I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
Ecclesiastes 3:18-21
Solomon is exercising philosophical wisdom. “All is vanity”, man’s pride and arrogance is a futile attempt to deceive themselves into thinking that they are somehow better than beast. In the end, as the beast goes, so goes the man, they both die. They are, however, not quite the same. The spirit of a beast goes downward to the earth, that of man goes upward to God.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
The point is that we ought not think more highly of ourselves than we are. We are all created and responsible to God. The conclusion of the consideration is verse 22.
Ecclesiastes 3:22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
Ecclesiastes 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
The beast will not stand in judgment, man will.
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