“THERE IS AN APPOINTED TIME FOR EVERYTHING. AND THERE IS. TIME FOR EVERY EVENT UNDER HEAVEN” “appointed time” -a fixed, definite portion of time, esp.,. stated time. “This verse is not intended to suggest that all things are pre-determined or that man has no choice in arranging certain times and ev... [ Continue Reading ]
"A TIME TO GIVE BIRTH, AND. TIME TO DIE;" And everything else happens between these two events. And we might even do all we can to make sure that we don't have any more children, but surprises do happen. And how many grandparents do we know who have ended up raising their grandchildren? People may... [ Continue Reading ]
"A TIME TO KILL, AND. TIME TO HEAL;" A time to butcher livestock (Genesis 9:2-3); execute criminals (Romans 13:4); protect your family from intruders (Exodus 2:2). Note: In the Bible there is. difference between murder, which is. sin (Exo. Ecclesiastes 20:13), and killing (Exodus 21:15-16). To time... [ Continue Reading ]
"A TIME TO WEEP, AND. TIME TO LAUGH;. TIME TO MOURN, AND. TIME TO DANCE." But at times we want to laugh, when it is. time for weeping. Too often we want to feel good all the time and avoid anything that might bring us sorrow. But whether we like it or not, tragedy, heartache, and suffering will affe... [ Continue Reading ]
"A TIME TO THROW STONES, AND. TIME TO GATHER STONES;""Perhaps it is best to see them as referring to the gathering and rejecting of building materials" (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 984). ECCLESIASTES 3:5 "A TIME TO EMBRACE, AND. TIME TO SHUN EMBRACING." To time to receive people with open arms (Phil.... [ Continue Reading ]
"A TIME TO SEARCH, AND. TIME TO GIVE UP AS LOST;" There are things worth searching for (Luke 13:24; 2 Timothy 2:15; Ephesians 2:3). And then there are times to give up, to cut your loses and admit failure. Solomon had to admit failure (Ecclesiastes 2:11). There will be wealth, things, friendships,... [ Continue Reading ]
"A TIME TO TEAR APART, AND. TIME TO SEW TOGETHER;""This verse may refer to actions associated with mourning (tearing one's clothes and remaining silent; cf. Job 2:12-13)" (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 984). This principle also applies to friendships and things. There is. time to realize that something c... [ Continue Reading ]
"A TIME TO LOVE, AND. TIME TO HATE;" There are things to love and there are times to hate, especially evil (Psalms 119:104; Prov. Ecclesiastes 6:16; Ecclesiastes 8:13; Revelation 2:6). ECCLESIASTES 3:8 "A TIME FOR WAR, AND. TIME FOR PEACE." Which also applies in the spiritual realm (Matthew 10:34-... [ Continue Reading ]
"WHAT PROFIT IS THERE TO THE WORKER FROM THAT IN WHICH HE TOILS?" That is, what true or lasting profit? For all the events in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 are often momentary or temporary. Once again, we return to the original question of the book (Ecclesiastes 1:3) Since man is subject to many circumstances... [ Continue Reading ]
"I HAVE SEEN THE TASK WHICH GOD HAS GIVEN THE SONS OF MEN WITH WHICH TO OCCUPY THEMSELVES." To support the negative conclusion of verse 9, Solomon notes his observations ("I have seen"). "Solomon's personal experience was very comprehensive…he has called attention to the major areas of men's intere... [ Continue Reading ]
"HE HAS MADE EVERYTHING APPROPRIATE IN ITS TIME. HE HAS ALSO SET ETERNITY IN THEIR HEART, YET SO THAT MAN WILL NOT FIND OUT THE WORK WHICH GOD HAS DONE FROM THE BEGINNING EVEN TO THE END.""Appropriate"-good, excellent, useful. "He has made everything right in its time" (Bas); "He has assigned each t... [ Continue Reading ]
"I KNOW THAT THERE IS NOTHING BETTER FOR THEM THAN TO REJOICE AND TO DO GOOD IN ONE'S LIFETIME;" Since the events in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 aren't eternal, then we need to appreciate them. So often we are in. hurry to get to the next stage in our lives. Instead, we need to slow down and appreciate each... [ Continue Reading ]
"MOREOVER, THAT EVERY MAN WHO EATS AND DRINKS SEES GOOD IN ALL HIS LABOR-IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD." This is an expression in the book which takes us "above the sun". For the believer, making the most of each moment isn't an escape from reality or the inevitable. Rather, it is viewed as an assignment fr... [ Continue Reading ]
"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."WILL REMAIN FOREVER" -in contrast to those things which men do. This also applies to what God says (1 Peter 1:23-25). Isn't it str... [ Continue Reading ]
"THAT WHICH IS HAS BEEN ALREADY, AND THAT WHICH WILL BE HAS ALREADY BEEN, FOR GOD SEEKS WHAT HAS PASSED BY."FOR GOD SEEKS WHAT HAS PASSED BY" -"Some events appear to contradict God's sovereign control and completeness of order in His world. However, the statement, 'God seeks what has passed by' assu... [ Continue Reading ]
"FURTHERMORE,. HAVE SEEN UNDER THE SUN THAT IN THE PLACE OF JUSTICE THERE IS WICKEDNESS, AND IN THE PLACE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THERE IS WICKEDNESS."IN THE PLACE OF JUSTICE" -in the place where justice is supposed to be administered, i.e. among lawyers, judges, the courts and so on. "crime is where law s... [ Continue Reading ]
"I SAID TO MYSELF, 'GOD WILL JUDGE BOTH THE RIGHTEOUS MAN AND THE WICKED MAN', FOR. TIME FOR EVERY MATTER AND FOR EVERY DEED IS THERE."GOD WILL JUDGE" -This is the ultimate and final season, the time of judgment and nobody is exempt (2 Cor. Ecclesiastes 5:10). Note, the concept of. final judgment is... [ Continue Reading ]
"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.'"TESTED THEM" -or bring to light, expose. "Time" gives people the chance to manifest their true character. It allows the sinner to repent (2 Peter 3:9) or it gives them more t... [ Continue Reading ]
"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."THE FATE" -not the spiritual fate (Ecclesiastes 12:7), but only the physical fate is in view here... [ Continue Reading ]
"ALL GO TO THE SAME PLACE. ALL CAME FROM DUST AND ALL RETURN TO THE DUST." The same place isn't the afterlife (Ecclesiastes 12:7), but rather the grave or the soil. The bodies of animals and man both decay and eventually return to the dust. "showing us man on his journey from dust to dust, as in Gen... [ Continue Reading ]
"WHO KNOWS THAT THE BREATH OF MAN ASCENDS UPWARD AND THE BREATH OF THE BEAST DESCENDS DOWNWARD TO THE EARTH?" Points To Note: 1 Solomon isn't an agnostic, for he knew what happened when people died (Ecclesiastes 12:7), and this book isn't written by. skeptic and neither is it the efforts of. man wi... [ Continue Reading ]
"AND. 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?"HAPPY IN HIS ACTIVITIES" -Note, we aren't talking about sinful activities which actually deprive us of happiness (Ecclesiastes 3:12; E... [ Continue Reading ]