What does "never seen the sun" symbolize in Ecclesiastes 6:5? Passage Snapshot “Though it never sees the sun or knows anything, it has more rest than that man.” ‑ Ecclesiastes 6:5 Immediate Context • Verses 3-4 picture a stillborn child contrasted with a wealthy man who cannot enjoy his prosperity. • The child “arrives in futility and departs in darkness” (v. 4), yet is said to be “better off” than the discontented rich man. • “Never seen the sun” belongs to the same poetic description of a life that ends before birth. Symbolic Weight of “never seen the sun” • Literal reality: the stillborn child never experiences physical daylight. • Figurative meaning in Ecclesiastes: – Absence from “life under the sun,” a phrase the book uses for the whole realm of earthly toil, vanity, and frustration (Ecclesiastes 1:3, 14; 2:11). – Freedom from the relentless cycle of labor, disappointment, and injustice that characterizes the fallen world. – Restful darkness contrasted with the wearying glare of temporal existence (cf. Job 3:16; Psalm 58:8). • Moral emphasis: Life without God-given enjoyment is so empty that non-existence under the sun is preferable. The unfulfilled rich man embodies vanity, while the unborn child enjoys “more rest.” Why the Image Matters to the Teacher’s Argument • Highlights the futility of possessing abundance without the divine gift of contentment (Ecclesiastes 6:2). • Underscores that sheer length of days or number of children cannot guarantee true blessing apart from God (Psalm 127:1-2). • Points forward to the need for satisfaction rooted in the Lord, not in earthly circumstances (1 Timothy 6:6-8). Living Application • Earthly success stripped of God-centered joy is hollow; eternal rest with Him is of greater worth than any temporal gain. • Contentment is a gift to be prayed for and cultivated, not a by-product of possessions. • Every believer can pursue “the life that is truly life” by seeking pleasure in God rather than in what is “under the sun” (John 10:10; Colossians 3:1-2). |
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