapshot: a birth that barely stirs the air and a death that leaves no ripple. What This Teaches About Life’s Brevity • Life’s length is measured in breaths, not centuries (Psalm 39:4-5). • Reputation is fragile; fame can vanish before the tombstone erodes (Ecclesiastes 1:11). • Possessions and achievements cannot lengthen or deepen life (Luke 12:16-21). • Without God-centered joy, even a long life feels like a stillborn moment (Ecclesiastes 6:3). • The ultimate issue is not duration but destination; time is short, eternity is long (James 4:14). Scripture Echoes • “Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow” (Psalm 144:4). • “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). • “All flesh is like grass… the grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord stands forever” (1 Peter 1:24-25). Contrast with an Eternal Perspective • Jesus reverses futility: “I came that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness” (John 10:10). • The believer’s departure is not into darkness but into Christ’s presence (2 Corinthians 5:8). • Names written in heaven will never be blotted out (Revelation 3:5). Living Wisely in Light of Brevity • Treasure God’s Word daily; it outlasts every breath (Isaiah 40:8). • Invest in people and gospel witness, not merely in projects (Matthew 6:19-21). • Hold plans loosely, seeking “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15). • Celebrate each gift—the meal, the sunrise, the conversation—as evidence of God’s kindness (Ecclesiastes 3:13). • Keep your eyes on the “eternal weight of glory” that dwarfs present momentary affliction (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Life “comes in futility and departs in darkness” only when lived without reference to God. In Christ, the same brief vapor becomes a purposeful pilgrimage whose echoes resound into eternity. |
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