Eclesiastes 3
Ray Stedman · Citado em PreceptAustin
Eclesiastes 3
Stedman - I am amazed at the variety of things that are offered to us every day to help us find the secret of successful living. Magazine articles by the dozens tell us how to cope with various problems; TV commercials -- dozens to a program it seems -- bombard us, telling us how to be successful in life, or at least how to look successful even if we really are not, health clubs offer us saunas and whirlpool baths to relax us so we can face life with equanimity; while various kinds of drugs are available to turn us on, turn us off, take us out, or whatever. All this is evidence of the universal search for the secret of enjoyment of life. Billions of dollars are spent every day on this quest. That is the very quest that the book of Ecclesiastes tells us about. The greatest experiment ever performed in the history of mankind to test the various approaches to success, enjoyment or contentment in life is recorded in this 3,000 year old book.....There is an appropriate time for everything, the unpleasant as well as pleasant experiences. That is the argument of Ecclesiastes 3. This is not merely a description of what happens in life, it is a description of what God sends. Many of us are familiar with Bill Bright' s Four Spiritual Laws, the first of which is, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." When talking to someone about his relationship with God, that is an appropriate place to begin. That is the plan that is set forth here. All along, the Searcher, the author of this book, is saying that God desires to bring joy into human experience. Many people think Ecclesiastes is a book of gloom and pessimism because, on the level of the writer's limitations -- which, he says, are, "under the sun," i.e., the visible things of life -- his findings are gloomy and pessimistic. But that is not the message of the book. God intends us to have joy and his program to bring it about includes all these opposites. I like the way Michael Eaton lays out chapter 3 and relates it to chapter 2 (remember there are no inspired chapter breaks) - This section elucidates the world-view underlying the life portrayed in Ec 2:24-26+. Just as Ec 1:2-2:23 moved from the pessimistic world-view (Ec 1:2-11) to the pessimistic daily life (Ec 1:12-2:23), so in a chiastic movement the thought of Ec 2:24-26 proceeds from the believer’s life to his world-view (Ec 3:1-22). Ec 3:1-8 lay down the basic postulate; Ec 3:9-15 work out its practical implications. (Borrow Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – Ecclesiastes Page 76) Life is a little gleam of time between two eternities. --Thomas Carlyle There is an appointed time for everything (kōl) - KJV = "To every thing there is a season" While Solomon does not say who appoints the time, keep in mind he has just declared "For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?" Ecc 2:24 in the NLT says "I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that this pleasure is from the hand of God." Regarding the Hebrew word kōl keep in mind that its exact meaning is determined by the context, and in this passage it conveys the sense of all without exception. Therefore everything (kōl) in this verse means literally everything (no exceptions) under the sun and therefore would include eating and drinking. It would seem reasonable therefore to conclude that if eating and drinking and work are from God, indeed everything is from the hand of God including time. As James says "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." (James 1:17+). Beloved, even events which seem to be occur "by chance" are all part of a divine panoramic plan! Further, man does not control time but God does, steering humanity into the future with His sovereign hand, and absolute control of all events. There is a God-appointed time for each moment and that the Lord is ultimately in control over them all. GOTQUESTIONS.ORG writing on Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 states that "Within these statements, Solomon condensed every human “activity under the heavens” (Ec 3:1), concluding that there is a God-appointed time for each moment and that the Lord is ultimately in control over them all." The key words in this verse are "time" and "every" (kōl) which ultimately speak of every event in time being under the sovereign control of our great God. Does this truth discourage you? Or does this great truth encourage you, knowing that our all wise, all good God is in full control? I pray it encourages you and causes you to give Him praise and thanks for assuming the responsibility of being in full control of the universe. David understood this great truth acknowledging... My times are in Thy hand -- Psalm 31:15+ So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. -- Psalm 90:12+ And there is a time (et/eth) for every (kōl) event (chephets - purpose = what one wants to do) under heaven - ESV = "For everything there is a season." Under heaven in the context of this book would be synonymous with Solomon's description under the sun, life on earth. Normally Solomon uses under the sun with a negative connotation, but now he pulls the curtains back, so to speak, and let's us see that literally everything and every event under the sun is ultimately under God's guidance and control! Let's be honest. This transcendent truth overwhelms our minds for we sometimes even forget what day of the week it is! God never forgets anything, anytime! How great is our God! Note that event (chephets) refers not to random happenings, but purpose-driven activities, designed to accomplish something. Life operates on a divinely-ordained timetable. Every action, event, and season of human existence has a God-ordained time and purpose. This opposes the view that life is chaotic or meaningless. Instead, behind all of life's changes stands a wise and purposeful God. Even though life seems inconsistent or unpredictable from our perspective, Solomon assures us that there is a season, a reason, and an appointment for everything under heaven. Almighty God, help me not to fritter away my days but to use each moment for the greatest possible good. Amen. -- Ray Pritchard Tommy Nelson - God is sovereign over everything. He is not always pleased, but He is never perplexed. No evil action skirts His plan. No piece of the puzzle is left over at the end. Either God is sovereign or He is not. Solomon goes on to reiterate and explain his point. (See A Life Well Lived: A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes - Page 45) David Hubbard - The mystery, difficulty, even futility of trying to catch life’s hidden meaning, and especially of trying to change life’s destined course, that was the reality that the Preacher was seeking to demonstrate....The Fixity of Time. God’s planned time was the first evidence he offered in his argument....In this poem the motif of changelessness and divine control is applied to the widest possible range of human activities. The literary form comprises fourteen pairs of contrasts. The use of this double seven number helps to convey the idea of completeness. These contrary lines couple basic human experiences and their equally basic opposites. This device is usually called a merism and suggests that the poles that are stated mean to include every similar activity that occurs between them. The pair, for example, “to be born” and “to die” (Ec 3:2) embrace each major event, perhaps even each moment, in the human life cycle. The poem is wrapped in an introduction (Ec 3:1) and a conclusion (Ec 3:9). The introduction establishes the theme of set or appointed times. “Season” means literally “appointed time” (NASB) as its use (Heb. zemān) elsewhere indicates: in Nehemiah it marks the schedule for the cupbearer’s journey to Jerusalem and his return (2:6); in Esther it pinpoints the calendar for the two-day feast of Purim in celebration of rescue from the genocidal plots of Haman (9:27, 31). “Purpose” in verse 1 means “event,” “activity,” or “matter” (see 8:6 which carries a thought similar to that of 3:1). The breadth of the word (Heb. hēphes, which may also mean “delight” or “pleasure” in 5:4 and 12:1; see also “acceptable” in 12:10) is assured by its parallel use to “everything” in 3:14 and to “work” (“deed” or “task”) in 3:17. It seems to include all the major activities in which human beings engage under the sovereign will of God. The human component in all of this is made clear in two ways. First, the items in the catalog all involve human participation. They are not activities of the elements like earth, sun, wind, and sea in 1:4–11. Second, the conclusion (3:9) centers in the futility of all the human activity involved in life as summarized in verses 2–8. Michael Eaton - This reading takes Ec 3:1-15 as orthodox, not, as has often been maintained, as part of the Preacher’s despair. Jones is one of many who maintain that ‘although the passage is one of great beauty and poetry, the burden is that of protest ... Its essence is that Koheleth feels imprisoned by this sequence of times, and he rebels because this is what he must go through, though without knowing why’. H. L. Ginsberg similarly sees the Preacher as a fatalist whose rigid predestinarianism is an obstruction to the quest for a satisfying life; it is an example of men’s striving ‘to anticipate his time-table, but without their ever guessing everything correctly ... Koheleth regards God as the absolute and arbitrary master of destiny’. James Barr says that it is ‘clear that the purpose of the whole is to emphasize the frustrating effect of time on human life and labour, whether because God has appointed the events beforehand or for some other reason’. This is part of the truth, as indicated by certain conclusions in Ec 3:9-15. Ecc 3:9, 10 and 11b stress human inadequacy under God’s disposal of the epochs of life. Events and characteristic seasons of time are imposed upon men: no-one chooses a time to weep. Equally, the events of life that come our way undermine our confidence that our endeavours will have any permanence. ‘Whatever may be our skill and initiative, our real masters seem to be these inexorable seasons: not only those of the calendar, but that tide of events which moves us now to one kind of action which seems fitting, now to another which puts it all into reverse.’ (See Kidner The Message of Ecclesiastes) We are not sure they will have any total meaning, and we cannot stand outside the events of life and view them ‘from the beginning to the end’. All this puts mankind in his place, far from being master of his fate and captain of his soul. However, there is more than one conclusion in these verses. Ec 3:11a, 12-15 stress that the disposal of events which humiliates men may also be the ground of their joy and security. This section may, therefore, have quite another force, contributing to the Preacher’s solution of the problem of life’s vanity. C. S. Knopf is surely right: ‘too often the whole cast of the book has been determined by certain pessimistic elements, ignoring just as patent constructive elements ... Chapter three has often been interpreted as a lament of the ceaseless round of life. Instead it is part of the basic optimism of Koheleth.’ (Borrow Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – Ecclesiastes Page 76) Believer's Study Bible - (Ec 3:1-8) Blind fate would be a terrible consolation, but how comforting it is to know that the events of the universe are ordered by a compassionate, gracious, long-suffering, faithful God. If tragedy strikes, we have but to wait patiently for the hour of redemption. This is the broadest unfolding of God's sovereign rule, and understanding divine sovereignty is a prerequisite to trusting divine providence. Everything is ordered by God, without any dependence upon man's approval, at a divinely appointed time, according to God's plan and providence. The different activities mentioned (Ec 3:2-8) include 14 pairs of opposites in order to cover the widest range of activity and to represent every aspect of human activity. They are exclusively divine activities in respect to appointment -- i.e., a proper time for God to act. His sovereignty demands that all rest upon His will (cf. Deut. 32:39; Ps. 75:2; 102:13). Since man cannot know what God intends to do, he consequently cannot order his own doings and goings, but must wait upon the Lord. The lengthy list adds emphasis to the fact that all of man's life is under the control of the overall providence of God (cf. Jer. 10:23). THOUGHT - Ecclesiastes 3 was made famous by the Byrds in the 1965 through a song entitled TURN! TURN! TURN! It's almost Scriptural! I would just add an exhortation in light of the truth of Ecclesiastes that every soul should TURN! TURN! TURN! to Jesus Christ, the Ark of salvation, so that they might be rescued from the coming flood of God's righteous wrath (1Th 1:10b+) and eternal loss in hell. NET NOTE - Verses 1–8 refer to God’s appointed time-table (ED: GOD IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL) for human activities or actions whose most appropriate time is determined by men. Verses 9–15 state that God is ultimately responsible for the time in which events in human history occur. This seems to provide a striking balance between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. Man does what God has willed, but man also does what he “pleases” (see note on the word “matter” in 3:1). Eaton adds "The pairing of the varying aspects of human life indicates the universality of God’s control. For the expression of totality in pairs is a common Old Testament idiom. Thus ‘man and woman’ (Exod. 36:6) or ‘great and small’ (Jer. 6:13) is used to say emphatically ‘everybody’; ‘sea and land’ (Jon. 1:9) is an emphatic way of saying ‘everywhere’. (Borrow Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – Ecclesiastes Page 76) Appointed time (02656)(zeman from zaman = to be fixed, appointed. A masculine noun meaning an appointed time, a specific time and thus refers to a certain specific time which is set, rather than the amount of time. See the 4 uses below. Baker has an interesting note on ZEMAN - In Ecclesiastes, it occurs in an often-quoted verse, "To every thing there is a season" (Eccl. 3:1) to say that everything has a predestined time. The word translated time throughout Ecclesiastes 3 is et/eth. Thus, zeman bears a different sense, emphasizing the specificity in time. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament) ZAMAN - 4V - Neh. 2:6 = "I gave him a definite time"; Est. 9:27 = " according to their appointed time annually"; Est. 9:31 = "to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times"; Eccl. 3:1 Everything...every (03605) kōl is a particle used almost 5000 times in the OT and conveys the meanings each, every, all, everything, the whole, entire. The root kalal from which kol is derived means to be complete or whole. Kol can be used alone, meaning "the entirety," "whole," or "all," as in: "you shall put all these (WHAT? Ex 29:23) in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons" (Ex. 29:24+). "Kōl can signify everything in a given unit whose members have been selected from others of their kind: "That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose" (Ge 6:2+)." (Vine) John Oswalt in the Theological Wordbook of the OT (page 440) writes kol means "every, any, whole, none. A very common particle, occurring about 5400 times. Of these all but about 800 are in a genitive relation with the following word, signifying thus, "the whole of something." It is commonly translated "all" if the following word is plural, and "every" if the word is singular and without the article. It can also have a suffix attached to it: "the whole of it, all of it." This particular formation may then follow a given noun, stressing the aspect of totality (2 Samuel 2:9). It can also be used in this way with the noun understood, as does Isaiah when he expressed the corruption of the entire people by saying, "All of it loves a bribe" (Isaiah 1:23; cf. also Isaiah 9:17 [H 16]). In some contexts it denotes "all kinds of," "of all sorts." Thus Eliezer took with him "all of the good thing of his master" i e. "a great variety of good things" (Genesis 24:10; cf. Leviticus 19:23). Kōl can also stand by itself, or absolutely, to express "everything." The sense in which "all" is to be taken must be gathered from the context (cf. Jeremiah 9:3). When used with the article it refers to something just mentioned (Leviticus 1:9; etc.), or, in a wider sense, to the whole of creation. Such passages as Psalm 103:19; Psalm 145:9 and Jeremiah 51:19 use this construction when expressing the idea of God's lordship over all things. Baker on kōl - Its exact meaning must be discerned from its usage in its context. Some representative samplings will help: With the definite article, it means the whole or everything of something (Eccl. 11:5); used before a definite noun, it expresses the whole of that noun, the whole earth (Gen. 9:19); whole people (Gen. 41:40). Used after a noun, it can refer to the whole or entirety of the preceding noun (2 Sam. 2:9); before a plural noun, it usually means all, all the nations (Isa. 2:2); before a collective noun, it means all or every, all people (Gen. 7:21). Before a singular noun, it means every (Esth. 3:8). Other nuances of its use can be discerned from studying its context closely. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament) Gilbrant on kōl - This word is actually a noun but because of the way Hebrew uses nouns in construct relationship to one another, literally, "the whole of," it functions the same as the English adjective "all of" or "every." Various examples of the sense of totality are: the Lord is the maker of all things (Isa. 44:24); all people were corrupt before the flood that God brought to destroy all life (Gen. 6-8; Ishmael would be against everyone and everyone against him (Gen. 16:12); God is good to all (Ps. 145:9); everything is meaningless apart from knowing the Lord (Ecc. 12:8). But the latter chapter goes on to say that the covenant relationship of reverential awe and worship for the Lord and covenantal obedience to his commands is, literally, "this is the all of humanity" or "this is every person." The writer seems to be assuming that some word should be supplied by the reader, such as "this is the purpose of every person," or "this is the whole purpose of humankind." It likely conveys the prime verbal nuance here, that which gives true meaning to life, as the person in Ecclesiastes was searching for throughout all his endeavors in life. Finally, the only appropriate response to God is to love Him with the totality of one's being (Deut. 6:5). (Complete Biblical Library) Time (season)(06256) et/eth means time but the exact sense depends on the context. It is used most often to express the time of the occurrence of some event. Et/eth can refer to a duration of time, as for all time (Ex. 18:22; Pr 8:30) or for any time in general (Lev 16:2). The time referred to may be past, present, or future (Nu 23:23; Jdg. 13:23; Isa. 9:1). Et/eth can be the time when certain appropriate things took place - kings went forth to war in the spring (2 Sa 11:1; 1 Chr. 20:1), the Jews said “The time has not come, even the time for the house of the LORD to be rebuilt," to which God said “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?’” (cf Hag 1:2, 4). Et/eth is fitting for certain reasons, such as rain falling on the land in its season (Dt. 11:14; Jer. 5:24); fruit trees bearing fruit at the proper time (Ps. 1:3), a proper time for fitting words (Pr 15:23) NET NOTE - The noun עֵת (’et, “point in time”) has a basic two-fold range of meanings: (1) “time of an event” and (2) “time for an event” (BDB 773 s.v. עֵת). The latter has subcategories: (a) “usual time,” (b) “the proper, suitable or appropriate time,” (c) “the appointed time,” and (d) “uncertain time” (Eccl 9:11). Here it connotes “a proper, suitable time for an event” (HALOT 900 s.v. עֵת 6; BDB s.v. עֵת 2.b). Examples: “the time for rain” (Ezra 10:13), “a time of judgment for the nations” (Ezek 30:3), “an appropriate time for every occasion” (Eccl 3:1), “the time when mountain goats are born” (Job 39:1), “the rain in its season” (Deut 11:14; Jer 5:24), “the time for the harvest” (Hos 2:11; Ps 1:3), “food in its season” (Ps 104:27), “no one knows his hour of destiny” (Eccl 9:12), “the right moment” (Eccl 8:5); cf. HALOT 900 s.v. עֵת 6. ET/ETH USES IN ECCLESIASTES - Eccl. 3:1; Eccl. 3:2; Eccl. 3:3; Eccl. 3:4; Eccl. 3:5; Eccl. 3:6; Eccl. 3:7; Eccl. 3:8; Eccl. 3:11; Eccl. 3:17; Eccl. 7:17; Eccl. 8:5; Eccl. 8:6; Eccl. 9:8; Eccl. 9:11; Eccl. 9:12; Eccl. 10:17 Event (desire, pleasure) (02656) Hepes/chepes/chephets from verb chaphets = to delight in) is a masculine noun which means to take pleasure or find enjoyment in something. It speaks of delight, desire, pleasure. To feel great favor towards something. To experience emotional delight (referring either to men as here in Ps 1:2 or to God - 1Sa 15:22, Ps 16:3, Isa 44:28, 46:10; 48:14; 53:10). It is interesting that the first use of this Hebrew word is not until the time of 1 Samuel 15:22! CHEPHETS signifies delight in or (in an unrealized sense) a desire for earthly goods, such as Solomon's desire for timber (1Ki 5:9-10); a delight in fruitful land (Mal. 3:12); or the delight of hands in their labor (Pr 31:13). The word also refers to people's delight in God's Law (Ps. 1:2); His works (Ps. 111:2); God's own delight in His works (Isa. 46:10; 48:14); His lack of delight in foolish or disrespectful people (Eccl. 5:4; Mal. 1:10). NET NOTE - The noun חֵפֶץ (khefets, here “matter, business”) has a broad range of meanings: (1) “delight; joy,” (2) “desire; wish; longing,” (3) “the good pleasure; will; purpose,” (4) “precious stones” (i.e., jewelry), i.e., what someone takes delight in, and (5) “matter; business,” as a metonymy of adjunct to what someone takes delight in (Eccl 3:1, 17; 5:7; 8:6; Isa 53:10; 58:3, 13; Pss 16:3; 111:2; Prov 31:13); see HALOT 340 s.v. חֵפֶץ 4; BDB 343 s.v. חֵפֶץ 4. It is also sometimes used in reference to the “good pleasure” of God, that is, his sovereign plan, e.g., Judg 13:23; Isa 44:28; 46:10; 48:14 (BDB 343 s.v. חֵפֶץ). While the theme of the sovereignty of God permeates Eccl 3:1–4:3, the content of Ecc 3:1–8 refers to human activities that are planned and purposed by man. The LXX translated it with πράγματι (pragmati, “matter”). The term is translated variously by modern English versions: “every purpose” (KJV, ASV), “every event” (NASB), “every delight” (NASB margin), “every affair” (NAB), “every matter” (RSV, NRSV), “every activity” (NEB, NIV), “every project” (MLB), and “every experience” (NJPS). Gilbrant - This masculine noun is derived from the verb chāphfits and usually means "desire" or "pleasure," although it can also refer to a "business matter." In Ps 1, the righteous person is described as one whose desire is in the Law of the Lord (Ps 1:2). Job's friend Eliphaz asked him rhetorically what pleasure the Lord would find in Job's righteousness (Job 22:3). Isaiah prophesied that Cyrus would accomplish all the Lord's delight (Isa 44:28). In other places, chfiphets is used to denote "costly jewels." Isaiah described the future glory of Israel as having walls of precious stones (Isa 54:12). Wisdom is described as being more precious than rubies (Pr 3:15). Chfiphets can denote someone's business affairs. The preacher declares that every affair has its time and season (Eccl 3:1, 17). He further advises his hearers not to marvel at the matter (or affair) of the oppression of the poor, because God notices it (Ecc. 5:8). (Complete Biblical Library) CHEPHETS -38V - care(1), delight(8), delightful(2), delights(1), desirable things(1), desire(10), desired(2), event(1), good pleasure(3), matter(1), pleased(1), pleasure(3), precious(1), sight(1), undesirable*(2), what you desire(1). 1 Sam. 15:22; 1 Sam. 18:25; 2 Sam. 23:5; 1 Ki. 5:8; 1 Ki. 5:9; 1 Ki. 5:10; 1 Ki. 9:11; 1 Ki. 10:13; 2 Chr. 9:12; Job 21:21; Job 22:3; Job 31:16; Ps. 1:2; Ps. 16:3; Ps. 107:30; Prov. 3:15; Prov. 8:11; Prov. 31:13; Eccl. 3:1; Eccl. 3:17; Eccl. 5:4; Eccl. 5:8; Eccl. 8:6; Eccl. 12:1; Eccl. 12:10; Isa. 44:28; Isa. 46:10; Isa. 48:14; Isa. 53:10; Isa. 54:12; Isa. 58:3; Isa. 58:13; Isa. 62:4; Jer. 22:28; Jer. 48:38; Hos. 8:8; Mal. 1:10; Mal. 3:12 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD Sovereignty is defined by Webster's as supreme power especially over a body politic. It describes freedom from external control or of other controlling influences. God is the ultimate authority in every sphere and place. It follows that all creation is subject to Him and that all creation is answerable to Him. As an aside, what verb do you see in the word sovereign? "Reign" of course, and this verb captures the essence of this divine attribute. Our God Reigns! Our God Reigns by Leonard Smith How lovely on the mountains are the feet of Him Who brings good news, good news; Announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness: Our God reigns, our God reigns! Refrain Our God reigns! Our God reigns! Our God reigns! Our God reigns! He had no stately form, He had no majesty That we should be drawn to Him. He was despised and we took no account of Him. Our God reigns, our God reigns! Refrain It was our sin and guilt that bruised and wounded Him. It was our sin that brought Him down. When we like sheep had gone astray our Shepherd came And on His shoulders bore our shame. Refrain Meek as a lamb that’s led out to the slaughterhouse, Dumb as a sheep before its shearer, His life ran down upon the ground like pouring rain That we might be born again. Refrain Out from the tomb He came with grace and majesty; He is alive, He is alive. God loves us so, see here His hands, His feet, His side Yes we know, He is alive. The 1828 Edition of Webster's defines Sovereign as "Supreme in power; possessing supreme dominion; as a sovereign ruler of the universe. Supreme; superior to all others; chief. God is the sovereign good of all who love and obey him. Supremely efficacious; superior to all others; predominant; effectual; as a sovereign remedy." The Sovereignty of God A. W. Pink. Here is an excerpt to encourage you to read the entire topic -- "The sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of His supremacy… Being infinitely elevated above the highest creature, He is the Most High, Lord of "heaven and earth. Subject to none, influenced by none, absolutely independent; God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases. None can thwart Him, none can hinder Him. So His own Word expressly declares: “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure” (Is 46:10); “He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand” (Da 4:35+). Divine sovereignty means that God is God in fact, as well as in name, that He is on the Throne of the universe, directing all things, working all things “after the counsel of His own will” (Ep 1:11+). C H
Eclesiastes 3
Stedman - Notice how truly those (ED: 14 contrasting pairs of events and circumstances) apply to the physical life. None of us asked to be born; it was something done to us, apart from us. None of us ask to die; it is something done to us by God. So this is the way we should view this list of opposites, as a list of what God thinks we ought to have. It begins by pairing birth and death as the boundaries of life, "under the sun." A time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos - season) to give birth and a time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos - season) to die - Not only is God in control of the time we are born and the time we die, He is control of everything in between! How much control over your birth and death do you have? None! You may say but what about suicide and I would answer that in Rev 9:6+ "men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them!" God won't let them die! God is the Giver of life and the taker of life. And in Psalm 139:16+ David affirms this truth writing "in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them." God controls the beginning of your life and the end of your life! Notice in these 14 couplets there is generally a bad truth answering a good truth, implying that while there are good things in life, the bad things cannot be avoided for God is in control of both! He Alone knows when to insert one aspect in your life or another. 🙏 THOUGHT - In light of the truth that we do not have control over our life or our death, what is the best course of action to take? TRUST GOD! And to some degree, this applies to all 14 couplets. Now please do not misunderstand. I am not saying "Let go, let God" which is absolutely not Biblical even though it is a very popular saying. Our life is not to be passive as if we were a bunch of hand puppets, but is to active, filled with choices of our will, and optimally as we are led by His Word and His Spirit. So a more accurate saying is "Let God, let's go!" Michael Eaton - The fourteen couplets of Ec 3:2–8 cover the whole range of human activity. Over it all the Preacher sees God in complete control. It is a warrant at the same time for both humility and confidence....The pairing of the varying aspects of human life indicates the universality of God’s control (Borrow Ecclesiastes page 78) NET NOTE- In Ec 3:2–8, Qoheleth uses fourteen sets of merisms (a figure using polar opposites to encompass everything in between, that is, totality), e.g., Deut 6:6–9; Ps 139:2–3 (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 435). Have you ever heard someone say "Well, it was his time to go?" While they may not be a Christian, their declaration echoes Solomon's words it was his "time to die." The writer of Hebrews echoes every man and woman's future appointment with death writing " it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment." (Heb 9:27+) From a human perspective we see an untimely death or even a suicide and think it is a random event, when it is not. Either God is in full control of everything or He is not. There are no exception clauses to His control of life and death. Daniel reminded Belshazzar that "the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified." (Da 5:23b+) Every beat of our heart and every breath in our lungs is in the hands of the omnipotent God! Gilbrant - There is also appointed to us a time to die. How came this time? Immortality was our original being (Gen. 1:26). “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin” (Rom. 5:12). Ever since, “it is appointed unto men once to die” (Gen. 3:19; Heb. 9:27). Our “days are determined, the number of his months are with thee; thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass” (Job 14:5). If our steps are ordered by the Lord (Ps. 37:23), much more is the last step of all—the step out of one world into another, out of time into eternity. A time to plant and a time to uproot (aqar; Lxx - ektillo - pluck, pull out, "eradicate" = YLT) what is planted - Solomon now moves from human life to plant life. What does this statement teach us about time? The time to plant speaks of seasons, which makes sense because winter is not a good time to plant! So even as with life and death, we do not sow on our own schedule but God's (if we want any crops!) What does Solomon mean by uproot? This is not as easy to answer. Some like Charles Swindoll think this refers to harvesting (e.g., the NLT paraphrases it as "time to harvest" CEV says "reaping" - see how multiple versions translate this verse) what was planted but others think it refers to clearing out old, dead crops or plants. I don't like to disagree with excellent expositors like Swindoll but must in this case. While planting speaks of giving life to a plant, pulling up by the roots speaks of death to a plant. . I think the latter is the primary meaning of uproot what is planted. Also look at the word study on uproot (aqar) which supports this interpretation. Virtually all God's control of time imposes itself upon us. --New Bible Commentary Charles Swindoll applies this verse to our lives - If you’ve ever looked on the back of a packet of seeds, you know there’s usually a chart listing the proper growing season for different regions of the country. In order for plants to bear fruit, the seeds must be planted in the proper season and harvested neither too early nor too late. Similarly, God has planted each of our lives according to His plan and purpose, and He will uproot us according to the same plan. That is, God may sometimes make drastic changes in our lives that make us feel like we’re being pulled out of the ground and replanted elsewhere. Read 1 Corinthians 3:5–7+. Who is ultimately responsible for the “planting and uprooting” of our lives? Does this knowledge bring you comfort or distress? Why?(See Living on the Ragged Edge Workbook: Finding Joy in a World) Half of the problem of life is that we are constantly trying to run this schedule ourselves. But God has already planned the schedule. Ray Stedman - The next pair deals with the supply of food: "A time to plant and a time to harvest." Everything must come in its appropriate time. If you get it out of synch you are in trouble. Try to plant a crop in the middle of winter when snow is on the ground and it will not grow. Half of the problem of life is that we are constantly trying to run this schedule ourselves. But God has already planned the schedule. There is an appropriate time for everything. Wright says this couplet could (speculation) convey a figurative meaning as "in Jeremiah's call to break up the fallow ground and uproot the thorns (Jer 4:3) and also in Christ's parable of the wheat and the tares (Mt 13:24-30+)." Uproot (06131) aqar from eqer - an offshoot, means to uproot and conveys the idea of rendering useless, uprooting and preventing further growth. Compare the Aramaic of Da 7:8. Through the uprooting process (as in Ec 3:2), the life source and the ability to grow have been cut off from the plant, delivering a type of destruction and death. In the other OT use in Zeph. 2:4 "Ekron will be uprooted" presents the prophet pronouncing judgment against Philistia, which meant their "uprooting" or destruction. The Septuagint translates "uproot" in Ec 3:2 with the verb ektillo which means to pull out, and was used to describe pulling out one's hair by the root (obviously killing the growth cycle of the hair). In Jer 24:6 Yahweh speaks of the future regathering of the nation of Israel - "I will plant them and not pluck them up (Septuagint - ektillo)." (cf same idea of ektillo in Jer 42:10 = "not uproot") Time (season, opportunity, epoch, proper time) (2540) kairos means a point of time or period of time, time, period, frequently with the implication of being especially fit for something and without emphasis on precise chronology. It describes the period as especially appropriate and favorable (the right time). Stated another way kairos is distinguished from chronos (time) because kairos views TIME from the aspect of the strategic opportunity it provides, and not simply a change from the past into the present into the future, not mere duration. (Trench)Something that lasts for a season and so is transient, temporary or enduring only for a specific period of time. Kairos is a period which is especially appropriate - a favorable time (at the right time). Peter Kennedy - Make the most of Time - Eccl 3:1-8 From Generation to Generation: Devotional Thoughts The extinct Mayan culture was obsessed with time. They studied the movement of the planets and charted the stars. They devised intricate calendars that are as accurate as our modern calendar. Plantings, harvests, and sacrifices were strictly based on this calendar. The ninth Caesar of Rome, Vitellius (A.D. 69), offered a sum equivalent to $250 million to the priests in the empire If they could recover one minute of lost time. The best they could do was turn their clocks back. We are no different than these ancients. In our time-conscious world we want to make every minute count. The best way to do this is to invest our lives in things that have lasting value. Do you spend enough time in the Word of God and with other people? Today in prayer give thanks that the Lord has given you the time for your life. Ask that you may use that time to bring Him glory. "We never shall have any more time. We have, and we have always had, all the time there is."—Arnold Bennett Ray Pritchard - Something New Under the Sun - Ecclesiastes 3:2-3 24. TIMES AND SEASONS A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build. Ecclesiastes 3:2-3 The meaning of the above verses is transparent: In this changing world, nothing stays the same. We move from one thing to another: from joy to sorrow, from war to peace and back to war again. We search for a while, then we give up. We are silent, then we speak; then we are silent again. We love and we hate-and we do it over and over again. We are born, we grow up, we give birth; our children grow up, they give birth. We die, our children die, and our grandchildren grow up and give birth. That’s what life is all about. It is part of God’s plan. Some of these things we do ourselves and some are sent to us by God Himself. But they all fit into His plan. No one scatters stones all the time and no one gathers all the time (see Ec 3:5). Consider how this applies to the marriage relationship. If you stay married long enough, you will see it all. Everything that can happen will happen. Any couple married more than twenty years can testify to this fact. There is indescribable joy and the deepest sorrow. There is hatred and there is love. There is birth and there is death. There is success and there is failure-often back-to-back. All these things have their place and if you stay together long enough, you will see them all. I remembered this truth when I attended the wake for a dear friend who died of cancer. About fifty people were in the room when I arrived. As I walked to the casket to pay my respects, I passed several good friends who were chatting together. There she was-resting in the casket-and not five feet away the young people were talking about cars and sports and their jobs and smiling to each other. Life and death were eerily juxtaposed against each other. Were the others being disrespectful? No, they loved my friend as much as I did. But life goes on. Even in the midst of sorrow, those who remain speak of life. Later that evening a young couple came by with a baby barely two weeks old. There it was, plain as day, right in front of my eyes, life and death in the same room. Joy and sorrow. Hope and sadness. Yesterday and tomorrow all mixed together, all happening at once. Someone dies and we weep. Another person is born and we rejoice. That’s what Solomon was talking about. In this ever-changing world, God alone can give meaning to life; He alone does not change. He directs the jumbled events that seem to have no rhyme or reason. So cling to this truth: God is in charge and does not change, and He makes no mistakes. My God, You are the Lord of the changing seasons of life. Without You I could hardly face tomorrow; but as long as You are with me I will have no fear. Amen. SHINING THE LIGHT What “season” of life are you in right now? If you are married, how have you experienced the ups and downs of life? Name a circumstance in which you have seen Gods faithfulness in an unexpected way. MORE LIGHT FROM GOD’S WORD Read Ezekiel 18:30-32; 1 Peter 4:1-5; and Revelation 1:17-18. A Daily Companion to My Utmost for His Highest applies several passages in Eccl 3 - There will be a time to plant new habits and a time to uproot old ones. There will be a time to tear down idols and a time to build altars to remember God’s provision. There will be a time to weep over sin and a time to laugh in the joy of God’s goodness QUESTION - What does it mean that there is a time to plant and a time to uproot (Ecclesiastes 3:2)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG? ANSWER - In Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, King Solomon introduces a series of fourteen opposing seasons and events in the cycle of life (birth and death, mourning and dancing, war and peace, etc.). “There is a time for everything,” begins Solomon, “and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot” (verses 1–2). All of the moments in Solomon’s list combine to represent the whole of human activity in its varied expressions. Our lives in this world are a blend of joy and sorrow, ups and downs, harmony and discord, rooting and upheaval. Solomon acknowledges that every moment has its proper place and time appointed by God. From beginning to end, the Lord is in control. He is sovereign. He has a purpose in every season, whether we understand it or not. The first two pairings—“a time to be born and a time to die” and “a time to plant and a time to uproot”—represent beginnings and endings, new life, and the inevitability of death. Plant life starts with sowing or planting but ends when uprooting occurs. Those who work in the world of agriculture understand that there is a proper time to plant and an appropriate season to harvest. When a seed is buried in the ground and then nurtured, the potential for germinating life is established. By contrast, to “uproot” is to pull up or tear out by the roots. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, the term is used figuratively for the destruction of cities and nations (Zephaniah 2:4; Jeremiah 12:17). The New Living Translation renders “a time to uproot” as “a time to harvest,” whereas the English Standard Version uses “pluck up what is planted.” Life is full of contrasts. Birthing and planting represent the giving of life. There are occasions when we produce life by giving birth or planting seeds in the ground. Yet, for every person, there is also an appointed time to die (Job 14:5; Hebrews 9:27), just as there are designated agricultural seasons for uprooting and harvesting crops. In a metaphor, the prophet Jeremiah confirms there are times in life “to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). In the New Testament, Jesus illustrates an important spiritual truth through a similar metaphor of planting and uprooting: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity” (John 12:24–25). Jesus was speaking about His impending death. Only by sacrificing His life would new life come. His glorification would proceed from His death. Like a kernel of wheat planted in the soil, Jesus would die to give life to a glorious new plant that would bear much fruit. Resurrection life for the many would come through the sacrifice and death of the One (2 Corinthians 5:14–15). Jesus was the grain of wheat that had to fall into the ground and die before becoming fruitful in the Father’s purpose—to provide eternal life for all who would believe in Him (John 3:16). By the same token, as followers of Christ, it is in dying that we live (Romans 6:4–8; 1 Corinthians 15:36; Galatians 2:20). Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24–25; see also Mark 8:34–35). Christ’s teaching helps us understand why God sometimes allows us to experience difficult seasons of upheaval and mourning. For every Christian, there is a time to plant and a time to uproot (Matthew 9:37; Luke 10:2; Psalm 126:5), a time to be born again (John 3:3–7), and a time to die to self (Luke 14:27; Galatians 5:24). We can’t experience the joy of birth or the glorious sprouting of new life that bears abundant fruit unless we pass through times of travail, uprooting, and death. Ecclesiastes 3:3 A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. time to kill: De 32:39 1Sa 2:6,25 Ho 6:1,2 a time to heal: Nu 26:6-9 Isa 38:5-20 Jer 33:6 Lu 9:54-56 Ac 5:15,16 time to tear down: Isa 5:5,6 44:26 Jer 31:28 45:4 Eze 13:14 Da 9:25-27 Zec 1:12 See over 50 translations Related Passages: Galatians 2:18 “For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. THE TIMING AND WISDOM OF DESTRUCTION AND RESTORATION A time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos) to kill (harag; Lxx - apokteino) and a time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos) to heal (rapha/rophe; Lxx - iaomai) - Solomon continues his catalog of opposites in life, showing that different seasons, even harsh ones like killing and tearing down, are under God’s appointed control. In ancient life, killing might occur in war, judgment, or defense. Note that some commentaries say that since this Hebrew word was not the one used in Ex 20:13+ for "you shall not murder (ratsach)," that "kill" here does not include murder (Mt 26:4+). That is not correct because the first use of harag in the OT was of Cain murdering Abel (that was "a time to kill")! In addition the Lxx translates with apokteino which is used to describe the murder of Jesus. Clearly, God is not advocating murder but Solomon recognizes that in a fallen world, such tragic events are permitted by God. A time to heal speaks of seasons of restoration, recovery, and mercy after injury, brokenness, or conflict. How we all praise God for mercifully allowing these seasons in our lives!!! The idea of healing includes restoration, repair, making whole (physically, spiritually, emotionally). Note that all the uses of time in these 14 couplets are the same Hebrew and Greek words (et/eth; Lxx - kairos). Note that the Greek word is not chronos (time in general) but is kairos which speaks of a specific time, a season and an opportunity. See the related discussion of Redeem the Time (the opportunity). Ray Stedman has an interesting thought on "a time to kill, and a time to heal" writing that "That may sound strange to us, but the process of dying goes right along with the process of living. Doctors tell us that every seven years all the cells in our bodies die. But our bodies do not die. What you are now is not what you were seven years ago, yet you are the same. Man's physical body is one of the miracles of human history. As the psalmist says, "We are fearfully and wonderfully made." How can we understand the fact that each cell seems to pass on to the cell which replaces it the memory of the past so that, even though our brain cells have changed, the memory goes back beyond the life of the cell itself? There is "a time to kill, and a time to heal." God brings it to pass." Michael Eaton feels that "heal does not always refer to medical needs (cf. Isa. 6:10 following up the imagery of 1:5-6; Isa. 19:22; 57:19; Jer. 33:6 and often elsewhere). (Borrow Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – Ecclesiastes) A time to tear down and a time to build up - Here we see the rhythms of breaking and building. Solomon is reminding us that nothing is permanent. A good example of this verse is urban renewal! In my old neighborhood probably 30 homes 50 years old have been demolished as rich people move in and build veritable mansions! You may have even carried out this verse in your home by remodeling your kitchen! One can also think of this figuratively of our lives which have a "tearing down time" and "building up time!" A surgeon cuts (a violent action!) to remove disease for only then can healing begin. Sometimes wounding must precede healing. Dead branches must be cut off for the tree to grow strong and bear fruit. Cutting is painful, but it is an act of life-giving care. 🙏 THOUGHT - Which season are you in (tearing down, building up)? Are you trying to cling to something that God is dismantling? Trust Him, for when God tears down, He rebuilds for His glory and our good. Structures, relationships, or systems that are corrupt, broken, or harmful sometimes must be demolished. After tearing down, there is a season to rebuild, renew, and restore. In summary, life includes both destructive and constructive phases, and wisdom is knowing when each is appropriate, all under God's sovereign design. Charles Swindoll applies this passage - The second pair of opposites Solomon described centers on the appropriateness of certain actions in specific situations: “A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up” (Ecclesiastes 3:3). Real life involves a strange mixture of battlefields and hospitals, mortality and medicine, demolition crews and construction workers. According to the following passages, what are some examples of when it is time to “build up” or time “to heal”? 2 Corinthians 2:6-9+ James 5:14-16+. (See Living on the Ragged Edge Workbook: Finding Joy in a World) Ray Stedman There is "a time to break down, and a time to build up." Youth is the time for building up. Muscles grow, abilities increase, coordination gets better. Then, if you hang on long enough as I have and you reach that 65th milestone, there is a time when everything starts to fall apart -- "a time to break down." Type gets smaller and smaller, steps get higher and higher, trains go faster and faster, people speak in lower and lower tones -- "a time to break down." But that is appropriate. We should not fight it. It is not evil, it is right. God has determined this, and no matter what we may think about it, it is going to continue that way. That is what this is telling us. Kill (02026) harag means to kill or slay. To slay or cause death, often in contexts of justice, warfare, or defense, but not the first use! Harag is first use in the Bible is in the murder of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:8). The word is employed for war and slaughter (Josh. 8:24; 1 Ki. 9:16; Esth. 8:11); God's killing in judgment (Gen. 20:4; Ex. 13:15; Amos 2:3); humans killing animals (Lev. 20:15; Num. 22:29); animals killing humans (2 Ki. 17:25; Job 20:16). Vine - This term is commonly used in modern Hebrew in its verb and noun forms to express the idea of "killing, slaughter." The fact that it is found in the Old Testament some 170 times reflects how commonly this verb was used to indicate the taking of life, whether animal or human. Hārag is found for the first time in the Old Testament in the Cain and Abel story (Gen. 4:8; also vv. Gen. 4:14-15). Rarely suggesting premeditated killing or murder, this term generally is used for the "killing" of animals, including sacrificially, and for ruthless personal violence of man against man. Hārag is not the term used in the sixth commandment (Exod. 20:13; Deut. 5:17). The word there is rāṣaḥ, and since it implies premeditated killing, the commandment is better translated: "Do not murder," as most modern versions have it. The word hārag often means wholesale slaughter, both in battle and after battle (Num. 31:7-8; Josh. 8:24; 2 Sam. 10:18). The word is only infrequently used of men's killing at the command of God. In such instances, the causative form of the common Hebrew verb for "to die" is commonly found. In general, hārag refers to violent "killing" and destruction, sometimes even referring to the "killing" of vines by hail (Psa. 78:47). Harold Stigers - (TWOT page 222) - The root includes the ideas of murder and judicial execution, as well as the killing of animals. The first use of the word (Genesis 4:8) reports Cain's crime, shedding Abel's blood which "cried to God," i.e. for vengeance. David ordered the execution of the murderers of Ishbosheth (2 Samuel 4:11-12). The same word is used for both murder and judicial execution in agreement with the command of Genesis 9:6. The murderer is to be executed on the grounds that failure to do so signifies consent to the crime and breaks the covenant with God. Furthermore it denies God's image in man. If a householder killed a robber who broke into his home during the night, he would not incur blood guilt, since the nocturnal housebreaker would not stop at murder to accomplish his purpose. Parallels to biblical laws on murder are few in the literature of Mesopotamia. There loss of life could be compensated for through payment of a fine. Only in aggravated cases was the death penalty imposed. There is much overlapping in the use of the various words for "kill." This word is seldom used of killing animals. Usually it is used of killing men and numerous times of violent killing in war or intrigue. It is never used for the killing of sacrificial animals and very seldom for the killing of animals for food. The word is common in the histories of the judges and the monarchy as the thing represented was itself all too common. Numbers of these instances refer to murder (for which rāsaḥ is more characteristic, cf. Exodus 20:13), but many refer to such items as Jezebel's killing the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:13), Levi and Simeon's slaughter of the Shechemites (Genesis 34:26), and Joab's killing of Abner (2 Samuel 3:30). The word is used sometimes of God's judicial judgments, e.g. the slaying of Egypt's firstborn (Exodus 13:15), but such uses are rare. In the angel's slaughter of Sennacherib's army, the word nākâ is used. Usually hārag is used of violent killing of men by other men—sometimes with justification, often, alas not! HARAG - 157V - destroyed(1), kill(44), kill me as you killed(1), kill me at once(1), killed(58), killing(3), kills(2), murdered(2), murderer(1), murderers(1), occurs(1), slain(16), slaughter(1), slay(14), slayer(2), slays(2), slew(11), smitten(1), surely kill(1). Gen. 4:8; Gen. 4:14; Gen. 4:15; Gen. 4:23; Gen. 4:25; Gen. 12:12; Gen. 20:4; Gen. 20:11; Gen. 26:7; Gen. 27:41; Gen. 27:42; Gen. 34:25; Gen. 34:26; Gen. 37:20; Gen. 37:26; Gen. 49:6; Exod. 2:14; Exod. 2:15; Exod. 4:23; Exod. 5:21; Exod. 13:15; Exod. 21:14; Exod. 22:24; Exod. 23:7; Exod. 32:12; Exod. 32:27; Lev. 20:15; Lev. 20:16; Num. 11:15; Num. 22:29; Num. 22:33; Num. 25:5; Num. 31:7; Num. 31:8; Num. 31:17; Num. 31:19; Deut. 13:9; Jos. 8:24; Jos. 9:26; Jos. 10:11; Jos. 13:22; Jdg. 7:25; Jdg. 8:17; Jdg. 8:18; Jdg. 8:19; Jdg. 8:20; Jdg. 8:21; Jdg. 9:5; Jdg. 9:18; Jdg. 9:24; Jdg. 9:45; Jdg. 9:54; Jdg. 9:56; Jdg. 16:2; Jdg. 20:5; 1 Sam. 16:2; 1 Sam. 22:21; 1 Sam. 24:10; 1 Sam. 24:11; 1 Sam. 24:18; 2 Sam. 3:30; 2 Sam. 4:10; 2 Sam. 4:11; 2 Sam. 4:12; 2 Sam. 10:18; 2 Sam. 12:9; 2 Sam. 14:7; 2 Sam. 23:21; 1 Ki. 2:5; 1 Ki. 2:32; 1 Ki. 9:16; 1 Ki. 11:24; 1 Ki. 12:27; 1 Ki. 18:12; 1 Ki. 18:13; 1 Ki. 18:14; 1 Ki. 19:1; 1 Ki. 19:10; 1 Ki. 19:14; 2 Ki. 8:12; 2 Ki. 9:31; 2 Ki. 10:9; 2 Ki. 11:18; 2 Ki. 17:25; 1 Chr. 7:21; 1 Chr. 11:23; 1 Chr. 19:18; 2 Chr. 21:4; 2 Chr. 21:13; 2 Chr. 22:1; 2 Chr. 22:8; 2 Chr. 23:17; 2 Chr. 24:22; 2 Chr. 24:25; 2 Chr. 25:3; 2 Chr. 28:6; 2 Chr. 28:7; 2 Chr. 28:9; 2 Chr. 36:17; Neh. 4:11; Neh. 6:10; Neh. 9:26; Est. 3:13; Est. 7:4; Est. 8:11; Est. 9:6; Est. 9:11; Est. 9:12; Est. 9:15; Est. 9:16; Job 5:2; Job 20:16; Ps. 10:8; Ps. 44:22; Ps. 59:11; Ps. 78:31; Ps. 78:34; Ps. 78:47; Ps. 94:6; Ps. 135:10; Ps. 136:18; Prov. 1:32; Prov. 7:26; Eccl. 3:3; Isa. 10:4; Isa. 14:19; Isa. 14:20; Isa. 14:30; Isa. 22:13; Isa. 26:21; Isa. 27:1; Isa. 27:7; Jer. 4:31; Jer. 15:3; Jer. 18:21; Lam. 2:4; Lam. 2:20; Lam. 2:21; Lam. 3:43; Ezek. 9:6; Ezek. 21:11; Ezek. 23:10; Ezek. 23:47; Ezek. 26:6; Ezek. 26:8; Ezek. 26:11; Ezek. 26:15; Ezek. 28:9; Ezek. 37:9; Hos. 6:5; Hos. 9:13; Amos 2:3; Amos 4:10; Amos 9:1; Amos 9:4; Hab. 1:17; Zech. 11:5 THOUGHT - "When Breaking Is Healing" "A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up." — Ecclesiastes 3:3 Some seasons of life feel like tearing, breaking, or ending. Dreams crumble. Relationships fracture. Plans collapse. We wonder: "Why is God allowing this?" But Solomon reminds us: there is a time for both tearing down and building up. God often tears down what will not last to build what is eternal. Old ways must die for new life to spring forth. Sinful strongholds must be demolished for grace to rebuild. Sometimes loss makes room for greater restoration. Jesus said: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." — John 12:24 If you're in a season of tearing down, trust the Master Builder. He wounds to heal. He removes to renew. He tears down only to rebuild something better in its place. QUESTION - What does it mean that there is a time to kill and a time to heal (Ecclesiastes 3:3)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - In Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, King Solomon recognizes that God controls the times and seasons of every human life. Through fourteen juxtaposing statements, Solomon establishes that God is always working out His good purposes, accomplishing His will in each moment of our lives (Romans 8:28). Every occasion between our birth and our death happens at a God-appointed time according to His plan. One of the more challenging couplings to understand is that “there is a time to kill and a time to heal” (Ecclesiastes 3:3). God’s law plainly states, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). How, then, is there a time to kill? In the original Hebrew, the word translated “to kill” means “to cut down or stab; cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly.” Sin brought decay and death into the world, and it wasn’t long before humans became involved in the act of killing (Genesis 4:8). According to one commentator, a time to kill “probably refers, not to war (v. 8) or self-defense, but to the results of sickness and plague in the land” (Wiersbe, W., Be Satisfied, Victor Books, 1996, p. 45–46). One such instance is noted in 1 Samuel 2:6: “The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up” (ESV). Solomon is not advocating for capital punishment or mercy killing. He could be speaking of killing to defend the innocent, such as by law enforcement, or the act of self-defense. One thing is sure, the author is reflecting on a reality of life—that some people die while others live on and are healed. It’s impossible to understand why God would allow millions of people to die in the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic or any of the other widespread outbreaks of disease that have occurred throughout history. Yet God in His inscrutable sovereignty permits some to perish and others to be healed. Solomon’s observations are not concerned with the ethical questions surrounding killing and murder. He is merely asserting some central facts of life: “There is a time to be born and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2); “There is a time to kill and a time to heal” (verse 3). Destruction and death are unavoidable aspects of life (Hebrews 9:27). Thankfully, healing and rebuilding are part of our existence as well. The word for “to heal” in the original Hebrew means “to provide a cure for or make healthy again (whether physically or spiritually); repair, rebuild.” The prophet Isaiah saw that God would bring Egypt to repentance, healing, and salvation: “So the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the LORD. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and keep them. The LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them” (Isaiah 19:21–22). In this passage, we see the revelation of God’s good purpose in “a time to kill and a time to heal.” Sometimes, for physical healing to occur, certain bacteria, micro-organisms, or hostile cells, must be killed before the human body can be restored to health. Likewise, spiritual healing often follows a season of brokenness: “Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds” (Hosea 6:1; see also Psalm 147:3). When we cooperate with God, trusting that even the most painful and challenging seasons serve a purpose in His plan, He makes everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). There is a time to kill and a time to heal also parallels a metaphor for the process of sanctification. In the Christian life, we are called to “put to death” the misdeeds of our sinful nature so that we can live a new and wholesome life by the power of the Spirit (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5). We are to consider ourselves “dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11, NLT). QUESTION - What does it mean that there is a time to break down and a time to build up (Ecclesiastes 3:3)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - King Solomon points out that human existence is a progressive cycle of beginnings and endings, births and deaths, joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain. Through a series of fourteen contrasting times and seasons of life, he concludes that God is sovereign over them all (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8). God deliberately designs each moment to create the beautiful tapestry of our lives (Ecclesiastes 3:11). As believers, we must trust Him to mix the fibers and strands according to His good purpose (Romans 8:28). Paired with “a time to kill, and a time to heal” is “a time to break down, and a time to build up” (Ecclesiastes 3:3, ESV). In the original Hebrew, the words translated “break down” mean “to cause to fall or collapse, tear down, pull down.” The contrasting term “build up” refers to “develop, enlarge, construct, or increase by degrees or in stages.” Solomon’s “time to break down” and “time to build up” refer to the processes of destruction and reconstruction. As a master builder and developer of ancient architectural wonders, Solomon would have been well acquainted with the need to tear down and remove old, crumbling buildings before rebuilding new structures in their place. In the construction process, there is an appropriate time for both breaking down and building up. In the Old Testament, Jeremiah’s prophecies forecast the breaking down and building up of peoples, nations, and kingdoms (Jeremiah 1:10). He foresaw a future time when God would rebuild and plant so that His people and their land could be restored (Jeremiah 31:27–29). In a spiritual sense, believers experience seasons of breaking down the old way of life and building up the new. Christians are to “put to death” or destroy the flesh—the “earthly nature.” We must do away with or tear down our old way of life and “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:5–10, ESV). God has given us spiritual weapons “to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4–5, NLT). The process of sanctification involves the Holy Spirit working within us to rebuild and reshape us according to the pattern and image of Christ (Romans 8:29–30). The apostle Peter describes the process: “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God” (1 Peter 2:5, NLT). Those who are lifted up with pride are destined to endure seasons of breaking down: “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18, NLT; see also Proverbs 18:12). The Bible speaks of a broad highway that leads to destruction for those who do evil (Matthew 7:13; Isaiah 59:7; Isaiah 28:22). “Give them the punishment they so richly deserve! Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness. Pay them back for all their evil deeds! Give them a taste of what they have done to others. They care nothing for what the LORD has done or for what his hands have made. So he will tear them down, and they will never be rebuilt!” declares Psalm 28:4–5 (NLT). Being torn down and destroyed is the destiny of the ungodly, but building up is the ministry of the body of Christ, the church (Ephesians 4:11–12, 16; 1 Corinthians 14:12). God gave His servants authority not to tear each other down but to build one another up (2 Corinthians 10:8; 13:10; Romans 14:19). The words we speak ought not to be “unwholesome” but instead “helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). Paul taught, “Encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11; see also Romans 15:2). There are times when God must break up the fallow ground of sin in the believer’s heart (Hosea 10:12). He often uses painful seasons to discipline us and bring us back to Him in repentance (Proverbs 3:11–12; Hebrews 12:5–11). He does this because He loves us. James says that the result of the Lord’s discipline is stronger, more steadfast faith (James 1:2–4), as well as the breaking down of sin’s hold over us (John 8:31–36). Just as there is a season for every matter under heaven, there is a time to break down and a time to build up. In times when you feel torn asunder, when everything seems to be falling apart, remember and trust that God is rebuilding your life on the firm, unshakable, and everlasting foundation of Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:24–27; Luke 6:46–49; 1 Corinthians 3:10–17; Ephesians 2:19–22). Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. time to weep: Ne 8:9-12 9:1-38 Ps 30:5 Ps 126:1,2,5,6 Isa 22:12,13 Mt 9:15 Mt 11:17 Joh 16:20-22 Ro 12:15 2Co 7:10 Jas 4:9 a time to laugh: Ge 21:6 Lu 1:13,14,58 6:21-25 to dance: Ex 15:20 2Sa 6:16 See over 50 translations Related Passage: Nehemiah 8:9-12 Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them. Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning. Psalm 42:3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. 6 He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. TEARS AND TRIUMPHS A time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos) to weep and a time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos) to laugh - Life has emotional highs and lows and both are appointed by God and appropriate in their season. God doesn’t demand perpetual happiness or perpetual grief for both have a place. Perpetual pleasure is reserved for our glorious future for David writes... Psalm 16:11+ You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Ray Stedman notes that in this verse "the Searcher moves into the realm of the soul, with its functions of thinking, feeling and choosing, the social areas, and all the interrelationships of life that flow from that....weep...laugh...mourn...dance. All these things follow closely, and they are all appropriate. No one is going to escape the hurts and sorrows of life, is what he is saying here. God chose them for us. The proof of that is when God's own Son came. He was not handed a beautiful life with everything pleasant and delightful, free from struggle and pain. No, he was, "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," (Isaiah 53:3b). In a fallen world it is right that there will be times of hurt, of sorrow and weeping. But there will be times too when it is right to laugh, to be happy and carefree. There is a time of grief and tears, "a time to mourn," but there is a time to celebrate and to enjoy a festive occasion. Jesus attended the celebration of the wedding at Cana of Galilee. He entered into it and even provided part of the feast. C S Lewis said "Pain is God's megaphone. He whispers to us in our pleasure [when we laugh], but He shouts to us in our pain [when we weep]." (from Swindoll) Tommy Nelson - A day will come in God's sovereign plan when you will receive a phone call telling you that your parents are dead. Your time will be to weep. But it won't last forever because there will be a time when you will get a big promotion or finally move into your dream home, and then you will laugh. Solomon says life is going to be like this and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. You'll have children and you will laugh. Then one day you'll cry because of those children. That's the way it is. There are times of happiness and times of pain. (See A Life Well Lived: A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes - Page 46) Ray Stedman - "There is a time to weep and a time to laugh" (Verse 4). Throughout this chapter the idea is propounded that there is an appropriate time for all of life's experiences. Have you ever laughed at the wrong time? I have. I was at a funeral once, and the leader asked all present to stand upon their feet. One of my friends whispered to me, "What else could you stand on?" I broke up -- and it was very obviously the wrong time to do so. Ron Ritchie won a kind of immortality for himself at Dallas Theological Seminary when, on the day of graduation, that most solemn occasion in educational life, he walked down the aisle, dressed in his sombre graduation robe, holding a coffee cup in his hand. He is remembered in the annals of Dallas Seminary as a man who did not know the appropriate action for a certain time. A time to mourn and a time to dance - Mourn (סָפַד – sāpaḏ) speaks of formal grieving (often at funerals). Mourning is proper in its proper time but then that time ends and then comes a time to dance or celebrate. Dance (רָקַד – rāqaḏ) describes joyful, public celebration. God's plan includes times of happiness as well as sorrow so we should not be surprised by circumstances in life that allow for these emotions. One week, you might attend a funeral, the next week a wedding. Both are sacred One is reminded of the song in Fiddler on the Roof "Sun Rise, Sun Set", swiftly fly the years. One season following another. Laden with happiness and tears." QUESTION - What does it mean that there is a time to weep and a time to laugh (Ecclesiastes 3:4)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - “A time to weep and a time to laugh” is one of fourteen couplets of contrasting times and seasons of life depicted by King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1–8. Within these statements, Solomon condensed every human “activity under the heavens” (verse 1), concluding that there is a God-appointed time for each moment and that the Lord is ultimately in control over them all. Extreme emotional seasons are the focus of Solomon’s observation that “there is a time to weep and a time to laugh.” Sorrow and happiness, crying and rejoicing, mourning and merriment are all part of life. Feelings of disappointment, loss, and rejection are inevitable. More than once, Jesus Himself was overcome with sorrow to the point of weeping (John 11:32; Luke 19:41). If we live very long, we’ll eventually endure times when we want to say, like the psalmist, “My tears have been my food day and night” (Psalm 42:3). Conversely, we will experience seasons of joy and laughter. King David acknowledged that “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). In Romans 12:9–21, the apostle Paul taught that the mark of a true Christian is sincere love demonstrated through sacrifice and service toward fellow believers. Paul seemed to have had Ecclesiastes 3:4 in mind when he urged believers, “Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15NLT). When we identify with one another in our joys and sorrows, weeping and laughing together at the appropriate times, we prove the authenticity of our heartfelt affection and love. Instead of distancing ourselves from the emotional experiences of others, genuine love motivates us to weep freely, to laugh out loud, to sing and dance, to enter deeply into their experiences, and to feel solidarity with those we care about, regardless of their mood. In Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, He informed His disciples, “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6:21). Poverty, hunger, persecution, insult, denial, hatred, and being falsely accused were some of the miserable conditions the Lord’s closest followers faced during their sojourn on earth. Our loyalty to Jesus in this world is sure to cause us to weep now (Matthew 5:3–11). But Christ encourages us to “rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:12). In John 16:20, Jesus promised His faithful ones, “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” As Christians, we can expect to face some of the harshest circumstances imaginable in this world. But eternal life with Jesus awaits. We may weep now as the world rejoices, but we will laugh and celebrate with the Lord for all eternity. While we live in this fallen world, “a time to weep” is an inevitable part of the ongoing cycle of life. But we do well to remember that God is with us through every painful moment, working out His good purposes (Romans 8:28). Moreover, eternity holds the Lord’s marvelous promise: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). In eternity, the “time to weep” will be over, and “a time to laugh” will be our blessed reward. QUESTION - What does it mean that there is a time to mourn and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - “A time to mourn and a time to dance” is one of fourteen juxtaposed seasons of life observed by King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1–8. While looking back across his years, Solomon sums every human “activity under the heavens” (verse 1). He concludes that life is an ongoing cycle of beginnings and endings, ups and downs, gains and losses. Solomon has learned that there is a God-appointed time, place, and purpose for every moment and that the Lord is ultimately in control of them all. In Ecclesiastes 3:4, Solomon focuses on the emotional seasons of human existence, pairing “a time to mourn and a time to dance” with “a time to weep and a time to laugh.” In the original Hebrew, the word translated as “mourn” means “to observe the customs of mourning after the death of a person.” Mourning is the natural process of working through the heartache that follows a significant loss. It is normal and healthy to grieve for a period after a loved one has died. Ultimately, God uses mourning to produce healing. The term dance is just as direct, meaning “to move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment.” With this expressive coupling, Solomon contrasts a funeral gathering and a celebratory feast such as a wedding. Humans weep and mourn at a funeral but laugh and dance at a wedding reception. Later, in Ecclesiastes 7:2, Solomon explains, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.” Here Solomon expresses the wisdom of admitting our own mortality. At a funeral, we are forced to confront the inevitable fate of all humanity—we are all destined to die (Job 30:23; Hebrews 9:27). God gives us one opportunity—this life on earth—to know Him and receive His gift of salvation. If we live only to party and have fun, we will be ill-prepared for eternity. Seasons of mourning serve a good purpose—they remind us of our need to put our faith and hope in God: “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath. . . . We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you” (Psalm 39:4–7, NLT). Mourning is part of the human experience. The Christian life is not only rejoicing and laughter. While seasons of mourning are painful, they provide opportunities for us to see the weight of our sin and the depth of our spiritual bankruptcy. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Only when we truly recognize and feel sorrow over the wretched condition of our hearts can God’s grace and forgiveness be poured out on us. Only then can we say, like the psalmist, “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy” (Psalm 30:11, NLT). There is a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time for sorrow and for celebration, for repentance and for refreshing. In the kingdom of God, those who mourn are blessed because they are destined to dance and celebrate at the marriage supper of Lamb (Revelation 19:7–10). They have had their hearts broken by their own sin and the depths of this world’s suffering. Yet they will receive God’s comfort and live with joy forever in the Lord’s presence. Ray Pritchard - Something New Under the Sun A TIME TO LAUGH A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain. Ecclesiastes 3:4-5 Several years ago I traveled to Russia on a speaking tour of evangelical churches. Although I don't speak much Russian, it was easy to communicate because the Russian people are by nature warm and friendly. I found two things true of every Russian Christian I met: They love to sing and they love to laugh. Everywhere I went, from St. Petersburg to the Volga River, we sang together, traded stories, and told jokes. They laughed at my fractured Russian (delivered with a Southern accent), and I laughed at their stories, even when I didn't understand (which was most of the time). My travels through Russia taught me that laughter is the universal language. If you have a sense of humor about life, you can go anywhere on earth and have a good time. Someone has said that laughter is the shortest point between two people. It is the best way to break the ice, to cut the tension, to settle a quarrel, or to liven up a boring meeting. Laughter is a universal language that needs no translator. It may surprise you to know that some of God's greatest saints loved to laugh. Martin Luther said, "If you aren't allowed to laugh in heaven, I don't want to go there." He also said, "If the earth is fit for laughter then surely heaven is filled with it. Heaven is the birthplace of laughter." The great English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon laughed so much that when a parishioner reproached him for using too much humor in his sermons, he replied, "If only you knew how much I held back!" C. S. Lewis used to say that his favorite sound in all the earth was hearty male laughter. By the way, can you name the first two people recorded in the Bible who laughed? It was Abraham and Sarah who laughed (at God!) when they heard they were going to have a baby in their old age. They thought God was playing a joke on them. I take it that laughter is one of God's gifts to the human race. It keeps us from taking life too seriously—as if it all depends on us. Ed Howe said it this way: "If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to laugh at when you grow old." Yes, there is a time to laugh, and laughter is a blessing from God as we endure the travails of this temporary world. Father, thank You for the healing gift of laughter. I pray for a sanctified sense of humor today. Amen. SHINING THE LIGHT Do you think Jesus had a sense of humor? Do you agree with Martin Luther that heaven is the birthplace of laughter? Why is laughter so important in handling the trials of life? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read Genesis 21:1-7; Psalm 126:1-3; and Luke 6:21. Seasons Of Ups And Downs A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. —Ecclesiastes 3:4 Today's Scripture : Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Most of us would agree that life has its ups and downs. Wise King Solomon believed this and reflected on our responses to fluctuating circumstances. In Ecclesiastes, he wrote: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: . . . a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (3:1-4). Solomon’s father, David, was called “a man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). Yet David’s life illustrates how life is filled with seasons of ups and downs. David wept over his and Bathsheba’s first child who was fatally ill (2 Sam. 12:22). Yet he also wrote songs of praise and joyous laughter (Ps. 126:1-3). With the death of his rebellious son Absalom, David experienced a time of deep mourning (2 Sam. 18:33). And when the ark was brought to Jerusalem, David, in spiritual ecstasy, danced before the Lord (2 Sam. 6:12-15). Dear Lord, help us to turn to You not only in sadness but also in joy. We know You give us both good times and bad to draw us to You and help us grow. May we learn to trust You in all seasons of life. Amen. Every season needs faith to get us through it. Ecclesiastes 3:5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. to throw stones Jos 4:3-9 10:27 2Sa 18:17,18 2Ki 3:25 A time to embrace: Ex 19:15 1Sa 21:4,5 Song 2:6,7 Joe 2:16 1Co 7:5 See over 50 translations Related Passages: Genesis 11:3+ They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. Genesis 31:44-45 “So now come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.” Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 2 Kings 3:19; 25 ‘Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.’” (3:25) Thus they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every piece of good land and filled it. So they stopped all the springs of water and felled all the good trees, until in Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the slingers went about it and struck it. Isaiah 5:1-2+ Let me sing now for my well-beloved A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill. 2 He dug it all around, removed its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it And also hewed out a wine vat in it; Then He expected it to produce good grapes, But it produced only worthless ones. A Time to Throw a Stone! SCATTERING AND GATHERING EMBRACING AND RELEASING A time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos) to throw stones and a time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos) to gather stones - The natural reference would be to casting away of stones when they were useless as in a field that one desired to plow and plant, or perhaps a hindrance to the soil, and gathering them when they were used for some profitable purpose such as building a fence. In ancient Israel, throwing stones could symbolize hostility, destruction, or hindering (e.g., scattering stones over a field to prevent farming — 2 Kings 3:25). Throwing stones could symbolize breaking down, war, or removing obstacles. Gathering stones could symbolize preparing to build, clearing a field, or reconciliation after conflict. Stones were the memorials of the covenant between Jacob and Laban (Gen. 31:44-51) Stones were used to commemorate God’s miracle in the passage of Jordan (Josh 4:1-9). Stones were used as a memorial to Achan’s sin (Josh 7:26.) Stones were gathered and marked the victory over Absalom (2Sa 18:17). In every case there was a divine purpose and a suitable season for gathering the stones. This verse reminds me of the "season" in David's life when he gathered 5 smooth stones from the brook (1Sa 17:40+) and slung (cf "throw stones") one of the stones at Goliath so that the stone sank into his forehead and Goliath fell on his face to the ground (1Sa 17:49+)! This stone gathering and throwing season (ordained by God) marked a significant change in the course of his entire life. John
Eclesiastes 3
Stedman has an excellent comment on "There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak," (Ecclesiastes 3:7b) writing that "There are times when we know something, a piece of gossip, and we should not say it; we ought not to speak. There are times when we ought to speak, when something we are keeping secret would deliver someone or bring truth into a situation; a time to speak up." Tommy Nelson - "There will be times when you will want to keep your mouth shut and times when you just have to tell somebody something." (See A Life Well Lived: A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes - Page 47) QUESTION - What does it mean that there is a time to tear and a time to mend (Ecclesiastes 3:7)? GOTQUESTIONS ANSWER - In Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, the Teacher (King Solomon) uses fourteen pairs of opposing seasons to illustrate that everything we experience in this life is in the hands of God. To modern readers, the meaning of the eleventh couplet—“a time to tear and a time to mend”—may be obscure, but in biblical times the implication would have been clear. In general, the expression has to do with tearing and mending a garment. More specifically, it refers to times when we receive bad news versus when life is good. In the original language, the word translated as “tear” means “to separate abruptly or violently, to rip, cut, tear to pieces.” The verb for “mend” refers to “stitching together as in sewing or needlework.” In ancient days, if a person received terrible news, the custom was to rend one’s garment in an expression of intense grief. When the tragedy resolved, it was customary to mend one’s garment by sewing it back together. King David ripped his robes when he heard the crushing, albeit exaggerated, news that Absalom had murdered all of his remaining sons (2 Samuel 13:31). When Reuben discovered that his brother Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief (Genesis 37:29). In the New Testament, Paul and Barnabas rent their garments in anguish when they saw that the people of Lystra were about to pay homage to them as deities (Acts 14:14–15). “A time to mend” is a graphic analogy for the inner healing and recovery that gradually takes place through the process of grieving. The Lord “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). As believers, we can expect to endure times of sorrow and bereavement, but we do not grieve like unbelievers (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). One commentator suggests that “a time to tear” includes a broader application: “It can involve the tearing of a garment into smaller patches to be used to mend another garment. It could even apply to personal relationships. Most of us on occasion have had to sever relationships with long-time friends, painful though this may be. For example, a recovering alcoholic sometimes has to give up his old drinking buddies if he is to recover from his addiction” (Pechawer, L., Poetry and Prophecy, Vol. 3, Standard Publishing, 2008, p. 100). There are times when relationships must be broken (1 Corinthians 5:9; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:7), and there are times when we must get out the symbolic “needle and thread” to patch things up (Ephesians 4:32; Matthew 6:15; Mark 11:25; Colossians 3:13). Sometimes we break ties with people, and at other times we make new friends. “A time to tear” is similarly associated with God’s judgment in the Old Testament. When King Saul rebelled and rejected God’s Word, Samuel the prophet declared, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you” (1 Samuel 15:28, NLT). When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the temple veil was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). Through this divine tearing, God in His justice and mercy opened the way for us to experience “a time to mend.” The prophet foretold, “He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” (Isaiah 53:5, NLT). The sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the “one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity” (1 Timothy 2:5, NLT), opened up for us a new and life-giving way to experience restored fellowship with God the Father (Hebrews 10:20). Mending also represents an everyday, ordinary task. There are times when tragedy will knock us off balance, and there are seasons when our existence will consist of normalcy and routine. “A time to tear and a time to mend” not only reminds us that there are good and bad seasons but also that there are both ordinary and extraordinary times in this life. We won’t always understand the Lord’s purpose in the diverging cycles of birth and death, joy and sorrow, gain and loss, good and bad, but we can humbly accept that God knows the reasons because He sees the whole picture (Proverbs 16:4). We can trust that He is working out His perfect plan for our good (Romans 8:28). QUESTION - What does it mean that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3:7)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - In Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, King Solomon affirms that God is sovereignly in control and at work in our individual lives. God has a time and a purpose for everything that happens (Romans 8:28). With “a time to be silent and a time to speak,” Solomon focuses our attention on human speech. A theme often dealt with in Scripture is the idea of life having appropriate times to be silent and times to speak. In wisdom literature, the fool is portrayed as one who talks too much and always at the wrong time, but the wise person knows when to be silent and when to speak: “The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating. The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives” (Proverbs 18:6–7). Proverbs 10:19 warns, “When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is prudent” (CSB, see also Psalm 39:1). In severe adversity and evil, “the prudent keep quiet in such times” (Amos 5:13; see also 2 Kings 2:3, 5). “Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity,” advises Solomon in Proverbs 21:23. “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues” (Proverbs 17:28). Jesus exemplified the wisdom of silence when He stood before Pontius Pilate (Matthew 27:11–14). To His followers, Jesus said, “You must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you” (Matthew 12:36–37, NLT). For this reason, James taught those who genuinely want to be godly examples in the church to learn to control their tongues (James 3:1–12). The apostle Paul stressed the importance of letting our “conversation be gracious and attractive so” we might “have the right response for everyone” (Colossians 4:6). The proper word spoken at the right time, “how good it is!” says Proverbs 15:23. Our words contain “the power of life and death,” states Proverbs 18:21. What we say can either save lives or destroy them (Proverbs 12:6). A time to be silent is sometimes associated with grief and mourning. Often the best comfort to offer a person suffering through a tremendous loss is to sit with him or her in silence. When Job’s three friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they came and sat with him for a week in silence. They recognized that Job’s anguish was too overwhelming for words (Job 2:11–13). Silence is golden, says the proverbial expression, but there are times when God’s people must speak. The Bible commands us to speak out against injustice (Isaiah 1:17; 10:1–3). Believers are not to keep silent about their faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:17–20; 2 Corinthians 5:18–20; 1 Peter 3:15). When the Jews faced national annihilation, the brave Queen Esther recognized her God-appointed purpose and time to speak. Her cousin Mordecai urged, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:12–14). Esther obeyed, risking her life to save her people. She knew it was “a time to speak,” and she received God’s abundant blessing. Solomon’s emphasis on “a time to be silent and a time to speak” ought to remind us that it’s generally wise to keep our mouths shut, let our words be few, and learn to control our tongues (Ecclesiastes 5:2). Still, we must discern when it’s time to speak out on the Lord’s behalf (Isaiah 58:1) for the glory of God (Joshua 6:16; Psalm 34:1; Luke 19:37–40) and the building up of His church (Ephesians 4:29; 5:17–21). A Time to Speak There is a time for everything . . . a time to be silent and a time to speak. Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ecclesiastes 3:1–7 For thirty long years, the African American woman worked faithfully for a large global ministry. Yet when she sought to talk with co-workers about racial injustice, she was met with silence. Finally, however, in the spring of 2020—as open discussions about racism expanded around the world—her ministry friends “started having some open dialogue.” With mixed feelings and pain, she was grateful discussions began. Silence can be a virtue in some situations. As King Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: . . . a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7). Silence in the face of bigotry and injustice, however, only enables harm and hurt. Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoeller (jailed in Nazi Germany for speaking out) confessed that in a poem he penned after the war. “First they came for the Communists,” he wrote, “but I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.” He added, “Then they came for” the Jews, the Catholics, and others, “but I didn’t speak up.” Finally, “they came for me—and by that time there was no one left to speak up.” Why is it important not to be silent during discussions about injustice? What hinders your willingness to engage in such dialogue? Dear God, release my tongue and heart from the enemy’s grip. Equip me to see and feel the harm of injustice so that I may speak up for those hurt by this sin. Don't Say It! [There is] a time to keep silence. — Ecclesiastes 3:7 Today's Scripture : Proverbs 10:8-21 In Discipleship Journal, Cynthia Heald told of a time she and her husband Jack were talking about remodeling their house. He said he wished he had his brother-in-law’s skill for carpentry. “For a brief second,” Cynthia wrote, “I was ready to make a snappy reply by saying, ‘Maybe my next husband will be more handy.'” She went on, “For once in my life I thought before I spoke and asked myself, ‘Will this benefit Jack?’ Of course the answer was no! So I was quiet for a moment and responded in a much more positive way.” The Bible tells us that we can accomplish much good with kind, thoughtful, and wise words (Prov. 10:31-32; 16:23; Eph. 4:29). We can all think of times we have been blessed by the gentle, encouraging words of a brother or sister in Christ. Ecclesiastes tells us that there is also “a time to keep silence” (3:7). Sometimes we can accomplish more by not saying anything. We avoid inflicting pain, creating conflict, or damaging someone’s reputation or future. There are some silent people Whose praises should be sung; They preach a mighty sermon By guarding well their tongue. —Posegate If you hold your tongue now, you won't have to eat your words later. Ecclesiastes 3:8 A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. time to love: Eze 16:8 Ps 139:21 Eph 3:19 5:25,28,29 Tit 2:4 a time to hate: 2Ch 19:2 Lu 14:26 Rev 2:2 a time of war: Ge 14:14-17 Jos 8:1-29 11:23 2Sa 10:6-19 1Ki 5:4 2Ch 20:1-29,30 See over 50 translations A TIME TO LOVE AND HATE A TIME FOR WAR AND PEACE A time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos) to love and a time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos) to hate - When we were young and fell in love, it was the appropriate time and appropriate response. When we see evil being promoted as good, it is an appropriate time to hate. Ray Stedman When is it time to hate? Think of young Abraham Lincoln the first time he saw human beings sold on the slave blocks in New Orleans. He felt hatred rising in his heart. He resolved that if he ever got a chance to smash slavery he would do so. Lincoln's hatred of slavery was perfectly appropriate. There is "a time to love," when it is right that we should extend our love to somebody who is hurting, someone who is feeling dejected or rejected, lonely or weak. Gilbrant - All this is not chance. It is the providence or permissive control of the Great Ruler of the universe. War is his chastisement; peace his returning blessing. It is his prerogative to “make wars to cease unto the ends of the earth” (Ps. 46:9); to “scatter the people that delight in war” (Ps. 68:30); and, when the sword has done its appointed work, to “make peace in the borders of his people” (Ps. 147:14). “When he gives quietness, who then can cause trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only” (Job 34:29). (Complete Biblical Library) A time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos) for war and a time (et/eth; Lxx - kairos) for peace - When the US was attacked at Pearl Harbor in December 7, 1941, it marked the time for war. When the atom bombs fell on Japan, it marked a call to peace, although at a price. Ray Stedman There is "a time for war, and a time for peace," (Ecclesiastes 3:8b RSV). We ought to remember this as we consider some of the issues before us today. When tyranny rides roughshod over the rights of men there is a time when a nation properly makes war. But there is a time when war is absolutely the wrong thing, when no provocation should be allowed to start one because war can explode into violence far beyond anything demanded by a particular situation. How much is permitted in that regard is a perfectly moot subject, one that is being widely debated today. Ray Stedman We ought to remember this as we consider some of the issues before us today. When tyranny rides roughshod over the rights of men there is a time when a nation properly makes war. But there is a time when war is absolutely the wrong thing, when no provocation should be allowed to start one because war can explode into violence far beyond anything demanded by a particular situation. How much is permitted in that regard is a perfectly moot subject, one that is being widely debated today. Daniel Hill - When these words were made a part of the song Turn, Turn, Turn, the writer did as what the secular world so often does, it TURNED the meaning all around and ended with the question I hope we are not to late to stop the war? But we find in the Bible that there is a time for war, and Jesus observed that there would be wars and rumors of war until He returns at the second advent. However, we must chose our conflicts carefully. Knowing that living in a fallen world means that there will be times of war and times of peace. ALL THESE THINGS SHOW US that we are not as in control as we might think and that we have a choice, depend upon the one who is in control or try to be the captains of our own destiny in a sea of uncertainty and doubt. Ray Stedman offers some concluding thoughts on these 14 couplets that occur at the appropriate time - "I point out that all of this is God's wonderful plan for your life. The problem, of course, is that it is not our plan for our life. If we were given that right we would have no unpleasantness at all in life. But that would ruin us. God knows that people who are protected from everything almost invariably end up being impossible to live with; they are selfish, cruel, vicious, shallow, unprincipled. God sends these things in order that we might be taught. There is a time for everything, the Searcher says." POSB sums up Ec 3:2-8- These fourteen contrasts illustrate that God’s plan for our lives involves a collection of diverse experiences. Opposite extremes in life—and everything in between—are controlled by the One who designs our days and years. God takes these dissimilar experiences and works them out for the good of all who love Him (Ro.8:28). He uses every experience of life to mold us into what God desires us to be. This is the first truth the Teacher imparts to us that elevates us above the rest of God’s creation, that gives meaning and value to human life. Our lives are not controlled by fate, nor do things happen by chance or coincidence. Life is controlled by the One who appoints the activities of our lives and alters their occurrence according to His plan, purpose, and schedule. God controls all of the above and everything else that we experience. This makes us uniquely valuable, far above all of God’s other creatures. (The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible - Vol. 22) QUESTION - What does it mean that there is a time to love and a time to hate (Ecclesiastes 3:8)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - King Solomon reflects in Ecclesiastes 3:8 that “there is a time to love and a time to hate.” This statement, however perplexing, can be understood when examined in context. The verse is part of an extended passage (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8) in which Solomon catalogs fourteen contrasting times and seasons of life (birth and death, planting and harvest, weeping and laughing, loving and hating, etc.). Together they represent the sum of human activity. Solomon concludes that God is in control of each moment of our existence in this world. God has a proper time and a good purpose for every experience (Romans 8:28). Is there ever a time for Christians to hate? The Bible mentions several things God hates and, therefore, believers should also hate (Revelation 2:6, 15). Jeremiah highlights God’s hatred of idolatry (Jeremiah 44:4–5; see also Deuteronomy 12:31; 16:22). Isaiah and Amos speak of the Lord’s hatred of hypocrisy (Isaiah 1:14–17; Amos 5:21–24). Proverbs 6:16–19 lists arrogance, deception, murder, wicked plotting, evil inclinations, slander, and troublemaking as seven things that are detestable to God. The psalmist declares, “Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 97:10). In his wisdom literature, Solomon instructs, “To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech” (Proverbs 8:13). Loving God means hating sin. The whole truth of God’s love includes getting angry about sin and its effects on humanity (Psalm 7:11). Jesus was furious when He cleansed the temple, but His anger did not change His nature as a loving God (1 John 4:7–21). “A time to love and a time to hate” covers the full range of human affections and emotions. Our capacity to both love and hate is part of being created in God’s image. Therefore, sometimes hatred and anger are manifestations of the fullness and intensity of our love. Jesus explains the high cost of loving and following Him: “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26, NLT). While there are times when hatred is appropriate, love is the defining characteristic of true believers (John 13:34–35). Jesus calls us to love in His two greatest mandates: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37, 39). In addition, He asks us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43–44). Scripture is filled with examples of “a time to love.” We love because Christ first loved us (1 John 4:7, 19; Romans 5:8). Even our ability to love comes from Him (Galatians 2:20). When we feed the hungry, care for the poor and needy, visit the sick and those in prison, not only are we loving and caring for people, but, ultimately, we are serving Jesus Christ Himself (Matthew 25:34–46). Believers are to “be devoted to one another in love” (Romans 12:10), serve one another (John 13:1–17), and live in unity with the same attitude and humility as Christ (Philippians 2:1–4). Everything we do is to be done in love (1 Corinthians 16:14). Solomon’s reflection on “a time to love and a time to hate” is also an excellent reminder to love sinners while hating their sins. God accomplishes this perfectly, but how do we in our human imperfection love sinners as God loves them, in holiness and without malice? We love them by sharing the truth of the gospel message with them so they can find forgiveness and freedom from sin in Jesus Christ. We love sinners by showing them kindness, acceptance, and respect even as we disapprove of their behavior. We hate sin by not excusing it, ignoring it, or partaking in it. QUESTION - What does it mean that there is a time for war and a time for peace (Ecclesiastes 3:8)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - In Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, King Solomon presents a series of fourteen contrasting seasons and events that together represent all human activity in its varied forms. Our lives contain a mixture of joy and sorrow, birth and death, harmony and conflict. Solomon resolves that God is in control of each moment. He has a good purpose for everything we experience (see Romans 8:28). In the final couplet, Solomon states that there is “a time for war and a time for peace.” In the original language, the term for “war” refers to “the waging of armed conflict against an enemy.” “Peace” (shalom in Hebrew) is the state of “harmonious relations and freedom from disputes, especially during the absence of war.” Shalom also describes an inner condition of total well-being. In general, “a time for war and a time for peace” could represent the spectrum of national concerns and sociopolitical conditions humans confront in life. In ancient times, people did not wage war during harvest season. Soldiers went to battle only at specific times of year (2 Samuel 11:1). Today, nations go to war only in response to certain situations. While war can never be classified as good, Scripture reveals that God has an appointed purpose for it (Psalm 144:1; 2 Samuel 22:35). In the Old Testament, the Lord at times commanded His people to go to war to bring judgment on sinful nations (Deuteronomy 20:1–4; Numbers 31:7; Joshua 8:1, 10:40; Isaiah 13:3–4). War is part of the reality of living in a fallen world (Exodus 17:16; 2 Samuel 3:1; 2 Samuel 3:1). Humans are flawed and sinful (Romans 3:10–18), and war results from hatred and sin (James 4:1–2; Psalm 140:1–2; Proverbs 10:12; 29:22). Evil people such as Adolf Hitler make going to war unavoidable and necessary to prevent even greater atrocities from being committed. “A time for war” is also associated with end times. In Matthew 24:3–14, the disciples ask Jesus, “What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?” (verse 3). Jesus answers, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. . . . All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:6–8). On this earth, perfect peace is only found in God and preserved through having a close relationship with Him (Philippians 4:6–7). “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you,” declares Isaiah 26:3. “A time for peace” is the opportunity and blessing of every believer in all circumstances (Romans 5:1–5; John 16:33; Philippians 4:11–13). Life in the Holy Spirit offers righteousness, joy, and peace (Romans 14:17–19; 8:6; Galatians 5:22). “A time for peace” is the reward of those who love and obey God’s Word (Psalm 119:165–167; Philippians 4:8–9). The Bible says that “those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die” (Isaiah 57:2, NLT). The Lord is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and, ultimately, it is His will that wars cease to exist on earth (Psalm 46:9; Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3). There will come a day when weapons of war will become instruments of peace. A future “time for peace” is promised in the New Jerusalem when God Himself will make His home among His people (Revelation 21:1–4; 22:3–5). “In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the LORD” (Isaiah 11:6–9, NLT). The fact that there is “a time for war and a time for peace” reminds us that we are utterly dependent on God to make it through the ever-changing, often turbulent seasons of this life. In all circumstances and every relationship, God holds us firmly and forever in His sovereign hands. Even in the most hostile situations over which we have little or no control, we can know peace by trusting and resting in God, knowing that He orders our times according to His good pleasure. A Time to Fight - Robert
Eclesiastes 3
Stedman - Underline the words, "take pleasure." (ED: Eccl 3:13RSV) That is what the Searcher finds that man cannot produce. Things in themselves give a momentary, not lasting, pleasure. True enjoyment is the gift of God, it is what God wants. That is what the Searcher has been arguing all along. What a different picture this is of life under the sovereign Lordship of a Living God from what most people think God is like! I saw a book on sex the other day entitled, "Designed for Pleasure." That is true. But it is not merely sex that is designed for pleasure, all things are designed for human pleasure. If you think the thing in question is going to produce lasting pleasure, however, you will miss it. The secret is that it is the knowledge of God in that relationship that produces enjoyment. God wants it so. We are not in the grasp of the Great Cosmic Joykiller, as many people seem to view God. God delights in human enjoyment. Ray Pritchard - - Something New Under the Sun LIVING IN THE HERE AND NOW I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone m a y eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 Have you ever wished you could sit down with God and have a good talk with Him about your own life? Have you ever wished you could just look Him in the eye and say, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" All of us have moments when we want to hear God s voice or receive some definite sign regarding a relationship, a business decision, a career choice, or a major expenditure. With all my heart I believe the following statement: God wants you to know His will more than you want to know it; therefore, He takes personal responsibility to see that you discover it. Knowing God's will is ultimately God's problem, not yours. Let that last thought sink into your mind for a moment. You've probably never heard it put that way before. Let me suggest what this really means: 1. God can put you exactly where He wants you to be. 2. He can arrange all the details years in advance. 3. He can open doors that seem shut tight. 4. He can remove any obstacle that stands in your way. 5. He can take your choices and fit them into His plan so that you end up at the right place at just the right time. 6. He can even take your mistakes and bring good out of them. 7. He can take tragedy and use it for your good and His glory. All He needs—the only thing He requires—is a willing heart. He just needs you to cooperate with Him. This doesn't mean that you won't have to make decisions. But it does take the pressure off, because it means that you can trust God to take your decisions and use them to ac-complish His will in your life. Proverbs 20:24 tells us that "a man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" There is something hidden in the Hebrew text that you wouldn't know simply from reading the English translation. The word translated mans in the first phrase comes from a Hebrew word that refers to a mighty warrior, a ruler, or a potentate. Solomon means to say that even the steps of a mighty man are ordained by God. The word anyone in the second phrase comes from a Hebrew word that stands for the whole human race. We might paraphrase it this way: "If God directs the steps of the mighty, how then can an ordinary man understand his own way?" The answer is, he can't! That's the whole point of the verse. We're like a herd of sheep stumbling around in the darkness, bumping into things, tripping over ourselves, trying to find our way forward. We can't say for sure where we've come from, where we are right now, or where we're going to be tomorrow. Only God can see the big picture of life. When you understand that truth, you can enjoy each day as it comes—and let God take care of the future. Father, teach me the joy of the present moment and the pleasure of living in the here and now. Amen. SHINING THE LIGHT If you were given a sealed envelope containing the record of the next ten years of your life, would you open it? Why or why not? Are you satisfied with your life right now? Do you agree that knowing God's will is His problem, not yours? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 20:24; and 2 Corinthians 4:7-8. Relevant Routine Every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. — Ecclesiastes 3:13 Today's Scripture : Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 Here we are at the beginning of a new week. For many people, Monday represents the start of another monotonous cycle of work. Maybe it’s a mountain of washing and ironing, an endless quota of parts from a machine, the same dull routine on the assembly line, or the tedium of sitting at a computer. Monotony can be a breeding ground for envy and discontent, or it can be the training ground for the development of character and a life of service. It all depends on whether we can see God in the ordinary duties of life. There was a woman in Boston who for 40 years did the same cleaning tasks in the same office building. She was interviewed by a reporter who asked her how she could stand the monotony of doing the same thing day in and day out. The woman said, “I don’t get bored. I use cleaning materials that God made. I clean objects that belong to people God made, and I make life more comfortable for them. My mop is the hand of God!” For Further Study Are you wondering what God’s call on your life should look like? Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him. I know that everything God does will remain forever: Ps 33:11 119:90,91 Isa 46:10 Da 4:34,35 Ac 2:23 4:28 Ro 11:36 Eph 3:11 Tit 1:2 Jas 1:17 nothing: Ps 76:10 Pr 19:21 21:30 30:6 Isa 10:12-15 Da 8:8 11:2-4 Joh 19:10,11,28-37 Ac 5:39 God has so worked Ps 64:9 Isa 59:18,19 Rev 15:4 See over 50 translations Related Passages: Ecclesiastes 5:7 For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God. Ecclesiastes 7:13 Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent? Ecclesiastes 7:18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them. Ecclesiastes 8:12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. 13 But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God. STANDING IN AWE OF GOD'S PERMANENT WORK I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, AMPC "I know that whatever God does, it endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it." God's works are permanent, perfect, and complete. Human efforts are fleeting, but God's actions endure eternally. E.g., it is like comparing a monument carved in stone versus human projects crumbling with time. Until a man recognizes and trusts the superior wisdom of God he has not begun to fear God. Ray Stedman - the Searcher says is that it all must be discovered by realizing that God is in charge and He will not bend His plan for anyone. God has sovereignly, independently, set up the plan of life in a way that we cannot interfere with. He has done so, in order that men should fear before him. All through the Bible we read that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," (Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10). Until a man recognizes and trusts the superior wisdom of God he has not begun to fear God. This fear is not abject terror of God, it is respect and honor for Him. If you attempt to live your life without the recognition of God, ultimately you will find yourself, as the Searcher found himself, empty, dissatisfied and restless, feeling that life is miserable and meaningless. The secret of life is the presence of God Himself. Most of the struggle of life comes from us wanting to play God ourselves, wanting to be in charge of what happens to us. That is true even of Christians. When God refuses to go along we sulk and pout and get angry with him. We throw away our faith and say, "What's the use? I tried it but it doesn't work." What a foolish statement! God will not surrender His prerogatives. "Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it -- God has made it so in order that men should fear before him." This is taught us through many repetitions. ESV Study note - The short-lived “vanities” of this world reveal all the more clearly the enduring work of God, to which nothing can be added. (See ESV Study Bible - Page 396) John Stevenson - What we do is temporary. Even man's greatest and most enduring monuments will one day crumble into dust. In modern Egypt there is a team of construction workers whose task it is to maintain and occasionally rebuild and reinforce the Sphinx. It has lasted for over 4000 years. But it is decaying. And like all of man's works, it will one day pass. God is Eternal. And His work brings about eternal results. His plans are long range in nature. He is building for eternity. When God wants to grow a squash, He does so in 6 months. When He grows an oak tree, He takes 20 years. When He raises up a man, He takes a lifetime.For God has so worked that men should fear Him. - AMPC "And God does it so that men will [reverently] fear Him [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is]." Ecc 5:7; 7:18; 8:12, 13 Ray Pritchard - - Something New Under the Sun NOTHING LEFT BUT GOD I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it, so men will revere him. Ecclesiastes 3:14 I believe that God orchestrates the affairs of life—both the good and the bad—to bring us to the place where our faith will be in God alone. Slowly but surely as we go through life, He weans us away from the things of the world. At first the process touches only our possessions (which we can replace), but eventually it touches our relationships (which may not be replaced), our loved ones (who cannot be replaced), and finally life itself (which is never replaced). Then there is nothing left but us and God. Through all this process our heavenly Father leads us along the pathway of complete trust in Him. Slowly but surely we discover that the things we thought we couldn't live without don't matter as much as we thought they did. Even the dearest and sweetest things of life take second place to the pleasure of knowing God. In the end we discover that He has emptied our hands of everything and then filled them with Himself. In writing these words I am keenly aware that I understand only dimly their full meaning. At this point in my life I still have many things in my hands: my wife, my three boys, my friends, my career, my health, my dreams, my plans for the future. But the process of growing older is nothing more than this—learning to hold lightly the things God has given you, knowing that you can't keep them forever anyway. At any moment, He can take them away—one by one, two at a time, or all of them together. Or He could take back the life He gave me five decades ago. If I have any advice for you, it is this. Learn to hold lightly what God has given you. You can't keep it forever, and you can't take it with you. Some of you who read these words are in the midst of a great struggle in your life. You feel pressured about something and you don't want to give it up. But you must . . . and you will. I can't spare you the pain that comes in yielding your dearest treasures to God, but I promise you the joy will far outweigh the pain you feel right now. Eternal Father, teach me to let go of the things I can’t keep and to hold fast to that which lasts forever. Amen. SHINING THE LIGHT Why must we "let go" before we can experience the fullness of God Himself? What happens when we try to "hold on" too tightly? How have you experienced this truth (of letting go or holding on) in your own life? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read 1 Samuel 15:29; Psalm 33:11; and Revelation 15:2-4. Ecclesiastes 3:15 That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by. That which is has been already: Ec 1:9,10 See over 50 translations THE ETERNAL CIRCLE OF LIFE That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by - TLB = "Whatever is has been long ago; and whatever is going to be has been before; God brings to pass again what was in the distant past and disappeared." AMPC = "That which is now already has been, and that which is to be already has been; and God seeks that which has passed by [so that history repeats itself]." Ray Stedman - The Searcher is here referring to the repetition of the lessons of life. We do not seem to learn these very well. I have learned some lessons in life and said, "Lord, I see what you are after. I've got it now. You don't have to bring this one back again." Down the road, however, I make the same mistake again. Some circumstance painfully recalls to mind what I had once seen as a principle in life. I have to come with hat in hand and say, "Lord, I'm a slow learner. Have patience with me." God says, "I understand. I'm prepared to have patience with you and teach you this over and over and over again until you get it right." Have you found life to be like that? The Searcher tells us that he too had to learn this. That is the Searcher's thesis. God desires us to learn the secret of enjoyment. That enjoyment will not come from a variety of experiences. Those will bring but momentary pleasure, but not the secret of contentment, of continual enjoyment. A plaque on my bedroom wall which I read every morning says, No thought is worth thinking that is not the thought of God. No sight is worth seeing unless it is seen through his eyes. No breath is worth breathing without thanks to the One whose very breath it is. Franz Delitzsch summarizes the thought of this statement: "The government of God... does not change; His creative as well as His moral ordering of the world produces with the same laws the same phenomena.... His government remains always, and brings... up again that which hath been" ("Ecclesiastes" in Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, 6:264). NET NOTE on this difficult verse gives 4 interpretative options - "Hebrew “God will seek that which is driven away.” The meaning of יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־נִרְדָּף (yévaqqesh ’et-nirdaf) is difficult to determine: יְבַקֵּשׁ (yévaqqesh) is Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular from בָּקַשׁ (baqash, “to seek”) and נִרְדָּף (nirdaf) is a Niphal participle 3rd person masculine singular from רָדַף (radaf, “to drive away”). There are several options: (1) God watches over the persecuted: יְבַקֵּשׁ (“seeks”) functions as a metonymy of cause for effect (i.e., to protect), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף (“what is driven away”) refers to “those who are persecuted.” But this does not fit the context. (2) God will call the past to account: יְבַקֵּשׁ functions as a metonymy of cause for effect (i.e., to hold accountable), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף is a metonymy of attribute (i.e., the past). This approach is adopted by several English translations: “God requires that which is past” (KJV), “God will call the past to account” (NIV) and “God summons each event back in its turn” (NEB). (ED: THE NKJV RENDERING FAVORS THIS INTERPRETATION - "God requires an account of what is past.") (3) God finds what has been lost: יְבַקֵּשׁ functions as a metonymy of cause for effect (i.e., to find), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף refers to what has been lost: “God restores what would otherwise be displaced” (NAB). (4) (ED: THIS INTERPRETATION SEEMS TO FIT WITH WHAT RAY STEDMAN SAYS ABOVE - SEE NOTE) - God repeats what has already occurred: יְבַקֵּשׁ functions as a metonymy of effect (i.e., to repeat), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף is a metonymy (i.e., that which has occurred). This fits the context and provides a tight parallel with the preceding line: “That which is has already been, and that which will be has already been” (3:15a) parallels “God seeks [to repeat] that which has occurred [in the past].” This is the most popular approach among English versions: “God restores that which has past” (Douay), “God seeks again that which is passed away” (ASV), “God seeks what has passed by” (NASB), “God seeks what has been driven away” (RSV), “God seeks out what has passed by” (MLB), “God seeks out what has gone by” (NRSV), and “God is ever bringing back what disappears” (Moffatt). NET TRANSLATION - "for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past." Note: See the 50+ translations and you can identify in most which of the 4 options the translators favored. Ray Pritchard - - Something New Under the Sun HERE COMES THE JUDGE Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. Ecclesiastes 3:15 The wrath of God is a forgotten doctrine, even in the evangelical church. Part of the problem lies in our definition. When we use the word wrath we tend to think of uncontrolled anger. While that may be true of human wrath, it is far from the truth about God's wrath. Here's a working definition: God's wrath is His settled hostility toward sin in all its various manifestations. To say it is "settled" hostility means that God's holiness cannot and will not coexist with sin in any form whatsoever. God's wrath is His holy hatred of all that is unholy. It is His righteous indignation at everything that is unrighteous. Please note these distinctions. God's wrath is not uncontrollable rage, vindictive bitterness, or God losing His temper. The Bible says in more than one place that God is "slow to anger" (Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 103:8). God never "loses His temper" the way we do. Wrath is what happens when holiness meets sin. Wrath is what happens when justice meets rebellion. Wrath is what happens when righteousness meets unrighteousness. Wrath is what happens when perfect good meets pure evil. Wrath is God's "natural" response to sin in the universe. He cannot overlook it, He cannot wink at it, He cannot pretend it is not there. As long as God is God, He cannot overlook sin. As long as God is God, He cannot stand by indifferently while His creation is destroyed. As long as God is God, He cannot dismiss lightly those who trample His holy will. God's judgment on sin (in this life) is generally not of the fire-and-brimstone variety. That rarely happens. When God wants to judge a community or a nation, He simply lets sin take it natural course. If we insist on destroying ourselves, God says, "OK, go ahead and destroy yourselves. I won't stop you." He lets us go our merry way. The true judgment on the human race is that man has turned away from God and does not realize it. What is the judgment of God when men turn away from Him? God "gives them up" to their own devices. He lets them follow their own desires. He doesn't try to stop their meteoric descent into the abyss. God "abandons" the human race by letting men reap what they sow. Nothing more terrible could ever be contemplated. When men "abandon" God in their thinking, God "abandons" them. He respects the choices we make. If a man or a woman decides to live without Him, He says, "Fine. You can live without Me. In the end, you'll be sorry. But if that's your decision, I'll respect it." Righteous Judge, I pray for the grace to choose the path of righteousness today Amen. SHINING THE LIGHT According to 1 Peter 4:17, where does God's judgment begin? On what basis will God judge unbelievers? In what sense is God's judgment also a sign of His grace? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read Matthew 12:33-37; Romans 1:24-32; and Revelation 20:11-15. Ecclesiastes 3:16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. Ec 4:1 5:8 1Ki 21:9-21 Ps 58:1,2 82:2-5 94:21,22 Isa 59:14 Mic 2:2 7:3 Zep 3:3 Mt 26:59 Ac 23:3 Jas 2:6 See over 50 translations CORRUPTION UNDER THE SUN Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice (mishpat/mispat; Lxx - krisis) there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness (tsedeq; Lxx - dikaios) there is wickedness. - Sadly injustice exists in places meant for justice because sinners are flawed and thus earthly systems are flawed. Human courts are designed to correct injustice, but they are often filled with wickedness and injustice. Ray Stedman - points out that Ec 3:16 begins a section that will go through Ec 5, "in which a series of objections to this thesis are examined by the Searcher.... Someone says, "Wait a minute. You say that God has a wonderful plan for my life, that he is a God of justice, but last week I was seeking justice in a courtroom and I found that the cards were stacked against me; all I got was the rawest injustice. How do you square that with this 'wonderful plan for my life?'" The Searcher takes this up, Ec 3:16: Human courts are designed to correct injustice, but they are often filled with wickedness and injustice. Just last week I was a witness in a case in which a man's business was being destroyed by legal manuverers. Everyone knew this was unjust, but because of certain legalities no one could get hold of the matter to correct it. That kind of injustice creates anger and frustration in many hearts. People say, "What do you mean, I am to accept that as from the hand of God?" The Searcher picks that up and says there are three things he wants to show us about it. (ED: Stedman then comments on each of these things in the following passages - [1] Ec 3:17, [2] Ec 3:18ff and [3] Ec 3:22.) John Stevenson - When you look at life as it exists only "under the sun" there does not seem to be much in the way of justice. Bad people do bad things and get away with it. This even extends to places of judgment and places of righteousness. You can find evil within the courts of law. Lawyer jokes abound - and there is good reason for it. In this life you will find perversions of justice. You will also find evil in places that are supposed to be righteous. The church has been rocked by scandals. And this has happened in every age. Those who are in positions of spiritual leadership are seen to have feet of clay. QUESTION - What does it mean that there is nothing new under the sun? GOTQUESTIONS ANSWER - Ecclesiastes 1:9 is the origin of what has become a common proverb, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” The verse reads like this: “What has been will be again, / what has been done will be done again; / there is nothing new under the sun.” As a modern idiom, “there’s nothing new under the sun” is often used as a world-weary complaint against life’s monotony. When Solomon wrote the statement, he was emphasizing the cyclic nature of human life on earth and the emptiness of living only for the “rat race.” The phrase “under the sun” is used 29 times in Ecclesiastes and nowhere else in Scripture. The intended meaning in Ecclesiastes is that what happens “under the sun” in a life separated from God is universal—the point of view in Ecclesiastes is an earth-bound perspective. To say there is nothing new under the sun means there is nothing really new on the earth. All the activity of a man during his lifetime is lost in the grander scheme of things and will soon be forgotten (Ecclesiastes 1:11). To say there is nothing new under the sun does not ignore inventions or advances in technology; rather, these innovations do not amount to any basic change in the world. In Solomon’s time, many advances took place in society, but, from the larger perspective of life, human nature has remained and always will remain the same. The context of Ecclesiastes 1 discusses how the earth operates. The sun (verse 5), wind (verse 6), and water (verse 7) continue to function as they have in the past. Despite human efforts (verse 2), the world continues unchanged. Part of the writer’s frustration from this observation is that “no one remembers the former generations, / and even those yet to come / will not be remembered / by those who follow them” (verse 11). People tend to forget the past, repeating its mistakes as a result. Does the fact that there is nothing new under the sun mean that people should not try to improve themselves, the lives of others, or the world around them? The entire book of Ecclesiastes should be read before jumping to any conclusion. In the end, Solomon writes this: “Now all has been heard; / here is the conclusion of the matter: / Fear God and keep his commandments, / for this is the duty of all mankind. / For God will bring every deed into judgment, / including every hidden thing, / whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14). In other words, life involves more than what happens “under the sun.” Living for God and His glory is the goal of life. Those who do not seek this goal will be judged. Even our good deeds that have gone unnoticed in this life are seen by God and will be rewarded in the future. This knowledge should result in a life lived for God, with a deep love for others and desire to make a difference. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” The Great Commission also gives a specific mission for the Christian life: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). The Christian life is not meaningless. There may be nothing new under the sun, but Jesus promises, some day, to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). The Search For Justice I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there. — Ecclesiastes 3:16 Today's Scripture : Ecclesiastes 3:14-22 A trial has just ended, and the reactions to the verdict could not be more different. The family of the alleged murderer celebrates the declaration of a mistrial due to a legal technicality. Meanwhile, the grieving parents whose daughter has died wonder about a justice system that would allow such a decision. As they stand weeping before a mass of microphones and cameras, they exclaim: “Where is the justice in this? Where is the justice?” We’ve seen this scenario played out in the news or on TV crime dramas. We instinctively long for justice but cannot seem to find it. The wisest man of his day, Solomon, faced a similar frustration and disappointment. He saw that imperfect human beings could never administer perfect justice. He wrote: “I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there” (Eccl. 3:16). If all we trusted in were imperfect people, we would lose all hope. But Solomon wisely added in verse 17: “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” Though sin seems to triumph and wrong conquers right, Though lies can put justice to flight, God’s truth is eternal, His Word shows His might, And He will bring justice to light. —Gustafson Someday the scales of justice will be perfectly balanced. Ray Pritchard - - Something New Under the Sun ORIGINAL SIN And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice— wickedness was there. I thought in m y heart, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed." Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 No doctrine of the Bible is as easy to prove as the doctrine of original sin." When I read those words by Donald Grey Barnhouse, they seemed to leap off the page. That's the doctrine that says that left to yourself, with no outside influence, whenever you have a choice, you'll always choose to do wrong. G. K. Chesterton said it this way: "Whatever else may be said about man, this much is certainly true: He is not all that he could be." I'm sure I don't need to spend a great deal of time debating that point. Something has gone wrong with the human race, beginning with the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. No one can successfully deny that fact. We are not all that we could be. And no matter how much we boast of our technological achievements, the sorry story of man's inhumanity to man always grabs the front page. Call it what you will—a twist, a taint, a bent to do wrong. Or as one hymn writer put it, "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love." Somehow, somewhere, somebody injected poison into the human bloodstream. That's why, even when we know the right thing to do, we go ahead and choose to do wrong. Deliberately. Repeatedly. Defiantly. There are many ways we might discuss this truth. We could discuss it in cosmic terms, or international terms, or national terms, or local terms, but I think it's better to talk about it in personal terms. What do you see when you look at the man or woman in the mirror? One writer answered the question this way: "There is no [person] on earth who, if his secret thoughts were fully exposed, would not deserve hanging ten times in his lifetime." My comment is, only ten times? For I know that when I look into the mirror what I see is a man who all too often knows what is right but chooses to do what is wrong. And I freely confess that sometimes impulses come into my mind that, were I to follow them, would destroy me, my marriage, my family, my career, and even my life. And yet I still think about them and I still some-times want to do those things. Who among us would say differently? You think about things—and sometimes want to do things—that you know would destroy you if you did them. And sometimes you want to do them anyway. And sometimes—if we are honest we must say this—you go ahead and do them. What is it that makes us repeatedly do that which can only hurt us? It is our condition of original sin. We know what is right and yet we deliberately choose to do what is wrong. There is something in us that bends us toward evil. The apostle Paul admitted that even as a Christian he struggled with this sinful nature. (See Romans 7:15-25.) He concluded that ongoing deliverance comes only in God's work "through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 7:25). Apart from God's grace there is no telling how much greater your sin and mine would be. With the apostle we can only thank God for His lasting gift of deliverance. Lord God, what would I do without the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ? He took m y sin; I gained His righteousness. May I never lose sight of that blessed transaction that saves me from damnation. Amen. SHINING THE LIGHT We know that God will bring all things to judgment. When do His judgments begin? Can you think of ways in which God judges the wicked and rewards the righteous even in this life? How can we hang on to our faith when we see the wicked triumphing? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read Malachi 7:2-3; Matthew 23:13-15; and James 1:27. An Instructed Faith Christ died for our sins . . . , He was buried, and . . . He rose again the third day. — 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Today's Scripture : Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3 When I witness to people about Christ, I often hear this response: “I’m all right, I have a strong faith.” But our discussions soon reveal that all they have is faith in faith. Genuine saving faith, though, is based on the truth of God’s Word. Billy Graham made this clear during an interview on a TV talk show. He said he eagerly anticipates death because he expects to be with Jesus. He went on to explain that his confidence rests on what the Bible says about Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. The interviewer, an agnostic who admits his fear of death, respectfully said, “You’re not afraid because you know something I don’t know.” Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3 reveals the need for a God-instructed faith. It depicts the unpleasant side of life: injustice everywhere and the inevitability of death (3:16,18-21). It expresses that nonbelievers, seeing no reason for hope, must conclude that nonexistence is better than life (3:22-4:3). But it also shows the believer’s confidence that God will ultimately make all things right (3:17). The godless ponder death with fear— For what's ahead they cannot see; But those who put their faith in Christ Look forward to eternity. —Sper To put your fears to rest, put your faith in Christ. Ecclesiastes 3:17 I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. said: Ec 1:16 2:1 God: Ec 12:14 Ge 18:25 Ps 98:9 Mt 16:27 25:31-46 Joh 5:22,26-29 Ac 17:31 Ro 2:5-9 1Co 4:5 2Co 5:10 2Th 1:6-10 Rev 20:11-15 for: Ec 3:1 Jer 29:10,11 Da 11:40 12:4,9,11-13 Ac 1:7 1Th 5:1 2Pe 3:7,8 Rev 11:2,3,18 17:12-17 20:2,7-9 See over 50 translations THE CERTAINTY OF DIVINE JUDGEMENT I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. - Final justice is assured — God has appointed a time to judge all deeds. An apt illustration would be a scale being perfectly balanced by an unseen hand. God may correct it even within time, and if He does not do so "in time," still He has appointed a time when it all will be brought out. Ray Stedman - Though there is injustice, that is not the end of the story. God may correct it even within time, and if He does not do so "in time," still He has appointed a time when it all will be brought out. The Scriptures speak of a time appointed by God when all the hidden motives of the heart will be examined, when "that which is spoken in secret shall be shouted from the housetops" (Matthew 10:27+, Luke 12:3+), and justice will ultimately prevail. That is what this Searcher says. Injustice is limited in its scope. John Stevenson - in the same way that there is a time and a season for everything under the sun, there is also a time when God shall judge all men. The books eventually DO get balanced. Evil IS eventually judged. Righteousness IS eventually rewarded. Ecclesiastes 3:18 I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.” concerning: Ge 3:17-19 Job 14:1-4 15:16 Ps 49:14,19,20 73:18,19 90:5-12 Heb 9:27 1Pe 1:24 God: Job 40:8 Ps 51:4 Ro 3:4 9:23 and that: Ps 73:22 2Pe 2:12 See over 50 translations THE BEASTLY QUALITY OF ALL HUMANITY I said to myself (in my heart) concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested (barar; Lxx - diakrino = evaluates the difference between things) them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.” - AMPC ="I said in my heart regarding the subject of the sons of men, God is trying (separating and sifting) them, that they may see that by themselves [under the sun, without God] they are but like beasts." EXB = "I ·decided [L said in my heart concerning the human race] that God ·leaves it the way it is to test people and [L tests them] to show them they are just like animals." TLB = "And then I realized that God is letting the world go on its sinful way so that he can test mankind, and so that men themselves will see that they are no better than beasts." There is a beastliness about us all. Put in a situation where we are suffering injury we react with viciousness. Ray Stedman - In other words, there is a beastly quality about all of us which injustice will bring out. What is it about a man that makes him prey upon even his friends or neighbors? On the TV program, The People's Court, the other night, one case concerned a young woman who had gotten angry at her friend and roommate, whom she had known for years. and in her anger had poured sugar into the woman's car's gas tank, absolutely destroying the engine. The judge was appalled at the vindictive spirit of this attractive looking young woman who had acted in such a vicious way. There is a beastliness about us all. Put in a situation where we are suffering injury we react with viciousness. God allows certain circumstances to show us that we all have that quality about us. We are like animals in other ways, too, the Searcher says. (see verse 19). NET NOTE - The point would be that God allows human injustice to exist in the world in order to make it clear to mankind that they are essentially no better than the beasts. Ray Pritchard - - Something New Under the Sun THOUGHTS FROM THE GRAVEYARD I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Man ’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advan-tage over the animal. Everything is meaningless." Ecclesiastes 3:18-19 It would be easy to draw wrong conclusions from a casual reading of verses 18-19. Perspective is all-important. Solomon is not dealing with questions of eternal life or what we might more generally call the afterlife. For there is lasting meaning—eternal meaning—to life. Solomon is simply examining the facts of human existence versus the facts of animal existence. He concludes that for all our vaunted superiority, in one respect at least animals and humans are exactly alike: We both die. Behind the problem of death lies the reality of sin in the universe. Before sin entered through Adam's disobedience, death did not exist. Where does sin lead? The answer is simple: When I sin, I die. Every time I sin, I die a little bit more. We sin because we think it will bring us freedom and life but we end up with bondage and death. "Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12). First there was sin, then there was death. It is an inexorable law of the universe. Just open any newspaper and look at the obituary section. Recently I found these names in our local paper, name after name after name: Aden . . . Canavan . . . Doohan ... Hill... Knowles... Lane ... Lyons...Ma-hone . . . Masco . . . Pelzer . . . Sheridan . . . Shubert. . . Small... Videka ... Witzel... Yuris. Every day a brand-new list, and names never repeated. Why? Because death reigns all over Chicago. But death also reigns for you and for me. If there is one thing about which we may be perfectly certain, it is this: We are going to die someday. We say nothing is as certain as death and taxes, but death is far more certain. When you die, the coroner will fill out a death certificate. There's a space on that certificate that says "Cause of Death." If we understand the Bible, the answer is always the same: "Sin." Not sickness, not cancer, not an accident, not old age. Those are merely symptoms of the one great cause of death: Sin. Holy Father, m y iniquity is vast and m y sins beyond counting. My only hope is in the blood of Jesus. Amen. SHINING THE LIGHT What is the clearest proof from your own life that you are a sinner? In what sense is man's fate the same as the animals? In what sense is it different? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:21; and Revelation 21:4. Ecclesiastes 3:19 For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. that which: Ec 2:16 Ps 49:12,20 92:6,7 as the: 2Sa 14:14 Job 14:10-12 Ps 104:29 for: Ec 2:20-23 Ps 39:5,6 89:47,48 See over 50 translations Both Man & Beast Fade into the Mist FRAILTY & TRANSIENCE OF MAN IS LIKE BEASTS For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. - TLB "For men and animals both breathe the same air, and both die. So mankind has no real advantage over the beasts; what an absurdity! " Men and beast share the same fate, death, have the same breath and are equally subject to frailty and limits. Death is not "biased," and is the great equalizer. Solomon is not denying that humans have spiritual value or eternal purpose. Rather, he's emphasizing that in terms of physical death, humans and animals are equally mortal, and this reveals our limitation and our dependence on God. Solomon isn't saying man and beast are identical in value, but that in observable mortality, we share the same frailty. Solomon concludes: “All is vanity," temporary, enigmatic, hard to grasp. Life’s brevity and the shared destiny of death make human boasting and self-importance seem hollow. Ray Stedman - Man is frail, his existence temporary. Like the animals, we do not have very long to live on this earth. Injustice sharpens the realization that we do not have long to live rightly, honestly and truly before God. Norman Geisler - ECCLESIASTES 3:19—Is man’s fate the same as that of animals? When Critics Ask PROBLEM: Solomon seems to claim here that there is no difference between the death of humans and animals. “One thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other.” Yet Solomon asserts later that, unlike animals, when a human dies, “the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecc. 12:7). How can this conflict be explained? SOLUTION: There are both similarities and differences between the death of animals and humans. In both cases, their bodies die and return to dust. Likewise, their death is certain, and both are powerless to prevent it. In these respects, the physical phenomena are the same for both humans and animals. On the other hand, humans have immortal souls (spirits), and animals do not (Ecc. 12:7; cf. 3:21). Of no beasts does the Bible say, “to be absent from the body … [is] to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). Likewise, nowhere does the Bible speak of the resurrection of animals, as it does of all human beings (cf. John 5:28–29; Rev. 20:4–6). So there is a big difference in the spiritual realm between the death of humans and animals. Consider the following summary: HUMAN AND ANIMAL DEATHS SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES Physically Spiritually In the body In the soul Life before death Life after death Mortality of the body Immortality of the person How the body decays That the body is raised No control over death Experience of a resurrection Norman Geisler - ECCLESIASTES 3:19—Is human destiny the same as that of animals? When Cultists Ask MISINTERPRETATION: Solomon seems to claim here that there is no difference between the death of humans and that of animals: “One thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other” (NKJV). The Jehovah’s Witnesses cite this verse to prove that humans do not have an immaterial nature called the soul or spirit (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1989, 378). CORRECTING THE MISINTERPRETATION: There are both similarities and differences between the deaths of animals and humans. In both cases, their bodies die and return to dust. Likewise, their death is certain, and both are powerless to prevent it. In these respects, the physical phenomena are the same for both humans and animals. On the other hand, humans have immortal souls (spirits), and animals do not (Eccles. 12:7; cf. 3:21). Of no beast does the Bible say, “to be absent from the body . . . [is] to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8 NKJV). Likewise, nowhere does the Bible speak of the resurrection of animals, as it does of all human beings (cf. John 5:28–29; Rev. 20:4–6). So there is a big difference in the spiritual realm between humans and animals. Consider the summary in the Table above. Walter Kaiser - Ecclesiastes 3:19–21 Man’s Fate Like the Animals? - Hard Sayings of the Bible If ever there were a hard saying in the Scriptures, this would surely be among the most difficult! It is bad enough that death seems to unfairly level all humans—young or old, good or bad. But this saying casts a grim shadow that appears to say that all hope is lost after death as well—a startling statement indeed! Is it true that men and beasts have about the same hope for any kind of life after death? Is it really only a matter of “fate”? These are some of the questions this text raises. First, the word fate is an overtranslation. The word that appears here is merely the word happening. Thus, no references are made to chance, luck or ill fortune. It is solely the fact that one happening, one event—namely, death—overtakes all things that share mortality. The text then affirms that “all go to the same place.” But the place that is intended here is not oblivion or nonexistence; it is the grave. Both men and beasts are made out of dust, and therefore it is to the dust that they will return. In that sense, as one dies, so dies the other. Death is no respecter of persons or animals! But most disturbing about those who insist on this hopeless view of death in the Old Testament is the way they translate some texts in order to substantiate their own views. In the clearest tones possible in the Hebrew, Ecclesiastes 3:21 states that “the spirit of man rises upward, and the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth.” The verbs to go upward and to go downward are active participles with the sign of the article. There is no need to say that Hebrew has confused the article with a slightly different reading for the interrogative. Furthermore, had not Solomon already argued in this very context that the unjust judges would face the living God at the last judgment (Eccles 3:17)? How could they do this if it was all over when they died? And did not Solomon warn just as forcibly that the final judgment of God would bring every earthly deed into the light of his justice (Eccles 12:7, 14)? But if it were the end of existence, who would care about such idle threats that warned about a later judgment? The concept that people could and did live after death is as old as Enoch himself. That man, it is recorded in Genesis 5:24, entered into the eternal state with his body! Likewise, the patriarch Job knew that a person would live again if he died, just as a tree would sprout shoots after it had been cut down (Job 14:7, 14). Nor should we stress too much the words “Who knows,” as if the text gives us a question for which there is no answer. In the nine places where this expression occurs in Scripture, only three are actually questions (Esther 4:14; Eccles 2:19; 6:12). In the two passages that are similar to this text, it is followed by a direct object. The statement is a rhetorical remark that calls for us to remember that it is God who knows the difference between persons and beasts, and that the spirit or soulish nature of one is immortal (and hence “goes up” to God) while the spirit of the other is not immortal (and hence “goes down” to the grave just as the flesh disintegrates into dust). The final verse of the chapter reiterates this same rhetorical question. “Who can bring him to see what will happen after him?” From the context the answer is abundantly clear, even if the answer is not immediately verbalized: it is God who will make the final evaluation on life in its totality. Men and women should not live as if God were not to be faced in eternity and as if there were nothing more to mortal humans than their flesh, which will turn to dust in the grave just as the flesh of animals will. There is more. The undertaker cannot and does not get everything when he calls for the remains. The spirit has gone already to be with God in the case of those men and women who fear him and who wish to please him. Therefore, I would translate Ecclesiastes 3:19–21 as follows: For what happens to humanity also happens to the beast; one and the same thing happens to both of them; as the one dies, so the other dies: the same breath is in both of them; there is no advantage [based on this one event of death] of the man over the beast. Both go to one place, that is, the grave. Both are [made out] of the dust and both return to the dust. Who knows the spirit of an individual? He [or she] is the one that goes upward [to God], but the spirit of the beast is the one that goes downward to the earth. Ecclesiastes 3:20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. go: Ec 3:21 Ec 6:6 Ec 9:10 Ge 25:8,17 Nu 27:13 Job 7:9 17:13 30:24 Ps 49:14 all are: Ge 3:19 Job 10:9,10 34:15 Ps 104:29 Da 12:2 See over 50 translations Related Passages: Ecclesiastes 6:6+ “Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good things–do not all go to one place?” Ecclesiastes 9:10+ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. Psalm 103:14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. Ecclesiastes 12:7+ then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. Depiction of Man Returning to Dust DUST TO DUST BOTH MAN & BEASTS All go to the same place - Solomon is continuing his discussion from (Ec 3:18–19) of the shared mortality of all living beings, humans and animals. The same place would be in the ground (grave). He is not distinguishing between heaven and hell. Solomon is speaking from an “under the sun” perspective, a view based on observable reality, not on divine revelation about the afterlife. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. - All means man and beasts. Came from dust simply describes the physical creation of men and animals. Moses writes in Genesis 2:7+ "Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." In a similar passage in Ge 3:19+ Moses writes "By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.” Genesis does not describe animals created from the dust, but the "all came from the dust" indicates they had an origin from the dust. Every living being eventually dies and decomposes, returning to the earth. It's a universal truth of mortality, so death is the great leveler. Here is Solomon's main point in this section - Solomon is not denying the existence of a human soul (he explores that in Eccl. 12:7), but rather highlighting that from a purely earthly point of view, humans and animals share the same fate, death. Therefore, regardless of status, wisdom, wealth, or power we all return to dust. Given this reality, this truth should be a call to humility and a life anchored not in temporary things, but in the eternal purposes of God. Ray Stedman - We die like an animal and our bodies dissolve like a beast's. From the human standpoint one cannot detect any difference. Ray Pritchard - Verses 20 -21 have been attacked for teaching a sub-Christian view of the afterlife. The truth is, Solomon isn't dealing with the afterlife at all. He's simply pointing out that from an earthly perspective no one can say what happens when we die. But from a heavenly perspective, from God's perspective, we do know. Jesus is truly the answer to death for all of us. As D. L. Moody lay dying he exclaimed, "Earth is receding; heaven is approaching. This is my crowning day." Many have felt that way as they came to the end of life. For those who know Jesus, death is the passageway that leads to eternal life. Norman Geisler - ECCLESIASTES 3:20—If all return to dust, how can there be a resurrection? When Critics Ask PROBLEM: Some have argued against a physical resurrection on the grounds that the scattered fragments of decomposed corpses cannot be reassembled, since some become plants, or others are eaten by animals or even cannibals. Yet, the Bible declares that all bodies will “come forth” from the “graves” (John 5:28–29). SOLUTION: Several things must be noted in this connection. First, as many scholars have pointed out, if necessary, it would be no problem for an omnipotent God to bring all of the exact particles of one’s body together again at the resurrection. Certainly He who created every particle in the universe could reconstitute the relatively few particles (by comparison) in a human body. The God who created the world out of nothing is surely able to fashion a resurrection body out of something. Second, it is not necessary to believe that the same particles will be restored in the resurrection body. Even common sense dictates that a body can be the same physical body without having the same physical particles. The observable fact that bodies eat food and give off waste products, as well as get fatter and skinnier, is sufficient evidence of this. Certainly, we do not say that one’s body is no longer material or no longer her body simply because she gains or loses weight. Third, in the light of modern science it is unnecessary to believe that God will reconstitute the exact particles one had in his pre-resurrection body. The physical body remains physical even though, according to science, the exact physical molecules in it change every seven years or so. So, the resurrection body can be just as material as our present bodies and still have new molecules in it. Norman Geisler - ECCLESIASTES 3:20–21—If there is life after death, why does Solomon declare that man has no advantage over the beasts? When Critics Ask PROBLEM: The Bible teaches that the soul survives death (Phil. 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:8; Rev. 6:9). But, Ecclesiastes insists that “all go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust” (Ec 3:20). Hence, “man has no advantage over beasts, for all is vanity” (Ec 3:19). SOLUTION: The reference here is to the human body, not to the soul. Both men and beast die and their bodies return to dust. However, humans are different in that their soul “goes upward” (v. 21). In fact, Solomon speaks of “eternity” in the human heart (Ecc. 3:11) and of its immortality when he declares that at death “man goes to his eternal home” (Ec 12:5). He also emphasized that we should fear God because there is a day when “God will bring you into judgment” after this life (Ec 11:9). So Ecclesiastes is not denying life after death; it is warning about the futility of living only for this life “under the sun” (cf. Ec 1:3, 13; 2:18). (See prior comments under Ec 3:19.) Norman Geisler - ECCLESIASTES 3:20–21—If there is life after death, why does Solomon declare that man has no advantage over the beasts? When Cultists Ask MISINTERPRETATION: Ecclesiastes 3:20–21 insists that “all go to one place: All are from the dust, and all return to dust.” Hence, “man has no advantage over beasts, for all is vanity.” The Jehovah’s Witnesses cite this verse to prove that human beings do not consciously survive death. “Does each human have a spirit that goes on living as an intelligent personality after it ceases to function in the body? No” (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1989, 383). CORRECTING THE MISINTERPRETATION: The Bible very clearly teaches that the soul survives death (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; Rev. 6:9). The reference in Ecclesiastes 3:20–21 is to the human body, not to the soul. Both humans and beasts die and their bodies return to dust. However, humans are different in that their “soul goes upward” (v. 21). In fact, Solomon speaks of “eternity” in the human heart (Eccles. 3:11) and of its immortality when he declares that at death “man goes to his eternal home” (12:5). He also emphasized that we should fear God because there is a day when “God will bring you into judgment” after this life (11:9). So Ecclesiastes is not denying life after death; it is warning about the futility of living only for this life “under the sun” (cf. 1:3, 13; 2:18). See also comments under Ecclesiastes 3:19. Ray Pritchard - - Something New Under the Sun UNANSWERED QUESTIONS "All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?" So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him? Ecclesiastes 3:20-22 Sam is twelve years old and has been raised in a Christian home. One evening he crawls up on the bed and with tears asks a question that has been troubling his heart. "What if when we die, there's no God? What if we just die and then we can't think anymore?" Death is so final that you can't help but wonder sometimes what if "nothing happens" when we die. How would you answer Sam's plaintive question? Since we will all die someday—and since the cemeteries are adding and not subtracting people—on what basis do Christians have a hope that goes beyond the grave? Over the past twenty years I have conducted funerals for all kinds of people. Most of them have been older people, but occasionally I do a funeral for a younger person, and sometimes I have the sad duty to officiate at the funeral of a child or an infant. The circumstances vary, but this much is certain. At the moment of death the truth about individuals comes out. You can fake your religion most days, but you can't fake it when you stare death cold in the face. In that moment Jesus makes all the difference in the world. In the saddest moments I have seen the light of God on the faces of those who have lost their loved ones. Through their tears they smile because they know Jesus, and He has made all the difference. Verses 20 -21 have been attacked for teaching a sub-Christian view of the afterlife. The truth is, Solomon isn't dealing with the afterlife at all. He's simply pointing out that from an earthly perspective no one can say what happens when we die. But from a heavenly perspective, from God's perspective, we do know. Jesus is truly the answer to death for all of us. As D. L. Moody lay dying he exclaimed, "Earth is receding; heaven is approaching. This is my crowning day." Many have felt that way as they came to the end of life. For those who know Jesus, death is the passageway that leads to eternal life. Lord Jesus, I hasten toward the day when I will be with You forever. You died so that I might live forever. Amen. SHINING THE LIGHT How does our universal unease over death point to something greater? Is this "divine discontent" part of the "eternity" God has put inside every human heart—(Ecclesiastes 3:11)? What is your hope of living beyond the grave? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read Genesis 23; Psalm 23:4; and Hebrews 11:13-16. Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? KJV Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? BGT Ecclesiastes 3:21 καὶ τίς οἶδεν πνεῦμα υἱῶν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰ ἀναβαίνει αὐτὸ εἰς ἄνω καὶ πνεῦμα τοῦ κτήνους εἰ καταβαίνει αὐτὸ κάτω εἰς γῆν LXE Ecclesiastes 3:21 And who has seen the spirit of the sons of man, whether it goes upward? and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth? NET Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who really knows if the human spirit ascends upward, and the animal's spirit descends into the earth? CSB Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows if the spirit of people rises upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? ESV Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? NIV Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?" NLT Ecclesiastes 3:21 For who can prove that the human spirit goes up and the spirit of animals goes down into the earth? YLT Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of man that is going up on high, and the spirit of the beast that is going down below to the earth? NJB Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows if the human spirit mounts upward or if the animal spirit goes downward to the earth? NRS Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? NAB Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows if the life-breath of the children of men goes upward and the life-breath of beasts goes earthward? GWN Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows whether a human spirit goes upward or whether an animal spirit goes downward to the earth? BBE Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth? RSV Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down to the earth? NKJ 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? ASV Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth? DBY Ecclesiastes 3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of the children of men? Doth it go upwards? and the spirit of the beasts, doth it go downwards to the earth? knows: Ec 12:7 Lu 16:22,23 Joh 14:3 Ac 1:25 2Co 5:1,8 Php 1:23 See over 50 translations Who knows that the breath (ruah/ruach; Lxx - pneuma) of man ascends upward and the breath (ruah/ruach; Lxx - pneuma) of the beast descends downward to the earth -TLB = For who can prove that the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward into dust? NET "Who really knows if the human spirit ascends upward, and the animal’s spirit descends into the earth?” Note that there is disagreement on interpretation of this verse. Assuming this is a rhetorical question that calls for a response "No one," Solomon is emphasizing there is not definite difference between man and beasts when they die. Donald Glenn - Moreover, any possible advantage man might claim over an animal was, according to Solomon, beyond empirical demonstration. This is indicated by his rhetorical question, Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth? No living person can observe or demonstrate a difference between people and animals by watching them as they die. Some commentators, it is true, say that Solomon is here affirming a difference in the destinies of men and animals. They see vestiges of a belief in man’s immortality expressed here and point to the absence of an “if” in the Hebrew text before spirit (cf. KJV, NASB). However, this conflicts with several things: (a) the context where Solomon is emphasizing the sameness of man’s fate with the animals (vv. 19–20); (b) the use of the word “spirit” in this passage which refers to the breath of life which man shares with the animals (v. 19); (c) the rhetorical question in verse 22, “Who can bring him to see what will happen after him?” which denies Solomon’s knowledge of an afterlife; and (d) the uniform testimony of many Bible versions which do reflect an interrogative in verse 21. Solomon had earlier argued that death negates all differences between a wise person and a fool (2:14c–16). Here he argued that death negates all differences between people and animals. (See Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament - Page 986) William MacDonald agrees with Glenn writing that "Solomon’s ignorance as to what happens at the time of death is evident from his question," (Borrow Believer's Bible Commentary) In other words MacDonald does not espouse the belief that Solomon is teaching a doctrinal truth (which is true elsewhere in Scripture) that on death man's spirit goes upward. However, not all men's spirits go upward when they die for unbelievers go down to Sheol. Michael Eaton - The thought is twofold. First, there is a difference between man and beast in what follows death. Second, the generality of men cannot appreciate the difference in ultimate destiny and live as though there were no difference. (Borrow Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – Ecclesiastes page 80) Daniel Hill - Now man certainly does not know. We need only look at what man comes up with when it comes to death and any possibility of life after death to see that. We have everything from reincarnation to death being nothing but an eternal void. Whether man or beast, death, from our secular side, is death. Bodies decompose, they go back to the dust. So who knows? GOD KNOWS...So the question then becomes do you know the one who knows? Ray Stedman (I mention his comment because it is what a few commentaries favor but I think he is incorrect). He writes "That really should not be a question, as it is stated here in this text (ED: ALL 50+ TRANSLATIONS ON THIS PAGE RENDER THIS AS A QUESTION AND THUS DO NOT AGREE WITH STEDMAN). It should read this way: "Who knows that the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down to the earth." That is something which only revelation tells us. Experience does not offer any help at all here. From a human standpoint, a dead man and a dead dog look as if the same thing happened to both of them. But from the divine point of view that is not the case. (ED: TRUE, BUT THIS DOCTRINE IS NOT TAUGHT HERE BUT ELSEWHERE IN SCRIPTURE). Though we die like beasts, the spirit of man goes upward while the spirit of the beast goes downward. Later on the Searcher states very positively that at death the spirit of man returns to God who gave it (Ecc 12:7+), but the spirit of the beast ends in nothingness. Injustice stems from our beastliness, and God's plan for life will uncover it. Gleason Archer - NIEBD - Does Ecclesiastes 3:21 teach that animals have a spirit just as man does? Ecclesiastes 3:21 reads, “Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?” (KJV). Since it is usually understood that the spirit of man is the focal point of the divine image in man that enables him to reason and respond to God religiously, it sounds a bit startling to hear that the “spirit” of an animal goes downward, as its body (like man’s body) turns to dust in the grave (v.20). NASB alleviates the problem by translating it as “breath”: “Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?” But the basic problem still remains, for the term rûaḥ (“breath,” “spirit”) is used for both man and beast. This is true whether we understand v.21 as a question implying that there is real doubt as to where the “spirit” of man or beast really goes after death; or whether we are to take it as a regretful question, implying, “How many people really know this fact, that the breath of man goes upward and the breath of the beast goes downward, when they die?” (I personally incline to the latter interpretation, but it is possible that the author meant the question skeptically.) In this use of rûaḥ, we face a familiar phenomenon in the history of the development of transcendental terms in almost every language. From the observation that a living man or animal breathes in and out as long as it is alive, it is natural to derive a term such as “breath” and make it a symbol of life. Thus we have quite frequently in the Flood narrative the phrase rûaḥ ḥayyîm (“the breath of life”) as attributed to animals, both those that drowned in the Flood (Gen. 6:17; 7:22) and those that were preserved in the ark (Gen. 7:15). In Genesis 7:22 it is even combined with nišmaṯ rûaḥ ḥayyîm (“the breath of the spirit of life”—nešāmāh being a word used almost exclusively for literal breathing and nothing beyond). The Egyptian phrase ṯʾ‚w ʿnḫ (“breath of life,” conventionally pronounced tchau ʿanekh) occurs very frequently in Egyptian literature, and it is possible that Moses had this expression in mind and translated it into the Hebrew equivalent. Here, then, we have a general, nontechnical use of rûaḥ as applied to animals possessed of life. I am not aware of any other passages where rûaḥ is used with respect to animals. Apart from the 100 times where rûaḥ is applied to “wind” or “winds,” the rest of its 275 occurrences pertain to human beings, angels (who are essentially rûaḥ without any real, physical body), demonic spirits (who were formerly angels of God, before Satan was cast out of heaven), or God Himself: the Third Person of the Trinity is spoken of as rûah ʾelōhîm (“the Spirit of God”) or rûaḥ Yahweh (“the Spirit of Yahweh [or, as mispronounced, ‘Jehovah’]”). As is so often the case with terms that began with a primitive and general meaning, it later became specialized so as to acquire a technical, figurative meaning on a metaphysical level. The observation that living creatures breathe leads to the use of “breath” as a term for “life-principle.” From that point on it becomes a matter of usage whether to employ rûaḥ, nešāmāh, or some other word referring to air in motion as a symbol for the spiritual element in man’s being—that which makes him distinctively human, as opposed to subhuman creatures that also have lungs and breathe. It is not because of some inherent root meaning, then, but because of established usage that rûaḥ became the technical term for the image of God in man, that capacity for thinking of God and responding to Him, that ability to comprehend the difference between right and wrong and make moral decisions, that ability to reason in a generalizing, philosophical manner, which distinguishes man from beasts. The corresponding term for this in the Septuagint and in the New Testament is pneuma. In biblical usage, then, pneuma became equivalent to rûaḥ. Appropriately enough, pneuma also was derived from the verb pneō (“to blow”). A closely related term for the nonphysical element in man was nep̱eš (“soul”). This too was derived from a root idea of breathing (napāšu in Akkadian meant “breathe freely,” then, “become broad or extended”; the noun napištu meant “breath” or “life”). But it became specialized to mean the individual identity of any living, breathing creature, whether man or animal (for both nep̱eš and psychē, its Greek equivalent, are used freely for beasts as well as men). The nep̱eš is the conscious center of emotions, desire or appetite, or inclination or mood. It is the locus of each man’s personality and the point of reference for his self-consciousness. Gustav Oehler defines nep̱eš as springing from the rûaḥ and as existing continually through it (a statement that could not be applied to animals, however); individuality resides in it, that is, in the man’s ego or self. It is interesting to note that nep̱eš with the appropriate possessive pronoun is the most frequent way of expressing the reflexive noun in a specific way. Thus “he saved himself” would be expressed by “he saved his nep̱eš [or ‘soul’]” (cited by J.I. Marais, “Soul,” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 vols., ed. by J. Orr [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1939], p. 2838). It is to be noted, therefore, that there is a distinction between “spirit” (rûaḥ) and “soul” (nep̱eš) in the Old Testament, just as there is between pneuma and psychē in the New Testament. These, in turn, are differentiated from the term for “body” (bāśār), which also (when used figuratively) has a psychological meaning as well as the basic physical idea of a literal, flesh-and-blood body. The bāśār is the seat of all sensations and the data supplied by the five senses: but it is also used in Psalm 84 in parallelism with nep̱eš as the vehicle of a spiritual longing for the living God. The same is true in Psalm 63:1: “My soul [nep̱eš] thirsts for Thee, my flesh [bāśār] yearns [lit., ‘faints’] for Thee, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (NASB). Again, in Psalm 16:9 it is used in parallelism with “heart” (lēḇ) and “glory” (kāḇoḏ—a surrogate for rǔaḥ, which is the divine element in man): “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely” (NASB). Thus the “flesh” is capable of feeling satisfaction in a state of security in the loving presence of God. The triune makeup of man is brought out even more clearly in the New Testament. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Paul expresses this prayer for his readers: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit [pneuma = rûaḥ] and soul [psychē = nep̱eš] and body [sōma = bāśār] be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ …” (NASB). Quite clearly the spirit and the soul are differentiated here as distinct elements of the human psyche, and man is represented as triune in nature. This is exactly what we should expect, if man was really created in the image of the Triune God (Gen. 1:26–27). A clear distinction between pneuma and psychē is unquestionably implied by 1 Corinthians 2:14–15, which defines the difference between a believer who is dominated by the pneuma (the pneumatikos, “spiritual man”) and the once-born “natural” man (the one dominated by his egoistic psychē): “But a natural [psychikos] man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually [pneumatikōs] appraised” (NASB). Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 15:44, 46, the same distinction is maintained in reference to the transformation from a merely physical body (prior to death and resurrection) and a spiritual body (i.e., a body especially adapted to the needs and desires of the glorified spirit of the redeemed believer): “It is sown a natural [psychikon] body, it is raised a spiritual [pneumatikon] body” (NASB). In v.46 we read, “However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual …” (NASB). Quite clearly then, the spirit is distinct from the soul, or else these verses add up to tautological nonsense. We therefore conclude that man is not dichotomic (to use the technical theological term) but trichotomic. (The fullest discussion of this question may be found in Franz Delitzsch, A system of Biblical Psychology, reprint ed. [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1966]. Ecclesiastes 3:22 I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him? nothing: Ec 3:11,12 2:10,11,24 5:18-20 8:15 9:7-9 11:9 De 12:7,18 26:10,11 De 28:47 Ro 12:11,12 Php 4:4,5 who: Ec 6:12 8:7 9:12 10:14 Job 14:21 Da 12:9,10,13 Mt 6:34 See over 50 translations CONTENTMENT IN THE PRESENT: ACCEPTING OUR LOT IN LIFE I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy (samah - joyful; Lxx - euphraino - be glad, enjoy oneself) in his activities for that is his lot. -TLB = So I saw that there is nothing better for men than that they should be happy in their work, for that is what they are here for (ED: AKA "THEIR LOT")" AMP "So I have seen that there is nothing better than that a man should be happy in his own works and activities, for that is his portion (share). "Be happy" means rejoice, take contentment in the work and life God has given you now, delight openly, not superficial pleasure, but deep satisfaction. Activities speaks of the actions of one’s daily life. Lot means portion or inheritance, the circumstances and time God has sovereignly assigned you. The corollary application is that instead of striving endlessly to know the future or control outcomes, we should accept our lot from God. Solomon repeats almost word for word Ec 3:12 - "I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime." Note that there are 6 times in which Solomon gives the reader some relief from the otherwise pessimistic view of life. Those passages are Ec 2:24-26, 3:12-13; 3:22; 5:18-19; 8:15; 9:7-9. Michael Eaton - If God is sovereign in his disposal of earthly events (3:1–15), has a purpose even in allowing human injustices (3:16–20), and holds our ultimate destiny in his hands (21), then the attitude of the wise should be joyful confidence in the pursuit of earthly responsibilities and the pleasures they bring (Borrow Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – Ecclesiastes page 80)