What is the meaning of Ecclesiastes 9:5? For the living know that they will die • Solomon states the obvious yet sobering fact: every breathing person carries the certain knowledge of an approaching death. Hebrews 9:27 reminds, “And just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that to face judgment.” • This knowledge is meant to foster wisdom, not despair. Moses prays, “So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). • The brevity of life urges humility and godly planning. James 4:14 notes, “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” • Knowing death is inevitable should turn our hearts toward reverent obedience, joyful stewardship, and preparedness for eternity (2 Corinthians 5:10). but the dead know nothing • The phrase describes the perspective “under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:3)—life on earth. Once the body dies, the person no longer participates in earthly affairs; they “know nothing” of what happens here. Psalm 146:4 affirms, “When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish.” • This is not denial of conscious existence beyond the grave. Jesus portrays the rich man and Lazarus fully aware in the afterlife (Luke 16:22-23). The point is limited to earthly activity: the dead no longer make plans, earn income, or influence society. • Job pictures this earthly disengagement vividly: “man lies down and does not rise; till the heavens are no more, men will not awake or be roused from their sleep” (Job 14:12). • Therefore, whatever is to be done for God and neighbor must be done while life lasts (John 9:4). They have no further reward • Earth-bound rewards—wages, applause, promotions—cease at death. Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 testifies that earthly rewards are fleeting and ultimately “meaningless.” • Jesus redirects attention to imperishable reward: “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-20). Those treasures, unlike earthly ones, continue after death. • Revelation 14:13 comforts believers: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord… they will rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them.” The “no further reward” of Ecclesiastes pertains to this life; eternal reward is not in question for the righteous. because the memory of them is forgotten • With time even the most celebrated names fade from common memory. Psalm 103:15-16 says mankind is “like grass… its place remembers it no more.” • This fading reputation underscores the futility of living for human acclaim alone. Isaiah 40:6-8 contrasts perishable flesh with the enduring word of God. • Yet God’s covenant people are never lost to His memory. Malachi 3:16 speaks of a “book of remembrance,” and Revelation 3:5 promises, “I will never blot his name from the Book of Life.” What heaven records is everlasting, even if earth forgets. summary Ecclesiastes 9:5 confronts us with the certainty of death, the end of earthly activity, the termination of temporal rewards, and the eventual fading of our reputation. These sober truths are meant to stir us toward wise living, heavenly mindedness, and wholehearted devotion today. Life is short, death is sure, earthly glory is passing—but for those who fear God, eternal reward and divine remembrance are guaranteed. |
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