Biblical Hebrew Forum

[ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben and Jo Crick)]

On Mon 23 Dec 2002 (13:05:31 +1100), mshields AT mail.usyd.edu.au wrote:
> Oh, and isn't it Siduri who tells Gilgamesh that "The life you pursue
> you shall not find"?

 Dear Martin,

 I don't have the Epic to hand here at home. JH Eaton says it is Shamash.

> > But God the Creator has added an extra dimension to the human psyche, or
> > rather NePe$: the dimension of *Eternity*. Man alone has inklings of
> > immortality, Ecclesiastes 3:11. GaM 'eT-Ha`oLaM NaTaN B:LiBBaM  [God] has
> > even set Eternity in their hearts. Man is striving after purpose and
> > meaning in Life, but cannot find it without reference to the
> > Personal/Infinite Creator of the Universe and of Time itself.
> 
> This may be true, but it is not something Qohelet claims--he nowhere claims
> that you can find purpose or meaning in life, whether it be with or without
> God.

 Mercifully we have more Prophets and Writings in the HB than Qohelet alone.
 He ends (12:13) with  SoWP DaBaR HaKKoL   Ni$:Ma` 'eT-Ha'e:LoHiYM 
 Y:Ra' W:'eT-MiC:WoTaYW $:MoWR   KiY-ZeH KoL-Ha'aDaM.   [C = Tsade]

 The whole *purpose* of creating Mankind is for him to serve his Creator.
 What's in it for the young man who follows Qohelet's advice, if there is no
 life or future existence with God after death?  Or are all to be condemned at
 the Judgment (verse 14)?  Life is only meaningless *without* God.

 Best wishes,
 Ben
-- 
 Revd Ben Crick BA CF, and Mrs Joanna (Goodwin) Crick
 <ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk>
 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
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