In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon said, “I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, That God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts”, and in chapter three and verse nineteen of his book Solomon said, “what befalls the sons of men befalls beasts”, where we read,
For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them:
As the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
The verse reads, “For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them:” Solomon began with the words, “for that which befalls” or “because, since and on account that what happens and occurs with” “the sons of men” which means “the offspring and progeny belonging to human beings” “befalls beasts” or “happens and occurs with cattle, livestock and animals”: “even one thing befalls them” which means “indeed and also a particular and certain event and occasion happens and occurs with both men and beasts”. Solomon shared how people and animals experience a particular happening equal and alike.
The verse continues, “As the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.” Daniel added the words, “as the one dies” or “in the same manner that a particular and certain man or beast is ruined, suffers death and expires”, “so dies the other” which means “even in the same manner is the other man or beast is ruined, suffers death and becomes expired”; “yes, they have all one breath” or “even so and indeed, they, both the man and beast, each, every and the whole possess a single breath of air, spirit or vigor”; “so that a man has no preeminence” which means “which causes a human being not to have any profit, abundance or superiority” “above a beast” or “over and beyond cattle, livestock or animals”; “for all is vanity” which means “because, since and on account that each, every and the whole of them exist as vapor, breath and transitory dissatisfaction”. Solomon referred to how both animals and people “die” and have a single “breath of air” which demonstrates the lack of profit or superiority of a person over an animal, and he said every part of this is empty and as grasping the wind.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how Solomon compared the lives of people to animals that live on the earth. He said “death” happens to both of them, and they breathe the same air so that neither has a distinct advantage over the other. He called every part of this “vanity” or emptiness, however, He did not have an eternal perspective. God made people so they could live forever with Him, but man sinned against God, and in that day, death entered into the world. (See Genesis 3:3.17-19; Romans 5:12) Sin separates us from a personal relationship with God, and for this reason God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When God raised Him from the dead after three days, He made the way through belief and trust in Him for us to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and equipped with His Holy Spirit which makes us different than every beast, animal and livestock in the world.
Next time Solomon says, “all go to one place”, 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".
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