Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Verses 1-8 speak of an appointed time. Not only does God fix the standard and withhold or dispense satisfaction, 2:26, but He also appoints “times”. Earthly pursuits are good in their proper place and time, but unprofitable when pursued as the chief goal.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:“
This is saying that God arranges even the smallest details of our surroundings. Verse 1 is speaking of all the things collectively, that he will detail in the next few verses. God’s timetable for this earth is perfect. Certain events are ordained from the foundation of the earth.
Jesus will come back to the earth as King and reign in perfect peace for 1000 years. Things, like when we are born and when we die, are foreordained of God. The thing that is not already destined to be is what we do with Jesus. We, of our own free will, accept Him, or reject Him.
Ecclesiastes 3:2
“A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;“
We see that we have no control of the day we are born. We have no control of who we are born to. We have no control over our gender. We have no control over the way we look, when we are born. All of these things are destined of God.
We have no control over whether we are born into a wealthy family, or a poverty stricken family. All of these things are determined of God. We do not have control of the time of our death either.
Isaac is a very good example of God having a precise time for us to be born.
Genesis 21:2 “For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.”
Death is the same. God has set a time for each person’s death.
Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
The following Scripture tells us the very best, what our life is.
James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
Ecclesiastes 3:3
“A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;“
The 6th commandment says, “Thou shalt not kill”. Then how, can this Scripture say a time to kill? Thou shalt not kill, means thou shalt not commit premeditated murder. It does not mean that you are not to go to war to protect your family, or your country. A very good example of a time to kill is shown by God killing the firstborn in Egypt.
Exodus 12:12 “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.”
Most of Jesus’ ministry here on the earth involved healing. Everyone who had faith enough to receive his healing was healed by Him.
I Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
Why did God not allow David to build His temple? We read in I Kings 5:3 “Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.”
The very next verse tells when it was the right time for Solomon to build it. I Kings 5:4-5 “But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.” “And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.”
Sometimes things have to be torn down to the foundation, before they can build on the spot.
(Discover the Books of the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Bible-study.org/ecclesiastes-chapter-3/)
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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