Tag: Work is a Curse and a Gift - Ecclesiastes 3-4

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.

Tag:  Work is a Curse and a Gift from God

When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden he was given a curse that carries to all men ... it was “imputed” to us from Adam.  The main focus of the curse was separation: From God; from the Graden; from true pleasure in work.  Note what the curse says:

Genesis 3:17-19

And to Adam he said,

“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife

and have eaten of the tree

of which I commanded you,

‘You shall not eat of it,’

cursed is the ground because of you;

in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;

and you shall eat the plants of the field.

By the sweat of your face

you shall eat bread,

till you return to the ground,

for out of it you were taken;

for you are dust,

and to dust you shall return.”

This “... in pain you shall eat of it ...,” is saying that your “work” to get food and drink from this earth is going to be in pain.  Only with this understanding can we read the above passage from Ecclesiastes.  In this passage Solomon tells us that “work”” is a “gift” to man and he should enjoy the work and enjoy the food and drink God provides.  Man was created and immediately put into the Garden of Eden to “care” for it.  He was given work right away.   Man was created in the image of God and the first thing we learn about God is that He works (created heaven and earth) and then “rested” from His labor.   What we learn from these passages is that God has given us a gift of work and Adam’s sin has made that gift arduous.   We are still rejoice in work - it is a gift from God.  But, we are to realize that the pain and struggle work creates for us, is part of the fall.  Only the Redeemer in our life can change that and return to us the real meaning and enjoyment in work, that God intended.  As we work for Christ’s glory we can embrace what He has provided as a gift.  Our meaning in life, however, is not found int he work, but that we CAN work and do work ... it is a gift from God to be enjoyed and used to worship God. It is not an idol to be worshipped.