‘That They May See that They Are Beasts’

Men may pride themselves in their abilities and knowledge. Yet as regards the way life comes to its end, men are no better off than unreasoning beasts. Wise King Solomon called attention to this, saying: “I, even I, have said in my heart with regard to the sons of mankind that the true God is going to select them, that they may see that they themselves are beasts.

Eccl. 3:18-20.

Just before introducing this thought, Solomon wrote: “The true God will judge both the righteous one and the wicked one, for there is a time for every affair and concerning every work there.” (Eccl. 3:17) So, in Ec 3 verse 18, Solomon’s speaking of God’s ‘selecting’ or ‘sifting’ humans may mean that what he affords them in the way of opportunities, as well as the things he allows them to experience, including problems and uncertainties, will in time reveal whether they are righteous or wicked. The fact that life is filled with difficulties and uncertainties and finally terminates in death should bring home to men that, as far as their own power goes, in the end they are like beasts.