Ecclesiastes 3:19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.

Uniformity of Life

From the viewpoint of humanists, these passages make sense. They’re the ones who think that the outer covering we call flesh is who we are. They don’t take into account the soul. Their viewpoint is that when we die our flesh returns to the ground and that is the end. How sad! This life that we experience is not always beautiful. Often times it is downright tough for us to withstand the pressure of this life. This is the philosophy that leads us into the epidemic of depression we find ourselves.

In the humanist view, we and animals share the same breath. But as I read in the book of Genesis, the breath of man was given to us when God blew His breath in our nostrils. In other words, His Spirit was blown into our lungs. Our souls are connected to His Spirit. This is what gives us a sense of eternity. Animals do not have a plan for eternity. Only humans. We have this privilege because this is what God intended for us. His plan was for us to have a relationship with Him always.

Who truly understands?

Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?

Who truly knows us? Not just the flesh that surrounds us, but the true us. The part of us unseen. The us that makes decisions and thinks about the future. The us that ponders life and eternity. God is the One that knows. He then, through the power and influence of the Holy Spirit, caused men to write down in His book called the Bible all things. He covers our creation, our purpose, our sin and the Redeemer. He did this so we would know His plan. He then tells us about eternity and Heaven, where we will be in His presence continually.

Ecclesiastes 3:22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

Still writing in the viewpoint of humanity, Solomon tells us to rejoice in our work and effort. There is some truth to having satisfaction with our work; but to rejoice? This is an anti-God idea. We should rejoice in the fact that we were saved from our sin! That we have the opportunity to spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus! Humanism is a lie straight from hell. It tugs on the sense of pride that swells inside of us.

God’s truth

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Isaiah 45:12 I have made the earth, And created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.

Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.