INSIGHTS INTO THE

MEANING OF LIFE

ECCLESIASTES 3:1-15

GOD’S PROVIDENTIAL

WORKINGS

INTRODUCTION

• It’s good to view this section from the viewpoint of God’s providence.

• God has “set a time” for many things• God has a “time” and “purpose” for

everything• God had a Master Plan before the

world was even created• Solomon understood overriding of

God’s providence• Man does nothing unless it’s God’s

will in God’s time!

ECCLESIASTES 3:1,2

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under

heaven:A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to

plant, and a time to pluck what is planted."

ECCLESIASTES 3:3,4

“A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to

break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a

time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time

to dance."

ECCLESIASTES 3:5,6

“A time to cast away stones, and a time to

gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep,

and a time to throw away."

ECCLESIASTES 3:7,8

“A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to

keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of

war, and a time of peace."

EVENTS OF LIFE

• There is an appointed time• We need not throw our hands up in

despair• View life optimistically since God is in

control—God is supreme• All the pursuits of man, either creative

or destructive, whether they are good or evil, are still not done by one who is self-sufficient

• Man is within the control of God• Man ought to ask—”according to

God’s will, is this the time to do this?”

EVENTS OF LIFE

• This has to do with beginning and end

• Everyone has a beginning and end. Not a set time—but what is done in between is what counts—Born—Died

• The cycle of life• Creative and destructive• Can have no harvest without a planting

– Plant—in the spring– Pluck up--Summer/Fall—the harvest

EVENTS OF LIFE

• God still rules in the kingdoms of men– Daniel 4:17

• Time of wars—time of healing from wars

• Time to tear down—time to build up• We can never fully understand the

purposes of God– Deuteronomy 29:29– Acts 1:7– Example: God determined when the

walls of Jerusalem should have been rebuilt

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Next deal with emotions• Time to weep—time to laugh• Time to mourn—time to dance• Time for place for laughter sometimes

not appropriate• Some things cause us to be sad• Other times reasons for rejoicing• No place for self pity—no good results

– Romans 12:15– James 1:2-4– 1 Peter1:6,7

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Throwing stones—gathering stones• Two lines of thought:

– Farmer who attempted to clear the rocks off his land to prepare it for planting. But while gathering he sees too many rocks to gather and throws back the ones he has gathered

– Severing a relationship with another demonstrated by the symbolic act of casting of rocks. Gathering stones could be seen in preparing the way for a military conqueror—Isaiah 62:10

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Time to Embrace - refrain from embracing

• Joy and pain both come into our lives— life is a package deal– Matthew 5:45

• Proper place to express affection and other times the need to shun affection

• Proper affection can be expressed between husband/wife—but a proper time and place

• Improper affection between people which could arouse lust and evil thoughts—refrain – Song of Solomon 3:5

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Time to gain—time to lose• Time to keep—time to throw away• This has to do with possessions• All lives will have some “gains/losses”• There are things in our lives we “keep”

for the sentimental value it holds• Other things may need to be

discarded because it conflicts with our spiritual lives and duties– Good morals need to be kept!– Bad habits need to be thrown away!

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Time to tear—time to sew• Time to keep silence—time to speak

up• This has to do with human relations• Times when relationships need to be

broken• Other times relationships need to be

mended– Romans 12:18– 1 Timothy 4:12– 2 Corinthians 6:14– Matthew 5:23,24

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Time to tear—time to sew• Time to keep silence—time to speak

up• This has to do with human relations• A very big problem with our tongue• Need to have wisdom when to speak—

when to listen– Habakkuk 2:20– James 1:19– Proverbs 15:23; 17:27; 25:11; 29:11

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Time to love—time to hate• Time of war—time of peace• Cover the whole spectrum of building

up—tearing down• We are to “hate evil”—not people

– Psalm 97:10; Romans 12:9• We “hate” divorce

– Malachi 2:16• We “hate” the world

– 1 John 3:15-17

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Time to love—time to hate• Time of war—time of peace• Cover the whole spectrum of building

up—tearing down• We are to “love“ people

– 1 Corinthians 13:4-8• We “love” God

– 1 John 4:7-9• We “love” our enemies

– Matthew 5:44

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Time to love—time to hate• Time of war—time of peace• Cover the whole spectrum of building

up—tearing down• There will be a time when there are

wars• Followed by a time of peace• We war against sin

– Romans 7:24,25; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

• Seek peace with God– Philippians 4:7

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Since it determines the ultimate destiny of life (vs.1-8)—what personal benefit is there for the worker who toils?

• The answer to this question will be given in the next few verses

• Ultimately, the wise man uses the plan of God to his advantage

• He accepts what God has decreed and set in motion, fits his life to be in harmony with His plan!

• Stubbornness and rebellion are seen when one seeks to do things in an “improper time”

ECCLESIASTES 3:10

“I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of

men are to be occupied."

ECCLESIASTES 3:11

“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."

EVENTS OF LIFE

• God has made everything beautiful in its own time and place

• Beauty is seen in doing it in “God’s time”

• Words to remember “fitting and appropriate”

• Eternity has been placed in the hearts of men—we long for it

• This longing for something “better” is always present within man

• No one can know all the works God has done “from beginning to end”– Romans 11:33-36

ECCLESIASTES 3:12,13

“I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should

eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor-

it is the gift of God."

ECCLESIASTES 3:14

“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."

ECCLESIASTES 3:15

“That which is has already been, and what

is to be has already been; and God

requires an account of what is past."

EVENTS OF LIFE

• First of two times Solomon says “I Know”—both related

• He has learned that the good things in life come from God Himself

• His gifts and blessings to man– James 1:17

• God changes our perspective on all things

• Best man can do—be happy and good—by following the course God has given us– Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:10-12

EVENTS OF LIFE

• Notice how much God is now drawn into our lives

• Eating and drinking tokens of the good life

• Understand God’s gifts to men• Lord is to be thanked for all the good in

our lives• Job learned this long ago

– Job 1:19-22• By understanding that all these gifts

come from God will help us enjoy our lives and be thankful!

EVENTS OF LIFE• 2nd occurrence of “I Know” (vs.14)• Good life, of the previous verses, are

secured by God Himself– Permanent remains forever—God not

capable of failure (Isaiah 55:11;1 Peter 1:25)

– It’s effective—how can perfect be made better?

– It is complete—there is nothing to take away from it

– It is purposeful - it causes men to fear the Lord. Magnitude of creation and see how lowly and powerless men really are

SECURITY IS WITH GOD

• Notice the contrast in vs.8-11.• Man alone is hopeless• With God there is security and real hope• God is keeping the cycles of life going• Watchful concern• To Christians it represents security and

hope—God is still in control!• Things that exist will continue—as long

as the earth remains• Balance in the ways of God—design,

order and divine intelligence!

CONCLUSION

• This helps us to understand that God knows what He is doing

• Failing to give proper credit to God• Misusing the blessings of God• Understanding the wisdom in life’s

cycles• Understanding that nothing can be done

better by man than what has been done by our Creator!

• When it all ends—He will bring it a close!