May 31, 2023

“LIFE ACCORDING TO THE WORLD”

“A RIGHT TIME FOR EVERYTHING”

ECCLESIASTES 3:1-22

God is in control of the times and seasons of our lives. 

*Some Insights About God:

1.   Look Up: God Orders Time- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Times and seasons are a regular part of life, no matter where we live.

All of these events come from God and they are good in their time.

*Birth and death

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 2A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted.”

Birth and death are not human accidents, they are divine appointments, for God is in control.

Genesis 33:5 “And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”

Psalm 113:9 “He grants the barren woman a home, Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!”

Jeremiah 1:4-5 “Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 5“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Galatians 1:15 “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace.”

Psalm 139:13-16

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

*Planting and plucking

Ecclesiastes 3:2 “…A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted.”

Men may plow and sow, but only God can give the increase:

Psalm 65:9 “You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it;
The river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, For so You have prepared it.”

“Plucking,” may refer either to reaping or to pulling up unproductive plants.

*Killing and healing

Ecclesiastes 3:3 “A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up. 4A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance.”

This probably refers, not to war or self-defense, but to the results of sickness and plague in the land.

*Casting away stones and gathering stones.

Ecclesiastes 3:5 “A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones…”

2 Kings 3:19 “Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.”

*Embracing and refraining from embracing.

Ecclesiastes 3:5 “…A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing.”

*Getting and losing.

Ecclesiastes 3:6 “A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away.”

*Tearing and mending.

Ecclesiastes 3:7 “A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak.”

*Loving and hating.

Ecclesiastes 3:8 “A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.”

Psalms 97:10 “You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.”

Life is something like a doctor’s prescription; taken alone, the ingredients might kill you, but properly blended, they bring healing.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

2.   Look Within: Eternity Is In Your Heart- Ecclesiastes 3:9-14

Solomon now looks at life from the viewpoint of God:

Ecclesiastes 3:9 “What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?”

Solomon now gives three answers to the question:

*Man’s life is a gift from God.

Ecclesiastes 3:10 “I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.”

*Man’s life is linked to eternity.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “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.”

Man was created in the image of God, and was given dominion over creation:

Genesis 1:26-28

We were created in the image of God; we have a spiritual thirst; we have eternal value; and nothing but the eternal God can truly satisfy us.

*Man’s life can be enjoyable now.

Ecclesiastes 3:12-14 “I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, 13and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. 14I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.”

If you have trusted Jesus Christ, you are a child of God being prepared for an eternal home. 

3.   Look Ahead: Death Is Coming To All- Ecclesiastes 3:15-22

Ecclesiastes 3:15 “That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past.”

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Solomon witnesses the injustices of his day and wondered why divine judgment was delayed:

Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 “Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there. 17I said in my heart, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” 

How can God be in control when there is so much evil in the world, with the wicked prospering in their sin and the righteous suffering in their obedience?

Ecclesiastes 3:18 “I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” 

Psalm 32:9 “Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.”

Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 “For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. 20All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

Solomon merely pointed out that men and beast have two things in common; they both die and their bodies return to the dust.

Genesis 3:19 “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

The Bible says that death occurs when the spirit leaves the body:

James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Ecclesiastes 3:21 “Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?”

Ecclesiastes 12:7 “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.”

Now Solomon closes this chapter by reminding us again to accept life from God’s hand and enjoy it while you can.

Ecclesiastes 3:22 “So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?”

Knowing God is in sovereign control of life, we can submit to Him and be at peace.

Solomon gives us three instruction about living this life:

*Don’t forfeit enjoyment because of what you can’t understand.

*Don’t forget to be thankful for God’s gifts to you.

*Don’t fear life, fear God- God is in control, and His plans and purposes will stand. 

So let’s accept life, and enjoy it a day at a time, and be satisfied.

Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”