Ecclesiastes 9:5

"For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer. reward, for their memory is forgotten."know they will die" -and hence can make preparations so they die in. right relationship with God.

Point To Note:

We foolishly tend to envy the wrong people. If you are alive then you have something more valuable than the wealthiest people in past generations. In fact, you have something that if they could they would trade everything they owned and accomplished for one thing that you have, i.e. time, the time to change, the time to repent.

"but the dead do not know anything" -Jehovah Witnesses and others argue that this verse is teaching that the dead cease to exist or are unconscious. But such an interpretation seriously backfires. If the knowledge in this verse applies to knowledge in the afterlife, then so does the "reward " in the next statement! To argue that the dead are unconscious or cease to exist, is to argue that none of the dead (including the righteous) will be rewarded! Obviously, Solomon is talking about "knowledge" and "rewards" in this life (Ecclesiastes 9:6). The memory of the dead is not forgotten by God, but their memory is forgotten in this life (Ecclesiastes 9:5).

Point To Note:

The point being made is that death completely cuts. person off from this life. Even though the dead "remember" events in this life (Luke 16:28), this verse seems to suggest that while they remember the past or the life they lived, they are completely unaware of what is happening in the present or since they died.

"nor have they any longer. reward" -that is, earthly rewards. The end of all earthly wages and benefits.

"for their memory is forgotten" -Not by God, but by their fellow man. Compare with Ecclesiastes 2:16. "Because all memory of them is lost" (NAB). So much for pinning all our hopes on posterity, memorials, or some foundation that will bear our name.