How do you see Ecclestiastes 9:5,10- ?

Question

Do you see it like Jehovah's Witnesses teaches as the condition of the dead?

Or do you think Salomon was stating the way things appear "under the sun," that is, from human alone ( Eccl. 1:2, 18 )....The bleak "death ends it all " picture in Ecclesiastes is present as the way things appear, not in a way things actually are.?

Edit:Solomon

Answer 1

The intent of Ecclesiastes is stated in Ecc 1:2--to show that, from a human standpoint, everything is vanity. Without the Creator, we see nothing but the bleakness in life. We live, we die, and there is nothing more.

It isn't until the final chapter opens that the writer's son is admonished to remember his Creator all the days of his life. In so doing, his life would not be vanity.

He states what he calls "the conclusion of the matter" in v. 13, 14 of the final chapter (ch 12): that our duty is to fear and obey God because every work will be judged as good or evil. These last two verses are the summation of the contrasting views presented in Ecclesiastes: that of carnal man, who doesn't know God and the man who knows and desires to obey God.

The passage the Wt uses to support it's soul-sleep doctrine is found in the context of the man who doesn't know God. His life is bleak and he has no eternal prospects to look forward to. It in no way indicates that this is the truth, only that it is a prospect that those who don't know God accept, not knowing any better.

Answer 2

True Christians (such as Jehovah's Witnesses) understand the totality of bible truth. When there is any question about what a particular verse teaches, it makes sense to consider the rest of the Scriptures.

Does Ecclesiastes chapter 9 accurately describe death and hell? For centuries, bible students have agreed that it does.

Consider what that passage teaches about "hell" or "Sheol":
(Ecclesiastes 9:10) there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol [or "hell"]


"Hell" ("Sheol"/"Hades") refers simply to the common grave of mankind. Clearly, a dead person does not work, does not devise, does not "know", and is not "wise". He is dead!

Acts 2:31 even notes that Jesus himself was in "hell" for three days! True worshippers have always referred to "hell" as a place of peace and rest (until the resurection). The faithful man Job prayed for the comfort of the grave, or Sheol, or "hell".
...(Job 14:13, Douay) Who will grant me this, that thou mayest protect me in hell [Sheol], and hide me...?”


What about the condition of the dead while they are in the grave? Does the bible teach that the soul is immortal, and conscious after death?

No.

(Ezekiel 18:4) The soul that is sinning - it itself will die.

(Genesis 2:17) But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die [and will not keep living in spirit form].

(Genesis 17:14) And an uncircumcised male who will not get the flesh of his foreskin circumcised, even that soul must be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.

(Judges 16:30) And Samson proceeded to say: “Let my soul die with the Philistines.” Then he bent himself with power, and the house went falling upon the axis lords and upon all the people that were in it, so that the dead that he put to death in his own death came to be more than those he had put to death during his lifetime.

(Job 33:22) And his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those inflicting death.

(Psalm 78:50) He did not hold back their soul from death itself; And their life he handed over even to the pestilence.

(Isaiah 53:12) he poured out his soul to the very death

(Acts 3:23) Indeed, any soul that does not listen to that Prophet will be completely destroyed from among the people.’

(Revelation 16:3) And the second one poured out his bowl into the sea. And it became blood as of a dead man, and every living soul died, yes, the things in the sea.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_08.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19970515/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050501/article_02.htm

Answer 3

JW's have two different situations of the dead, they claim that any one of the 144,000 when they die they go straight to heaven and the rest have to wait on the resurrection. john 3: 13 states that no man has gone to heaven but Jesus so that kills that thought, Daniel 12: 1-3 states many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake.

Answer 4

Psalms 115:17 "The dead themselves do not praise Jah,
Nor do any going down into silence"

Psalms 146 :4 "His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground;
In that day his thoughts do perish"

Psalms 88:10 " For those who are dead will you do a marvel?
Or will those impotent in death themselves arise,
Will they laud you? "

Isaiah 38:18 " For it is not She´ol that can laud you; death itself cannot praise you.
Those going down into the pit cannot look hopefully to your trueness"

2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness"

That is not the point of view of Solomon , it was inspired by God, in the time of Solomon nobody went to heaven that is why the bible says in Acts 2:34

"Actually David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “

Answer 5

Jehovah's Witnesses teach what the bible says about the dead, not there thoughts.
Gen. 3:19: “In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Eccl. 9:10: “All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol [“the grave,” KJ, Kx; “the world of the dead,” TEV], the place to which you are going.”

What is the condition of the dead?

Eccl. 9:5: “The living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all.”

Ps. 146:4: “His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts [“thoughts,” KJ, 145:4 in Dy; “all his thinking,” NE; “plans,” RS, NAB] do perish.”

John 11:11-14: “‘Lazarus our friend has gone to rest, but I am journeying there to awaken him from sleep.’ . . . Jesus said to them outspokenly: ‘Lazarus has died.’” (Also Psalm 13:3)

Answer 6

It's more than just JWs....anyone with the power of reason can see what that scripture is saying. It's plain and simple.

What's up with all the questions about JWs if you disagree with them so much???

Answer 7

solomon with all his wisdom, still didnt know as much as Jesus.
.

Answer 8

I would have to agree with Papa.

Answer 9

Haaa haaa Nina you crack me up.

She is on her Jehovah's Wit rant again, haaa haaa.

Man I hate to have her for a wife, haaa haaa haaah