He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV
If you are like me, you may find it challenging to read Ecclesiastes. And maybe even a little depressing. It is easy to get the impression that it really doesn’t matter all that much what we do. We all end up in the grave in the end. So you are better off just enjoying your life as much as you can during the few years that you have here under the sun.
But all is not doom and gloom. Ecclesiastes is an inspired writing that God has given to us for a purpose. I believe it reflects a more limited understanding of God than is found later in the Old Testament, and throughout the New Testament. But it still has something to teach us.
Eternity In Our Hearts
And this passage contains one of those nuggets. God has set eternity in the heart of man. What does that mean? I believe it is saying that God has put something within us that longs for more than this life. The proper response to the question, “Is this life all there is?”, is no. God has prepared something for us beyond the short years of our life here. And he has put within us a longing for that future.
What that future is has been revealed to us more clearly in the New Testament. But, in the end, it is still somewhat of a mystery. However, it is the hope we have as believers. And something we can look forward to.
This longing has been built into each of us. And that longing is intended to draw us to the only one who can give meaning and purpose to our lives. The one who put that longing within us in the first place.
You explained it perfectly, may the Lord bless you!
Thanks
Sir, I believe you have a humble and contrite heart; and if you do as I suspect, He’s made a special place of service which you so well do. Your explanations and interpretations are being directed by God Himself, I believe. As you know Jesus preached in a way a child could understand His essafge. AND YOU DO ALSO.
Thank you for your kind and gracious words. It is my heart’s desire to be used by God. I am thankful that you find my words easy to understand and helpful.
Thank you brother.
I feel you hit it right in the nose. The Holy Spirit is the one who reveals and leads. Keep on posting more from Scripture because this was a blessing to me and I believe to others as well. God bless.
Thanks for your kind words and encouragement.
Man I believe you are so accurate with this post keep up the good work.
Thanks
The reason for the validity of Solomon’s admonition is that all of the human race longs for that which is referred to in this short verse of Scripture. “God sets eternity in the hearts of men.” The entirety of the human race experience it though many grow weary in search of it (eternity) does not invalidate God’s truth and Great Hope for His created.
Thank God for the hope of all mankind!
Thank for sharing. I agree with your interpretation .infact AMPC version puts it much clearer:He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 AMPC
Thanks for sharing.
I am thankful to the Lord God the creator of Heaven and Earth and he said that I said eternity in your heart
Thank you am really blessed
Thanks for your writings and teachings. I see it in the perspective of King Solomon a highly cerebral human (learned) representing average human beings. His observations which invariably is similar to most people’s observation that we longed for what next after now else we are just similar to animals.
However, a greater than King Solomon (Jesus Christ) made us to know that he is from above (heaven) and share awaiting judgement to every activity carried out by humans. He showed us a glimpse of heaven. he mentioned the gospel of grace to one of the thieves crucified with him that there is Paradise. He also mentioned that we will be like angels, he showed to his followers about rewards in the kingdom of heaven for his followers. He finally said we should rejoice as he goes before us to prepare a place for us that believe.
Eternity longing that human reasoning cannot answer was explained in a clear term by Jesus Christ that there is more to live for other than work, eat and die.
I am thankful for what we have to look forward to.
Thank you!