The Living Know They Shall Die - Ecclesiastes 9:5

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon said, “This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yes, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion”, and in chapter nine and verse five of his book Solomon said, ““the living know that they shall die” where we read,

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, 

neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

The verse reads, “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, …” Solomon began with the words, “for the living know” or “because, since and on account that people who are active and alive perceive, discern, distinguish and recognize” “that they shall die” which means “that they, the living people, will be non-living, breathless and inactive”: “but the dead” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover people who are non-living, inactive and breathless” “know not any thing” which means “perceive, discern, distinguish or recognize not one thing”. Solomon said people who are alive are aware that they will be non-living, however, people who have died are unaware of everything.  

 

The verse continues, “… neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.” Solomon added the words, “neither have they” or “no and not in any way have they, the people who are dead” “any more a reward” which means “no longer hire, wages, pay, price or worth”; “for the memory of them” or “because, since and on account that a memorial or remembrance pertaining to people who are dead” “is forgotten” which means “exists as ceased to care, withered and ignored”. Solomon said the people who are dead do not possess wages or worth because the remembrance of them is withered away and ignored. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon how he determined that people who are living are aware that they shall one day die, however, people who have died are unaware of everything. According to Solomon, dead people do not have wages, remuneration or worth, however, this is not so with God. God values all of us so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of everyone, and He raised Him from the dead after three days so all who believe and trust in Him as “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and equipped with His Holy Spirit who will guide them into all truth and empower them to live according to that truth which will constantly remind them of their value and worth to Almighty God.

Next time Solomon says, “their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".