Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
A man may possess worldly greatness, wealth, high standing, great talents and strong reasoning powers, yet without recognizing God as Creator behind the order of the universe and without understanding His goodness and spiritual things, he is no better than an animal that dies. To lack that understanding is to live and plan only for self in this life, treating all that is possessed as one's own and owing nothing to God or to others, as if there were no God, no heaven and no life to come. Such a life has aims no higher than those of beasts, eating and working without prayer, thanks or thought of God. Choosing earthly gain and living for self rejects divine love, for God is love and love is life giving itself for others, so to reject it is to reject life itself for what passes away. Worldly honor, prosperity and intellectual insight cannot give lasting life or hope of glorious immortality, and when the soul is required wealth becomes worthless and passes from control, while God's faithful people who trust Him through hardship and obscurity receive an eternal inheritance of lasting value.
Honor Without Understanding
Honor in the verse means earthly honor — worldly greatness, prosperity, wealth, high status, great talents, intellectual skill and strong reasoning powers. Such honor and intellectual insight cannot give life, lasting worth, or hope of glorious immortality when joined to lack of understanding. Understanding is understanding of God and spiritual things. It is recognizing God as Creator behind the order and wonders of the universe, and recognizing His goodness and care. Even a philosopher studying the universe may admire its order and wonders yet fail to see the Creator behind them.
To be in honor without understanding is to live and plan for self and to choose the earthly rather than the spiritual. The self-seeking rich man regards himself as favored above others for wise management and is honored by his fellow men as prosperous and of good judgment for providing abundantly for his own future enjoyment. His aims are limited to this life, living as if there were no God, no heaven and no future life. He treats everything possessed as his own and acts as though he owes nothing to God or to other people. It is also ingratitude toward God: eating and drinking without prayer or thanks and going about work without thought of God or heaven, like an animal without appreciation. Unlike beasts, people have reason and should recognize God's care with gratitude and worship, especially since their souls were precious enough for Christ to give His life to ransom them.
Understanding is lost when appetite takes control of reason. Though formed in God's image, a person then sacrifices honor and is debased below the level of the beasts that perish. The descent can begin with wine or cider and continue until appetite rules and everything is sacrificed for drink, as with drunkenness and tobacco use. Those who let appetite debase them fall even below the level of beasts that perish.
Perishing Like Beasts
To be like the beasts that perish is to live no better than beasts, with aims no higher than theirs. The aims are limited to this life, lived as if there were no God, no heaven and no future life, treating everything possessed as one's own and acting as though nothing is owed to God or to other people. Choosing earthly gain and living for self is choosing the earthly rather than the spiritual, and it rejects divine love, which is life, for God is love and love is life. That love would have flowed out in mercy to fellow men, for it gives itself for others, and to reject it is to reject life and to choose what passes away.
Such a person must pass away with the earthly he has chosen. When his soul is required, his treasured wealth becomes worthless to him in a moment, and his fields, granaries and other possessions pass from his control. Selfish treasure cannot protect anyone from death or judgment. Worldly honor, wealth, prosperity, achievement and intellectual insight cannot give life, lasting life, lasting worth, or hope of glorious immortality to one who fails to recognize God.
By contrast, God's faithful people receive an eternal inheritance of lasting value. Though they may suffer, remain unknown, and trust God through hardship in this life, they are promised an eternal reward.
A man may possess worldly greatness, wealth, high standing, great talents and strong reasoning powers, yet without recognizing God as Creator behind the order of the universe and without understanding His goodness and spiritual things, he is no better than an animal that dies. To lack that understanding is to live and plan only for self in this life, treating all that is possessed as one's own and owing nothing to God or to others, as if there were no God, no heaven and no life to come. Such a life has aims no higher than those of beasts, eating and working without prayer, thanks or thought of God. Choosing earthly gain and living for self rejects divine love, for God is love and love is life giving itself for others, so to reject it is to reject life itself for what passes away. Worldly honor, prosperity and intellectual insight cannot give lasting life or hope of glorious immortality, and when the soul is required wealth becomes worthless and passes from control, while God's faithful people who trust Him through hardship and obscurity receive an eternal inheritance of lasting value.
Honor Without Understanding
Honor in the verse means earthly honor — worldly greatness, prosperity, wealth, high status, great talents, intellectual skill and strong reasoning powers. Such honor and intellectual insight cannot give life, lasting worth, or hope of glorious immortality when joined to lack of understanding. Understanding is understanding of God and spiritual things. It is recognizing God as Creator behind the order and wonders of the universe, and recognizing His goodness and care. Even a philosopher studying the universe may admire its order and wonders yet fail to see the Creator behind them.
To be in honor without understanding is to live and plan for self and to choose the earthly rather than the spiritual. The self-seeking rich man regards himself as favored above others for wise management and is honored by his fellow men as prosperous and of good judgment for providing abundantly for his own future enjoyment. His aims are limited to this life, living as if there were no God, no heaven and no future life. He treats everything possessed as his own and acts as though he owes nothing to God or to other people. It is also ingratitude toward God: eating and drinking without prayer or thanks and going about work without thought of God or heaven, like an animal without appreciation. Unlike beasts, people have reason and should recognize God's care with gratitude and worship, especially since their souls were precious enough for Christ to give His life to ransom them.
Understanding is lost when appetite takes control of reason. Though formed in God's image, a person then sacrifices honor and is debased below the level of the beasts that perish. The descent can begin with wine or cider and continue until appetite rules and everything is sacrificed for drink, as with drunkenness and tobacco use. Those who let appetite debase them fall even below the level of beasts that perish.
Perishing Like Beasts
To be like the beasts that perish is to live no better than beasts, with aims no higher than theirs. The aims are limited to this life, lived as if there were no God, no heaven and no future life, treating everything possessed as one's own and acting as though nothing is owed to God or to other people. Choosing earthly gain and living for self is choosing the earthly rather than the spiritual, and it rejects divine love, which is life, for God is love and love is life. That love would have flowed out in mercy to fellow men, for it gives itself for others, and to reject it is to reject life and to choose what passes away.
Such a person must pass away with the earthly he has chosen. When his soul is required, his treasured wealth becomes worthless to him in a moment, and his fields, granaries and other possessions pass from his control. Selfish treasure cannot protect anyone from death or judgment. Worldly honor, wealth, prosperity, achievement and intellectual insight cannot give life, lasting life, lasting worth, or hope of glorious immortality to one who fails to recognize God.
By contrast, God's faithful people receive an eternal inheritance of lasting value. Though they may suffer, remain unknown, and trust God through hardship in this life, they are promised an eternal reward.