Ecclesiastes 3:10 –   The experience that God gives to humanity

I see the experience that Elohim gives To the sons of humanity to humble them by it.

All life “under the sun” is a continuous alternation of pluses and minuses. Construction and demolition. Health and sickness. Peace and war. The Preacher had listed fourteen contrasts above. Our existence on earth does not follow a progressive line upwards, but is a cycle. A man returns to where he came from. Back to the end. Taken from dust and returning to dust.

This experience that GOD gives to humanity is called a ‘burden’ or ‘travail’ in several translations. This may seem negative and pessimistic, but in practice this prevents disappointments. It is precisely the belief that life should always be fun and enjoyable, which causes frustration. The knowledge that this existence is ‘by design’ vain and worrying makes us resilient. It also makes you thankful for the many beautiful things that are nevertheless here.

The experiences GOD gives us in this short, fleeting, vain existence “under the sun” make us small and humble. It puts us in our place. We are creatures, He is the Creator. He disposes and He places everything. We look up to Him, because He is GOD!

Delen: