We come to what is perhaps the best known passage in this book of Ecclesiastes. How often have some or all of these couplets been quoted, even at funerals!
“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.” (v1-8)
In the Bible these are usually listed in their couplets but I’ve put them together to save space. I have retained the capital ‘A’ for each one to retain the listing. It is quite poetic in describing these opposite statements and shows that there is always a time for positive and negative, good and bad and goes to show the monotony of life. ‘To everything there is a season’ seems to indicate that all these things come around and God is at work and all these things come from Him. We can readily appreciate God’s work with being born, laughing, loving and peace, but it is hard to believe that, especially with the negatives like ‘war’, ‘hate’ and ‘kill’. I don’t pretend to know the answer. We are to ‘hate’ sin and evil and ‘kill’ the works of the flesh in our own lives and there is a ‘war’ waging in each of us believers – good and evil. There are good things in life but there are also bad things and it is difficult to escape them. The important thing is that we face them with God because if we don’t there is that monotony of life which Solomon has been speaking about since we started this book.
The first pair are the basics of life – a time to be born and a time to die. In the pair – time to kill and a time to heal, I understand the word for ‘kill’ is not the word for murder, which is forbidden in the sixth commandment. It doesn’t include the premeditation or intent which ‘murder’ does.
Another couple of pairs refer to ‘a time to laugh and a time to mourn’. We all enjoy a laugh, even Job (8:21), yes Job who went through such difficult times recorded Bildad, one of his so-called friends as saying, “He will yet fill your mouth with laughing and your lips with rejoicing”. I’m not sure how much Job appreciated that at the time but he does make some encouraging comments later. Someone has said in relation to mourning that ‘Dark moments are short corridors leading to sunlit rooms’. A time to dance makes one think of exercise and someone quite laughably said, ‘Every time I think about exercise, I lie down until the thought goes away’.
Perhaps a very relevant pair is the time to be silent and a time to speak. It is good to speak sometimes but how often do we know when to be silent. How often have we ‘opened our mouth and put our foot in it’? We need to pray for wisdom to know when to do the right thing.
“What profit has the worker from that in which he labours? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end” (v9-11).
The next question Solomon asks is whether there is any profit in working. The Bible indicates that we should not be lazy so I’m assuming it is working solely to make money. He goes on quickly to add that God gives us tasks to perform and be occupied with, so there is a purpose to it and God has a plan for us to fulfil. He assures us that, despite the good and bad that may happen in life, God has made everything beautiful in its time. Whatever takes place in life, God knows best. We often ask why things happen and where was God when such a thing happened, especially when we mess things up, but we must remember that God is in control.
It has been said that man has a longing for God, hence the statement that God has put eternity in their hearts –
“God made man in his own image; and nothing more surely attests to the greatness of our origin that those faculties of the soul which are capable of yearning for, conceiving, and enjoying the Infinite, the Immortal, and the Divine…. Every appetite in nature and grace has its appropriate satisfaction.” (F.B.Meyer)
However, that statement seems to be qualified in that we can’t fully understand how God works. God gives us eternal life, it is solely His work and not man’s it is beyond our understanding, there is no way we can work out how and why God should love us so much and send His Son to die so that we should obtain eternal life.
In verses 12-15 we have two things which the Preacher, Solomon says he knows –
Firstly, to rejoice and do good and to eat and drink to enjoy the good they have done. He has already stated this in ch.2:24,25. Secondly, which is more profound – “I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it.” This shows the power and sovereignty of God, it is permanent and sufficient. In a changing world, God remains the same, unchanging and utterly dependable.
He goes on to tell us why God does as He does – “God does it, that men should fear before Him.” This is not fear in cowering in terror, but reverence and awe. Acknowledging who God is and holding Him in restful thanksgiving. God does not make a mistake and everything He does is for His glory.
“That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been;” He stated earlier that there is nothing new under the sun.
But there is a warning – “And God requires an account of what is past.” The Bible says that we will all be judged. Those who are not in Christ will face the wrath of God and be banished to Hell. Those in Christ are secure but we will still have to give an account of our deeds, good or bad. Man can do what he wants but God will judge him for his actions in His time.
Solomon saw that there was injustice, wickedness and iniquity (v16,17) and he concluded that God will judge both the righteous and the wicked. Man has a habit of turning justice into wickedness and injustice. People often ask why God allows and doesn’t stop trouble in the world? My good friend Sam Gordon says, “Why shouldn’t He, He didn’t start it in the first place. But He will do it in His own good time. Wrong may triumph today, there may be miscarriages of justice, bad people get away with blue murder while good people suffer … but we must never forget that the last chapter hasn’t been written yet. There is coming a day when He will settle old scores and when He will deal with all who have flouted His law.”
Verses 18-21 indicate to us that we can be no different to animals. Often we can be worse – we have only to take notice of our news bulletins telling us of ‘Man’s inhumanity to man’. In my work in prisons, I see that it is often the case that humans have inflicted horrendous injuries and crimes on others. There is a similarity that animals and people die and return to dust. However there is one difference, the souls of men face eternal destiny whereas animals go to one place. We must be prepared to go and meet our Maker.
The person without God can only look on his earthly works (under the sun) and do the best he can (v22) and be at peace because life ends with death. No thought for eternity.
