Life's Mysteries - Wrestling with Time - Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 - January 10. 2010

Bible Study – Life’s Mysteries – Wrestling with Time – January 10, 2010.

This is study two (2) in our series entitled “Life’s Mysteries.”

Our scripture is Ecclesiastes 3:1-14.

In our first study, we learned that life separate from GOD is mundane, monotonous, meaningless and empty. How often have we said, “If only I can achieve this or that”, only to find when we achieve “this or that”, the euphoria lasts for a short time and we think “Is this all there is?”

Solomon had achieved whatever he desired physically from a flesh point-of-view and he found life meaningless. We learned in our last study that he concluded that the only true, meaningful, value in life came from obediently serving GOD.

In this study we will consider the value of time.

Dr. Henry Blackaby has stated that people were not made for time but for eternity. The Hebrew word for “eternity” carries the idea of a state of being that is not tied to the present or being bound by time. Eternity looks back to eternity past and eternity forward. When a believer accepts CHRIST as his/her SAVIOR, he/she receives the gift of eternal life. What does that mean? Does that mean that we are eternal? Yes! Does that mean we existed in eternity past and will exist in eternity future? Yes. Let’s ponder this.

My favorite verse of scripture is Ephesians 1:4:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,[2] Eph 1:20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12 in Christ; 4 for He chose[3] Rm 11:5–7; 1 Co 1:26–31; 1 Th 1:4; 2 Th 2:13; 1 Pt 1:1–2 us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.[4] Vv. 3–14 are 1 sentence in Gk. In love[5] Or In His sight in love

Where were you before you were conceived? Read the bold letters in the verse above. In my opinion, we were in the mind and heart of GOD. GOD with HIS foreknowledge knew that we would exist. HE knew the time we would be conceived, who our parents would be, the moment we would be born, the place and circumstances of our birth. HE knows our paths of life, the choices we will make, whether or not we will choose to become Christians and HE knows when we will die. HE gave believers time to be perfected into the image of HIS SON, JESUS.

Does HIS foreknowledge predestine people? In my opinion, no! The foreknowledge of GOD allows HIM to know what will happen but it does not force it to happen. HE gives all people the freedom of choice. If HE did not give people freedom of choice, then, in my opinion, no one would go to hell but this is not the case. GOD will give every person the opportunity to accept or reject CHRIST as his/her SAVIOR. That is the task HE has chosen for Himself. HE can use believers as part of HIS plan to present the message of salvation to others but HE issues the invitation.

To ponder time and consider time is an exciting adventure. Every human has time and it is important that we use it wisely. Solomon concluded that the wisest use of time is to obediently serve GOD. That means as we pursue our career path, as led by GOD, we obediently serve HIM. GOD calls believers to be ordained mechanics, garbage collectors, window washers, truck drivers, surgeons, pastors, teachers, missionaries, maids and the list goes on and on. GOD does the calling and believers respond accordingly.

The Apostle Paul spoke of time in Ephesians 5:16-18:

15 See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (KJV)

When believers use their time wisely, they redeem their time because in the fallen state of our world, Satan’s desire is for people, believers or non-believers, to waste their time.

I had never thought that time needed to be redeemed. I knew nature was anxiously waiting to be redeemed – Romans 8:19-21:

(19) For (even the whole) creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God’s sons/daughters* to be made known – waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship/daughtership*. (20) For the creation (nature) was subject to frailty – to futility, condemned to frustration – not because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him Who so subjected it. [Yet] with the hope. [Eccl. 1:2] (21) That nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God’s children. *Added (Amplified Version)

When Adam and Eve sinned, they incurred death just as GOD had told them they would if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Bible reveals that the Tree of Life was also in the garden. GOD hastened to block them from eating from the Tree of Life after they sinned because if they had eaten from the Tree of Life, they would have lived forever in their fallen, sinful state. When they sinned, death and decay entered earth.

In eternity there is no time or decay.

When Adam and Eve and all their descendants were cast out of eternity, they and all mankind became subject to time and decay, as well as, all nature. In order for mankind to be restored to eternal life, GOD sent HIS ONLY SON, JESUS, to pay the penalty for the original sin. Anyone who accepts CHRIST as his/her SAVIOR is restored to eternal life, immediately, through the miracle of rebirth. But nature must wait to be redeemed from decay.

GOD will redeem time and nature from decay when there is a new heaven and a new earth.

GOD created time when HE created the world. HE created the sun and the moon. HE separated the night from the day, which gives a measure of time. Earth needs the sunshine of the day and darkness of night for things to grow to sustain life upon earth. Before Adam and Eve sinned was the earth in a state of eternity because there was no death or decay therefore no need for time?

The sin of Adam, which was the original sin, brought death to mankind and decay. The element of decay was the result of Adam’s sin, which was added as a component of time, therefore, humans in their fallen state age. Do I know for sure? No! But it is an interesting thought to prayerfully ponder.

Look at what GOD told Adam in Genesis 3:17-19:

17 And He said to Adam, “Because you listened to your wife’s voice and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’: The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor[13] Lit it through pain all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.[14] Gn 2:5 19 You will eat bread[15] Or food by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.”

The physical and environmental dynamics of earth changed significantly after Adam and Eve sinned. The consequences of sin are devastating.

The scripture in our study is some of the most used scripture in the Bible. Let’s explore!

Let’s read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:

The Mystery of Time
1 There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: 2 a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot;[1] Lit uproot what is planted 3 a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; 5 a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;[2] 2 Kg 3:19,25; Isa 5:12 a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing; 6 a time to search and a time to count as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away; 7 a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; 8 a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.

We know from our last study that Solomon acknowledged that the only real meaning to life came from obediently serving GOD. In verse 1 of this scripture, the sovereignty of GOD is evident. GOD is the universal power, planner and controller of all things. HE is sovereign. HE knows the complete time for all things to take place. HE can look to eternity past and to eternity future. HE can look to time past and time future. Mankind can look at time past and time present. Mankind can plan for the future but the sovereignty of GOD allows HIM to know and control the future. Thus there is a time for everything, such as:

- a time to give birth and a time to die;
- a time to plant and a time to uproot;[1] Lit uproot what is planted

Solomon begins with the time span to which people can relate – birth to death – life. In that time span there are normal tasks people must perform such as planting to raise food and when harvest is over the crops are plowed under to prepare for the next crop.

- a time to kill and a time to heal;
- a time to tear down and a time to build;

This scripture has a number of interpretations. One thought is there are times when people need to take matters into their hands to defend themselves. Once they have defended themselves they need to not hold a grudge. There are many others thoughts on this.

- a time to weep and a time to laugh;
- a time to mourn and a time to dance;

Life brings sad times and happy times. Mourn when it is appropriate and rejoice during the good times. The idea is that life brings an assortment of issues into our lives. When we focus on the sovereignty of GOD, we can see the big picture and see HIS care for us during these various times.

- a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;[2] 2 Kg 3:19,25; Isa 5:12
- a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing;

This also has several interpretations. One thought is an enemy throws stones into a field to disrupt the use of the field for producing food. Once the feud or battle is over then restore the relationship. Another is related to reproduction. There is a time for parents to have children and a time when they should not have children. Those that hold this view connect the throwing of stones/gathering stones to embracing/avoid embracing. This relates to sexual abstinence. There are others thoughts as well.

- a time to search and a time to count as lost;
- a time to keep and a time to throw away;

This seems to focus on when something is lost, look for it but after looking for a reasonable amount of time then consider it lost. Connected to this thought is there are times when one needs to make an assessment of the things he/she has and keep what he/she uses and throw or give away the things he/she does not use.

- a time to tear and a time to sew;
- a time to be silent and a time to speak;

This also has a number of interpretations. When people mourn, they used to tear their clothes. When mourning was over then repair the torn clothes and return to the normal activities of life. Tied to mourning is a time to be silent and mourn. After a person mourns, then they should speak and interact with others.

- a time to love and a time to hate;
- a time for war and a time for peace.

There is a time to love and a time to hate. As Christians we are challenged to love the sinner but hate the sin. We can hate the things GOD hates. There is a time for war. People are to pick when they go to war. There is a time for peace. People need to carefully choose when consider going to war or considering peace.

Let’s read Ecclesiastes 3:9-11:

9 What does the worker gain from his struggles? 10 I have seen the task that God has given • people to keep them occupied. 11 He has made everything appropriate[3] Or beautiful in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts,[4] Or has put a sense of past and future into their minds, or has placed ignorance in their hearts but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end.

Verse 9 goes back to the meaningless toil of life. GOD intended for life without HIM to be monotonous, meaningless and unfulfilled. Life in the flesh is a bore. But GOD has put cycles into human existence to lead them to look beyond this earthly life to eternal life. GOD created mankind and it has been said, HE placed a GOD shaped vacuum in each person. People try to fill this empty spot with various things or following various religions. Satisfaction to life on earth is found only when people acknowledge their need for the true GOD.

GOD is constantly working in the lives of every human leading them to HIM and ultimately to CHRIST and salvation. Acknowledging CHRIST as a person’s SAVIOR fills this GOD shaped vacuum in every believer’s heart. CHRIST willingly gave HIS life to satisfy the penalty for the original sin, which was HIS death. HIS resurrection from the dead is proof that HE conquered death and the original sin debt has been paid in full by CHRIST. Every person who acknowledges this receives forgiveness for his/her sin and receives eternal life, as originally intended by GOD, and is restored. Just as CHRIST had to die to receive HIS new glorified body, believer’s earthly body (earth suit) will also die but will receive their new glorified body when CHRIST returns to earth the second time.

What confirmation does a believer have that this is all true? GOD gives each believer a down payment or security deposit which assures him/her that it is true – the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT.

As the result of CHRIST’S passion, believers have direct access to GOD, their FATHER. Every believer in essence is a priest. We call it the priesthood of the believer because believers have direct access to GOD through CHRIST.

It is difficult for mankind to look at the whole of their lives, beginning to end, to see how GOD has been working in their lives. Of course, people do not know their end but GOD does. When people become believers they can often look back over their lives and see how GOD used certain circumstances or situations to put them in the right place at the right time. It is difficult for people to see the hand of GOD working in their lives before they become Christians. Even Christians, often, have to look back to see all that GOD has been involved in guiding them through difficult times in their life’s journey.

Let’s read Ecclesiastes 3:12-14:

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the[5] Lit his good life. 13 It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts. 14 I know that all God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of Him.

Solomon was saying that it is near impossible for people to discern what GOD has done, what HE is doing and what HE is planning to do. The best people can do is to build a relationship with GOD, realize that HE provides the things of life for them to enjoy. GOD is sovereign and completely in control of all things and HE has the best interest of HIS children in mind. Those who believe in HIM and acknowledge HIM can see HIS handiwork. They should not get frustrated in trying to figure it all out but just rejoice that HE is completely in control. When believers accept that then they can stand in awe of HIM because they trust and have confidence in HIM. But this is a spiritual growth and maturing process through sanctification.

When a believer looks back over his/her life and beholds the hand of GOD in their lives even before he/she became a believer results in great joy. It is awesome to think that when a person did not give GOD or CHRIST a thought, HE cared enough to watch over and care for him/her. Romans 5:8 gives us a clue about the love of GOD for all people who will believe in CHRIST:

8 But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!

JESUS made it clear that HE came so believers can enjoy life more abundantly- John 10:10:

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (KJV)

Keep in mind that you were not made for time but for eternity and GOD uses this life to prepare you for eternity. HIS desire is to make believers into the image of HIS SON, JESUS. Rejoice and be glad because GOD cares for you: 1 Peter 5:6-7:

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time,[10] Lit in time [11] Jb 22:29; Mt 23:12; Lk 14:11; 18:14; Jms 4:10 7 casting all your care upon Him, because He cares about you.[12] Ps 55:22; Mt 6:25–34