Ecc 12:13 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Eccl 12:13-14: 12:13-14 The editor’s conclusion from studying the Teacher’s work is to fear God (see 3:14 ; 5:7 ; 7:18 ; 8:12-13 ), which includes the need to obey his commands , because everything we do will be judged (see 11:9 ; 2 Cor 5:10 ; Heb 9:27 ). Thematic note: The Afterlife Writers in the Old Testament describe the realm of the dead as a place beneath the earth’s surface to which people descend (Ezek 26:20 ). Sometimes they are swallowed alive (Num 16:31-33 ; Ps 55:15 ), but generally they are dragged down by the cords of death (Ps 18:4-5 ) to be consumed (Num 16:30 ; Job 24:19 ; Pss 49:14 ; Isa 5:14 ; 14:11 ). In the Old Testament, the afterlife is generally regarded as a gloomy, hopeless place of no return (Job 7:9 ; Isa 38:18 ). In Job, the key images of the realm of the dead are dark and dusty Sheol (Job 11:8 ; 14:13 ; 17:13 , 16 ; 24:19 ; 26:6 ), a pit fouled with the filth of decomposition (Hebrew shakhat ; see 9:31 ; 17:14 ; 33:18 , 22 , 24 , 28 , 30 ), and the grave (Hebrew qeber ; see 3:22 ; 5:26 ; 10:19 ; 17:1 ; 21:32 ). The Old Testament does give occasional hints of deliverance from the grave (see 1 Sam 2:6 ; Pss 16:10-11 ; 30:3 ; 49:15 ; 56:13 ; 73:24-26 ; 86:13 ; 139:7-10 ; Isa 26:19 ). Job hopes that Sheol might relieve him of his troubles (Job 3:13-22 ; 14:13-17 ) and that a redeemer might justify him even after death (19:25-26 ). But only the New Testament gives the full promise of redemption from death (1 Cor 15:50-58 ). Passages for Further Study 1 Sam 2:6 ; 28:11-15 ; 1 Kgs 17:20-22 ; 2 Kgs 4:32-35 ; Job 3:13-22 ; 7:9 ; 14:13-17 ; 17:13-16 ; 19:25-27 ; Pss 6:5 ; 16:10-11 ; 17:15 ; 49:15 ; 86:13 ; 88:11 ; 139:8 ; 141:7 ; Prov 1:12 ; 15:11 ; Isa 26:19 ; 38:18 ; Ezek 26:20 ; Matt 22:31-32 ; Rom 8:23 ; 1 Cor 15:50-58 ; Phil 3:21

Summary for Eccl 12:13-14: 12:13-14 ^a The editor’s conclusion from studying the Teacher’s work is to fear God (see 3:14 ^b; 5:7 ^c; 7:18 ^d; 8:12-13 ^e), which includes the need to obey his commands, because everything we do will be judged (see 11:9 ^f; 2 Cor 5:10 ^g; Heb 9:27 ^h).

Thematic note: The Afterlife
Writers in the Old Testament describe the realm of the dead as a place beneath the earth’s surface to which people descend (Ezek 26:20 ⁱ). Sometimes they are swallowed alive (Num 16:31-33 ^j; Ps 55:15 ^k), but generally they are dragged down by the cords of death (Ps 18:4-5 ^l) to be consumed (Num 16:30 ^m; Job 24:19 ⁿ; Pss 49:14 ^o; Isa 5:14 ^p; 14:11 ^q). In the Old Testament, the afterlife is generally regarded as a gloomy, hopeless place of no return (Job 7:9 ^r; Isa 38:18 ^s).
In Job, the key images of the realm of the dead are dark and dusty Sheol (Job 11:8 ^t; 14:13 ^u; 17:13 ^v, 16 ^w; 24:19 ^x; 26:6 ^y), a pit fouled with the filth of decomposition (Hebrew shakhat; see 9:31 ^z; 17:14 ^aa; 33:18 ^ab, 22 ^ac, 24 ^ad, 28 ^ae, 30 ^af), and the grave (Hebrew qeber; see 3:22 ^ag; 5:26 ^ah; 10:19 ^ai; 17:1 ^aj; 21:32 ^ak).
The Old Testament does give occasional hints of deliverance from the grave (see 1 Sam 2:6 ^al; Pss 16:10-11 ^am; 30:3 ^an; 49:15 ^ao; 56:13 ^ap; 73:24-26 ^aq; 86:13 ^ar; 139:7-10 ^as; Isa 26:19 ^at). Job hopes that Sheol might relieve him of his troubles (Job 3:13-22 ^au; 14:13-17 ^av) and that a redeemer might justify him even after death (19:25-26 ^aw). But only the New Testament gives the full promise of redemption from death (1 Cor 15:50-58 ^ax).

Passages for Further Study
1 Sam 2:6 ^ay; 28:11-15 ^az; 1 Kgs 17:20-22 ^ba; 2 Kgs 4:32-35 ^bb; Job 3:13-22 ^bc; 7:9 ^bd; 14:13-17 ^be; 17:13-16 ^bf; 19:25-27 ^bg; Pss 6:5 ^bh; 16:10-11 ^bi; 17:15 ^bj; 49:15 ^bk; 86:13 ^bl; 88:11 ^bm; 139:8 ^bn; 141:7 ^bo; Prov 1:12 ^bp; 15:11 ^bq; Isa 26:19 ^br; 38:18 ^bs; Ezek 26:20 ^bt; Matt 22:31-32 ^bu; Rom 8:23 ^bv; 1 Cor 15:50-58 ^bw; Phil 3:21 ^bx