Does Ecclesiastes 12:7 prove we preexisted in Heaven?

[Artfuldodger]

Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
or;
So our bodies return to the earth, and the life-giving breath returns to God.

I tend to think no and that the correct interpretation is a life-giving breath. Not every spirit returns to God.

From the word ve·ha·ru·ach, breath, wind, or spirit. Ruach (pronounced roo-akh) is the Hebrew word for spirit, breath, or wind. When spoken, the word engages one’s breath and lungs.
The corresponding Greek word is pneuma.

 

[gordon 2]

I read it carnally and I read it spiritually. I flipped a coin and was not happy.

And I read it again after reading this:

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

If the words that feed us spiritually come out of the mouth of God as opposed to any other mouth and so carried on his breath...hum!

For a while, for a time, was Eden perhaps a satellite of Heaven? Or to it was all of Heaven present? I don't know. I hold to the latter most.

 

[BanjoPicker]

No it does not, Ec. 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Then shall the dust return to the earth (as it was) meaning this refers to Adam—when the first man was made out of dust Gen. 2:7.
And the spirit shall (return unto God who gave it), meaning all souls and spirits are in the keeping of God. Those who have already left their bodies Jas. 2:26 are either in He11 awaiting the time of their resurrection Isa. 14:9; Lk. 16:19-31, or in heaven awaiting the resurrection 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21-24; Heb. 12:12, 23; Rev. 6:9-11. God will have the final say as to their destiny 2 Cor. 5:9, 10; Rev. 20:11-15.

 

[BassMan31]

Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
or;
So our bodies return to the earth, and the life-giving breath returns to God.

I tend to think no and that the correct interpretation is a life-giving breath. Not every spirit returns to God.

From the word ve·ha·ru·ach, breath, wind, or spirit. Ruach (pronounced roo-akh) is the Hebrew word for spirit, breath, or wind. When spoken, the word engages one’s breath and lungs.
The corresponding Greek word is pneuma.

i understand it as the spirit ("breathe of life") returns to the God who gave us the breath of life. our 'soul' is our flesh and our spirit combined. we 'are' souls. when we die, the life-force returns to the father and our soul sleeps; awaiting the resurrection.

 

[gordon 2]

We should invent a doctrine of the soul with the serious exegesis of scripture, if only for the benefit that would be that we would be all talking from an agreement what soul is. From there we could proceed with serious sleep or it's insomnia.

There might be more benefits, but knowing "soul" from a universal understanding of what the soul is made of, its structures and form and when its form identified became a source of human and spiritual discourse in written records might make for one thing that we might spiritually agree on. And so those if it might happen disagree on our doctrine of the soul's composition we could label and treat as ignore-rants due to some cause for their unfortunate apostacy and so in need our new but ancient creedal soul gospel.

I can picture the heading: The Doctrine Of The Soul. Followed a list of bible verses to back it up. An exegesis that is shored up by some living tradition or from some recent new revelation. Followed our published release as with a formal declaration or statute which we could library and nail to billboards in all theological seminaries. And so pastors and ministers could inform all the sheep so that we might share in clear discussions in forums and treads like this one..

It is simply an injustice to fellowship that we would not proceed with it and so to form as a body and proceed to prove our faith.