Please read “E1. Meaning to the Meaningless” before reading any of my other articles on Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes 3 “vs.14…God does it so that people will fear him.”

Solomon lived in a fearful dangerous world. When you look at his list of activities under the heavens, you see many that are times of risk and fear. He lived in a time when many children did not survive birth, and many more did not live long enough to reach adulthood. His people lived by what they planted, and every crop was at risk of dying from heat and drought. Solomon was king, so he did not have to fear dying of starvation, as king, he could take what he wanted. He did have to worry about keeping the people happy. Rebellion was always a possibility.

He was a king of a small country, made up of small towns and villages. God’s prophets had warned him not to seek political power, and not to build a standing army. Solomon disobeyed and initiated a draft of young men into the military. He wanted to be the leader of a kingdom like the mighty kingdoms that surrounded him; but Israel was small and was not mighty. His army rather than keeping him safe, cause the kingdoms around him to view him as a possible threat. Fear of invasion must have always been in his thoughts.

He was human, he feared death and he feared God’s judgment. He wanted to believe there was life after death, but he could see no physical proof of it. He decided the fate of humanity was no different from the fate of animals. Solomon concluded that God was unjust, and God wanted humanity to fear him.

Science and reason cannot discover what God wants, but it is not a secret. He has told us in John 3:16. God gave His Son that through faith we can have eternal life. God does not view us the same as animals, and he does not want us to live in fear. God wants us to live in love. God wants us to live with Him.