The verse in Ecclesiastes 3:11 states that God “has put eternity into man’s heart.” This is a profound statement about human nature and our innermost longings. Let’s explore what it means that we have “eternity in our hearts.”
1. Humans have an innate desire for meaning and purpose that points to eternity
God made humans with a natural inclination toward the eternal. We all have a deep-seated longing for our lives to count for something meaningful and lasting. Unlike animals, humans contemplate our mortality and crave significance beyond just survival. We ache for purpose and meaning that will outlast our brief lives on this earth. As Augustine put it, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” This void in our hearts points to the fact that we are made for eternal things.
2. We have an inner knowledge of immortality and the afterlife
The Bible says God has put “eternity into man’s heart.” This implies that humans have an innate knowledge and awareness of immortality. Though we may suppress or deny it, deep down we know our souls don’t end at death. We sense there is existence beyond the grave. When we peer into the coffin of a loved one, we don’t think of them as merely decaying matter. Our spirits testify to life after death, judgment, and eternity. We are born with eternity set in our hearts.
3. We yearn for everlasting significance, justice, and adventure
Having “eternity in our hearts” means we crave for our short lives on earth to count for eternal good. We ache for eternal justice to right wrongs, eliminate pain, and reward goodness. Our spirits long for eternal adventure – we want our lives to build toward a great and glorious eternal ending. Like Frodo journeying to Mount Doom, we know this earth is not all there is. We are born wanting more than this fallen, temporal realm. Eternity is embedded in our inner being.
4. Our longing for eternity is a clue to God’s existence
The “God-shaped vacuum” inside each of us points to the reality of our Creator. Why else would all humans share this inner ache and longing for eternal significance? As Pascal argued, there is a God-given “infinity in our souls” that corresponds to the eternal afterlife our spirits intrinsically know exists. Our longing for eternity resonates with an eternity set in our hearts by the eternal God. It’s a signpost meant to point us to Him.
5. The eternal God has wired us for eternity
Ultimately, the reason mankind desires eternity is because our Creator has wired us that way. He has put eternity into our hearts because He is eternal, and He wants us to know Him. Augustine expressed it this way: “You stir man to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” We crave eternity because we were made by the Eternal One for himself. Our hearts echo our origin.
6. Christ alone can satisfy our longing for eternity
On our own, humanity tries futilely to fill this God-given eternity in our hearts with all kinds of earthly pursuits. But Ecclesiastes shows us the vanity of living for anything less than God. Augustine realized that our hearts are restless till they find their ultimate rest in Christ. Only Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, can truly satisfy our longing for eternity. Eternity is only good news if we know the eternal God through Christ.
7. God uses our inner longing to draw us to Himself
The ache for eternity in our hearts is meant to be a magnet drawing us toward our loving Creator. Just as hunger pangs alert us to nourish our bodies, our spiritual pangs remind us we need to nourish our souls with God’s eternal love. Blaise Pascal said it well: “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace?” We are destined for eternal joy with God.
8. Our eternal existence will outlast this fallen world
No matter how long or short our lives here, Ecclesiastes says eternity is imprinted on our souls. After death our bodies will return to dust, but our spirits live on. Generations come and go, but all people inherit eternal existence (Ecclesiastes 3:20). Our ephemeral lives on this cursed, temporal earth are brief precursors to our real and lasting story in eternity. Eternal existence is fundamental to being human.
9. Eternity sets humans apart from animals
Unlike animals that live by instinct, humans have an innate knowledge of eternity. Animals live wholly in the present, unaware of long-term purpose or fate after death. But eternity makes mankind unique among creatures. We contemplate existential questions, long for ultimate justice, and create works we hope will outlast us. Our inner knowledge of eternity separates us from the rest of creation. It also means we’re responsible for how we use our lives on earth.
10. Our eternal souls give us dignity and value
Knowing we’re made for eternity gives each human life incredible dignity and worth. If we’re just accidental products of unguided evolution, human lives have little ultimate value. But if the eternal God specially created our eternal souls, that changes everything. It means human life is sacred – every person has immeasurable worth. This truth should revolutionize ethics, justice, human rights, bioethics and far more. We have eternity in our hearts.
11. Death is a transition, not our final end
Our inner knowledge of eternity transforms how we view death. Without eternity in our hearts, death looks like the ultimate defeat – the sad end of existence. But with eternity embedded in our beings, death becomes a transitional doorway to the fullness of life in God’s presence. The grave loses its sting when we know we are eternal beings whom death cannot conquer. Because God has set eternity in our hearts, we can face death with hope.
12. Judgment and eternal rewards motivate our present choices
Knowing we are eternal creatures made to glorify God should profoundly shape our earthly choices and priorities. C.S. Lewis observed that if we grasp eternity, it will cure our laziness about spiritual things. Living in light of eternity causes us to live wisely, invest in the kingdom that lasts, and store up eternal rewards. The reality of eternity helps us break free of short-term thinking and live purposefully for God each day.
13. We are eternal beings temporarily residing in earthly bodies
Having eternity set in our hearts highlights the fact that the real you is an eternal soul temporarily residing in a physical body. Your body is not the real you. The apostle Paul said: “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). Your soul is who you truly are, not your perishable body. Understanding this transforms how we see ourselves and live each day.
14. Life on earth prepares us for eternity in God’s presence
Earth is not our permanent dwelling place; we are citizens of an eternal kingdom but sojourners on earth (1 Peter 2:11-12). Having eternity in our hearts reminds us we’re made for so much more than just this fallen world. Wise King Solomon concluded the purpose of life is to revere God and keep his commands, which prepares us to live forever with Him (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Life here and now is training for life then and there.
15. Every human longs for immortality because God designed us that way
Why do humans universally long to overcome death? Why do we create works of art, literature, and architecture aspiring to last through time? Why do we feel life is wasted if it passes without leaving an enduring impact? It is because God “has also set eternity in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Our desire for immortality comes from our Creator. It reminds us we are eternal souls with infinite worth whom death cannot conquer.
16. Our eternal existence will be bodily, not just spiritual
Having “eternity in our hearts” means we intuitively know we are eternal souls. But the Bible also teaches we are created as integrated beings of body, mind and spirit. So in eternity, we look forward to bodily existence in resurrected, immortal bodies (1 Corinthians 15). Our eternal life will be physical as well as spiritual. Eternity will be embodied existence in a new creation cleansed of all evil, suffering and death.
17. Eternity moves our focus from possessions to relationships
Knowing we are eternal beings made for eternal purposes helps us rightly order our values and priorities. Investment in relationships and kingdom impact become far more important than material possessions and comfort in this temporary life. C.S. Lewis said, “All that is not eternal is eternally useless.” Eternity in our hearts reminds us to number our days and invest in eternal rewards.
18. Our desire for beauty reflects our longing for eternity
Why are humans so drawn to beauty, creativity and excellence? Why do we prefer order over chaos? It is because the eternal God who set eternity in our hearts made us in his image, and his very nature radiates glory, beauty and perfect creativity. Our longings to excel and create reflect our desire for the flawless eternity of heaven and life with God. Beauty points to eternity.
19. Eternity assures us of ultimate justice
The reality of eternity guarantees that evil will not go unpunished or righteousness unrewarded. Having “eternity in our hearts” reassures us that wrongs will one day be righted. No injustice, theft, abuse or wickedness will be swept away unjudged or forgotten. Eternity assures us of full justice and abundant reward for all who know Christ. We can endure earthly injustices knowing eternity brings ultimate justice.
20. Our desire to make an eternal impact reflects our inner eternity
Why do humans desire so strongly to make a lasting difference? Why does anonymity or insignificance seem like such a nightmare to us? It is because God designed us for eternal purposes and wired us to know that our lives have eternal impact beyond what we see here. So we passionately long for our short lives on earth to count for eternal good. Our longing to make an eternal impact reflects the eternity set in our hearts.
In summary, to say that God “has put eternity into man’s heart” means we are wired for so much more than just this temporal earthly existence. Our innermost longings point to the eternal realm we were created for. This truth has massive implications for how we should live each day. With eternity embedded in our hearts, we can walk by faith in eternal realities that transform our lives right now. Eternity breathes meaning, urgency and destiny into our brief earthly sojourn.