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Ecclesiastes 3
Haystack bible commentary"Stacks and stacks of commentary...."
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==ecclesiastes 3:1:
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To everything
there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: |
This verse establishes the principle that life unfolds in cycles, with God ordaining specific times for all activities and purposes, whether joyful or sorrowful, productive or destructive. It suggests that events, from birth and death to planting and harvesting, occur at appointed times in life.
The verse implies a divine order to life, where God, not random chance, establishes the timing for events. It introduces the concept of life's various "seasons," which are a series of changing stages and cycles that individuals experience. The verses that follow (Ecclesiastes 3:2-8) elaborate on this by contrasting pairs of events and activities, such as a time to be born and a time to die, or a time to love and a time to hate. A key interpretation of this verse is the importance of trusting in God's perfect timing, even when circumstances seem unclear or confusing. Each season of life, regardless of whether it is pleasant or difficult, has a purpose, and individuals are encouraged to learn from and embrace these phases. The verse promotes patience and self-control as people navigate the different stages of life, understanding that God is at work. It encourages individuals to seek God's purpose for their lives and align their decisions with His will for the current season they are in. |
==ecclesiastes 3:2-10:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
9 What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?
10 I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
9 What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?
10 I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.
==ecclesiastes 3:11:
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He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
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I take that to mean that the world and the human soul are iridescent with wonders linked to eternity. And yet our humdrum, ordinary, mundane experiences of this world keep us from seeing the wonders and from soaring the way we dream from time to time. Even we believers who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God — even we say, “We have this treasure in jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7). Our spirit is alive with God’s Spirit, but our bodies are dead because of sin (Romans 8:10). --John Piper
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==ecclesiastes 3:12:
I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives
==ecclesiastes 3:13:
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And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
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God encourages hard work, but this is always balanced out by rest. His gift of the Sabbath has so many benefits. “Better is a handful of rest than a double handful of hard work and striving after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6). The Ten Commandments put it this way: “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work” (Exodus 20:9, 10, NKJV). According to the Bible, the work must be enjoyed. Make meal time a happy time. “Every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:13).
Sleep Is Important. |
==ecclesiastes 3:13:
I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
15 That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;
And God requires an account of what is past.
16 Moreover I saw under the sun:
In the place of judgment,
Wickedness was there;
And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.
17 I said in my heart,
“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
18 I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.”
19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.
20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
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?
22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
15 That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;
And God requires an account of what is past.
16 Moreover I saw under the sun:
In the place of judgment,
Wickedness was there;
And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.
17 I said in my heart,
“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
18 I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.”
19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.
20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
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?
22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?