Eclesiastes 3
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Eclesiastes 3
Spurgeon - The sovereign arbiter of destiny holds in his own power all the issues of our life; we are not waifs and strays upon the ocean of fate, but are steered by infinite wisdom towards our desired haven. Providence is a soft pillow for anxious heads, an anodyne for care, a grave for despair. Spurgeon - My times. He does not use the plural number, in my opinion, without reason; but rather to mark the variety of casualties by which the life of man is usually harassed. John Calvin. Spurgeon - When David had Saul at his mercy in the cave, those about him said, This is the time in which God will deliver thee. 1Sa 24:4. No, saith David, the time is not come for my deliverance till it can be wrought without sin, and I will wait for that time; for it is God's time, and that is the best time. Matthew Henry. Acts 1:7+ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; Galatians 4:4+ But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, Daniel 2:21+ “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. God is behind the scenes and controls the scenes He is behind. Psalm 103:19+ The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. Psalms 145:9+ The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works. Jeremiah 51:19 The portion of Jacob is not like these; For the Maker of all is He, And of the tribe of His inheritance; The LORD of hosts is His name. Habakkuk 2:13-14+ "Is it not indeed from the LORD of hosts That peoples toil for fire, And nations grow weary for nothing? For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea. THE DIVINE KEEPER OF ALL TIME ALL THE TIME! New Bible Commentary - The function of this section is to call us to a view of God's sovereignty which both reassures and yet sobers the reader. It reassures because of God's control; yet it sobers because God's control remains mysterious. There is an appropriate time for everything, the unpleasant as well as pleasant experiences. That is the argument of Ecclesiastes 3. Ray
Eclesiastes 3
Spurgeon summarized God's sovereignty in his introductory remarks to his sermon on Divine Sovereignty…There is no attribute more comforting to His children than that of God’s Sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe trials, they believe that Sovereignty has ordained their afflictions, that Sovereignty overrules them, and that Sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children ought more earnestly to contend than the doctrine of their Master over all creation—the Kingship of God over all the works of His own hands—the Throne of God and His right to sit upon that Throne. On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldings, no truth of which they have made such a football, as the great, stupendous, but yet most certain doctrine of the Sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah. Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne. They will allow Him to be in His workshop to fashion worlds and make stars. They will allow Him to be in His almonry to dispense His alms and bestow His bounties. They will allow Him to sustain the earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving ocean; but when God ascends His throne, His creatures then gnash their teeth. And we proclaim an enthroned God, and His right to do as He wills with His own, to dispose of His creatures as He thinks well, without consulting them in the matter; then it is that we are hissed and execrated, and then it is that men turn a deaf ear to us, for God on His throne is not the God they love. But it is God upon the throne that we love to preach. It is God upon His throne whom we trust. (Divine Sovereignty - Sermon on Matthew 20:15) See 1300 links that relate to the word Sovereign as used by C H Spurgeon 🙏 THOUGHT - Dear brother or sister in Christ, rest assured that your times are in the omnipotent, omniscient, loving hands of our good, good God. No matter what may happen in this world, He is in control of all time, all the time! This Is My Father’s World— (Beautiful Vocal Version by Fernando Ortega With Beautiful Pictures of His glorious creation) This is my Father's world, And to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas-- His hand the wonders wrought. This is my Father's world: The birds their carols raise, The morning light, the lily white, Declare their Maker's praise. This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair; In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere. This is my Father's world: O let me ne'er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father's world: Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King: let the heavens ring! God reigns; let earth be glad! This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father’s world: The battle is not done; Jesus who died shall be satisfied, And earth and heav’n be one. --M D Babcock QUESTION - What does it mean that there is a proper time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 is a well-known passage that deals with the balanced, cyclical nature of life and says that there is a proper time for everything In this passage, the Preacher says that there is a time for every matter in life. He illustrates this truth by juxtaposing opposites: fourteen pairs of contrasting activities as examples of how life is comprised of various seasons. A straightforward reading of the passage reveals several concepts: Both our actions and the timing of our actions are important to God. First, the timing of our activities is important. Killing someone (Ecclesiastes 3:8) is generally considered evil and a crime, but that may change during a time of war, when defending one’s country can be considered a noble act. Dancing (Ec 3:4) may be appropriate during a time of celebration, but it would not be appropriate for a funeral. Both our actions and the timing of our actions are important to God. The proper activity at the right time, bringing about God’s purposes, is a beautiful part of God’s overall plan. Second, these seasons in which certain pursuits are proper are appointed by God. His plan for life involves a variety of experiences and activities. Weeping may be part of life, but life is not all weeping; laughter has a place, too (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Construction is good in its time, but sometimes deconstruction is necessary (Ec 3:3). A key to this passage is found a few verses later: “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The proper activity at the right time, bringing about God’s purposes, is a beautiful part of God’s overall plan. A tapestry, viewed from the back, seems a chaotic and unlovely work; but the maker of the tapestry has a wise purpose for the placement of each thread. People are to accept each day as a gift from the hand of God Third, Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 serves as a bridge between the first two chapters and the section that follows. People are to accept each day as a gift from the hand of God (Ec 2:24–26). Why? Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 explains it is because God has a reason and a time for all things. People may be ignorant of God’s timing (Ec 3:9–11), but they are called to enjoy life in the present (Ec 3:12–13) and trust in God’s sovereignty (Ec 3:14–15). God offers much wisdom in the saying, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” God is sovereign. Our activity in this world is meaningful as we rely on His wisdom, His timing, and His goodness. Ray Pritchard - Something New Under the Sun - EACH PRECIOUS MOMENT There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 Missionary friends in Nigeria have told me that Africans and Americans hold radically different views of time. For Westerners, time is to be managed, obeyed, and strictly observed. We spend large amounts of time planning for the future. We set deadlines and evaluate our performance by our ability to meet those deadlines. We start every meeting with an agenda and rarely exceed the allotted time limit. The Nigerian generally approaches the concept of time differently. Relationships take precedence over sticking to time limits. Therefore, if a visitor drops in, the Nigerian host stops whatever he is doing to entertain his company for an appropriate amount of time, according to the relationship. If you live in Nigeria and the visitor decides to stay with you, you do not ask him or her how long the visit will last; that will reveal itself when it is important. To ask is considered rude. If spending time with this unannounced visitor makes you late for another engagement, that is OK. People generally accept that going late to any public function is normal—but one is not to leave early, which is a sign of rudeness. Meetings last until the work is done—with or without an agenda. The more important an item is, the longer there has to be discussion, even if there is already consensus. If there is no consensus, the group will continue to discuss the issue. Another striking difference with respect to time deals with the concept of the future. Nigerian Christians speak in a way that frequently calls to mind the truth that God is in control of the number of our days. They frequently thank God for "seeing yet another day." There is also frequent reference to Christ's second coming. For example, a church announcement might sound like this: "Next Sunday evening, at 5 P.M. if the Lord tarries, the Couples' Fellowship will have a special program. All are expected to be in attendance." While those words can become routine, they also embody a biblical worldview—living with a sense of anticipation for the return of our Lord. For all of us, time is flying. Sometimes we are so intensely looking to the future that the present rushes past unnoticed. Our challenge is to count each day as precious—knowing that what we do counts for eternity. Almighty God, help me not to fritter away my days but to use each moment for the greatest possible good. Amen. (ED: SEE REDEEM THE TIME) SHINING THE LIGHT How many hours have you wasted in the last week? Suppose that tomorrow you were given five extra hours. How would you use them for the greatest possible good? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read Psalm 31:15; Acts 1:7; and Romans 12:9-12 See also Pastor Pritchard's series of 16 messages on Our Awesome God ILLUSTRATION OF God’s sovereign control. A two-year-old child in a stroller was rapidly turning his little steering wheel to the right, but he was going to the left, nonetheless. His direction was not determined by him, but by his mother; his steering wheel was not connected to anything that mattered. (BORROW When You’ve Been Wronged: Moving From Bitterness to Forgiveness by Erwin W. Lutzer) A Good Season Today is the first day of spring in the northern half of the world. If you live in Australia, it’s the first day of autumn—the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere and the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere. Today, the sun shines directly on the equator, and the hours of daylight and nighttime are nearly equal around the world. New seasons are important for many people. Some count down the day because of what they hope the new season will bring. Perhaps you’ve been marking off a calendar for spring in Wisconsin to signal the end of another winter. Or maybe you live in Melbourne, and you can’t wait for autumn to bring relief from the Australian sun. We also go through seasons of life that don’t have to do with the weather. The author of Ecclesiastes told us there is a season for every activity under the sun—a time appointed by God during which we live our lives (Ec 3:1–11). Moses spoke of a new season in his life after he led the people of Israel through the wilderness (Deuteronomy 31:2), and he had to give up his leadership role to Joshua. And Paul faced a lonely season while he was under house arrest in Rome—asking for visitors but realizing that God was “at my side” (2 Timothy 4:17). Reflect & Pray Thank You, Father, for the promise of Your care during this season of my life. You have allowed this circumstance for a good reason. Help me to use this time appointed by You in a way that deepens my trust in You. Every season brings a reason to rejoice. Today's Insights Many believe King Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes because the author refers to himself as the “son of David, king in Jerusalem” (1:1) and “king over Israel in Jerusalem” (v. 12) who had more wisdom and possessions “than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before [him]” (v. 16; 2:7). The book’s purpose seems clear: “It defends the life of faith in a generous God by pointing to the grimness of the alternative” (Michael Easton, Ecclesiastes). Ecclesiastes underscores the necessity and desirability of following God in a fallen and frustrating world today (12:1)—no matter our season in life. “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments” (v. 13). What has helped you to understand the wisdom of following God in various seasons of your life? The late Will Rogers had these lines engraved on a huge watch which he presented to David Rubinoff, the consummate violinist: The Clock of Life is wound but once, And no man has the power To tell just when the hands will stop, At late or early hour. Now is the only time we own; Love, live, toil with a will; Do not wait until tomorrow, For the Clock may then be still. Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 NKJV My husband, son, and I all took off at our own paces on a Saturday morning run around the park. Soon I found my cadence, and as I ran, it struck me that everyone at the park had a pace they were supposed to be moving at—not anyone else’s but theirs. The large group of women that sped right past me from the get-go. The older gentleman pushing his disabled friend in his wheelchair. The fit guy with the prosthetic leg. The two gals chattering in Spanish as they walked. The men riding their bikes. My son. My husband. Me. We were all moving at our own pace. Because that’s how we thrive. God wants goodness for you and me. But her pace and his pace are not necessarily my best pace or yours. Just because they have their degree, are married, started their own business, had a baby, and you haven’t or don’t doesn’t mean you’re behind. Not if you’re walking at the pace God leads you. As long as you’re tracking with God and His plans for you, you are right on time. We don’t always understand God’s timing. We might never understand why that position or life stage came so quickly for a friend or peer but took forever for us. Maybe God needed to grow us. Maybe He needed to teach us some things. Maybe He wanted to make sure we didn’t get out of breath. Also we might not be sure why we got thrust into a certain responsibility or role without much preparation. Maybe God knew we were ready or His speedy pace got things in motion just when He needed them to be. Maybe God knew we’d actually enjoy running at a moderate pace or a faster one, and He orchestrated it that way simply for our long-term joy. The more we live in God’s unforced rhythms of grace the better we can determine what pace He wants us to go in this season. Is this a time for rest or for meticulously learning a skill? Is it time to speak up? Or should you bite your tongue? I don’t have the answers for you. But God does. He has a time and pace for everything and everyone. As I was coming down the home stretch of my run, my husband and son clapped and yelled, “Go, Mom!” And I felt so loved. So valued. They never once judged me because I was slower than them. They were proud of me for running my race. If this is how my husband and son love me, can you imagine how much more God loves us? Cheers for us when we go at the pace He intends for us? God has good plans for you! Big loops, record speeds, strengthening for your trust muscles, slow runs, cardio workouts that will get your heart pumping, and peaceful pauses. And when you go at His pace, you’ll experience the fullness and richness He planned for you all along. Reflection: What in your current season is taking longer than you hoped or going faster than you planned? Ask Jesus to help you understand His pace for you. Thank Him for His perfect timing and purpose, and ask Him to help you go the speed He’s planned for you. Warren