Romans 5:1 says that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Part of realizing this peace comes from recognizing who God is, that He is sovereign, that He is in control, and that He has set everything in order and given us “the ways that work”.
In the late 1950’s the American Folk Musician, Pete Seeger, wrote a song titled “Turn, Turn, Turn, To Everything There Is A Season.” In 1965 it became a #1 hit when it was recorded by The Byrds. The lyrics for this song were taken essentially word for word from the third chapter of Ecclesiastes (KJV). Seeger later said that he only added 6 words to the Ecclesiastes text. Since Seeger wanted the song to be primarily used to promote peace, he simply added “I swear it’s not too late” at the end of verse 8. Rather remarkable that a song that reached #1 on the pop music charts in December of 1965 was taken word for word from the Bible.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 shows that there is order and purpose under the sun. It appears in everything around us. There is a time and place for birth and death and there are seasons for planting, harvesting, and resting. We know this is true; all we need to do is look around and observe. Winter may seem long in some years but it will not last forever. Eventually, spring arrives, the birds will sing, and plants will bloom. This does not happen just occasionally but every year. It has happened every year since God’s pronouncement after the flood and it will continue for as long as the earth endures (Genesis 8:22).
Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 seems to outline a formula for a balanced life but it’s much more likely that these verses are telling us what life is. There is order and purpose under the sun but not of man’s design. Timing is important. All the experiences listed in these verses are appropriate at times. The secret to peace with God is to discover, accept, and appreciate God’s perfect timing. This passage contains 14 observations of things that have been set in order to happen and the corresponding end or opposite. It begins with the most fundamental observation of life itself: Ecclesiastes 3:2 a time to be born and a time to die… And ends with the most difficult decision mankind faces: Ecclesiastes 3:8 a time for war and a time for peace. So let’s take a closer look at these observations.
Ecclesiastes 3:2(b) “…a time to plant and a time to uproot” The seasons have been set by God. There is order in the trees and plants and all vegetation. By observation we know when to plant and when to harvest. To plant at the wrong time will not produce a crop. To harvest a crop, we must observe and follow the order God has determined.
Ecclesiastes 3:3 (a) a time to kill and a time to heal… There is a time for healing but there is also a time for killing. The Hebrew word that is translated “kill” in this passage is HARAG. It means “to kill or slay” but not to murder. By contrast, the Hebrew word (ratsach) in the sixth commandment (You shall not murder – Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17) applies specifically to the act of murder and manslaughter, not to killing in general. Killing happens and at times is necessary. There is really only one reason to kill, survival, in other words to protect or sustain human life. The killing of animals for food is one example.
Killing was considered appropriate for some crimes under Mosaic Law, during times of war, or defending oneself from deadly force. We see this in Esther 8:11: The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children… We know from Luke 3:14 that John the Baptist did not tell soldiers to leave their duties in order to repent; part of a soldiers duty is to kill the enemy. Rather it is killing animals for food or people in self defense, times of war, or as punishment for heinous crimes, there is, according to God, a time to kill.
Ecclesiastes 3:3(b) …a time to tear down and a time to build. There is a time to break down walls and barriers between people and nations. In my lifetime, the great wall in Berlin was torn down as the old Soviet Union crumbled. There are also times that we need to tear down barriers that divide us. Ephesians 2 gives us a portrait of peace because Christ destroyed the barrier. Ephesians 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. Christ has destroyed the barriers people build between themselves. Because these walls have been removed, we can have real unity with people who are not like us. Because of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, we who are in Christ are all one (Ephesians 2:16; Galatians 3:26-28); we can all have access to the Father by one spirit (Ephesians 2:18); we are no longer foreigners or aliens to God (Ephesians 2:19); and we are all being built into a holy temple with Christ as our chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-21).
There is also a time to erect barriers for protection. When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem in about 445 B.C. it was with the expressed purpose to rebuild the wall around the city. The city was vulnerable. Under his leadership the wall was erected in 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15). There are times when we need to erect walls for protection when it comes to interpersonal relationships; for example, in cases of unrepentant sin (Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 5:11).
There is also a time to build up each other individually. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says to encourage one another and build each other up. Hebrews 3:13 tells us to encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Building one another up will protect from being hardened by this world.
Ecclesiastes 3:4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. God has given us both of these emotions and there is a time and place for both. Romans 12:15: Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Just as there are births, graduations, weddings and other happy occasions in our lives, there will also be deaths, funerals, separations, and difficult times. This too is part of life under the sun and we will all have our share of good times and bad.
Ecclesiastes 3:5(a) a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them… Many a farmer has spent time pulling stones out of the ground and hauling them away. The soil might be fertile enough for a crop but if the stones are left in the ground, there will be no crop…just broken plows.
These same stones can be put to good use. They can be used to build a fence or a foundation for a building. There is a time to remove the stones but there is also a time to gather them. The objects we curse today may be objects we need tomorrow. And the lessons we learn from patiently dealing with obstacles may be exactly the lessons we needed all along.
Ecclesiastes 3:5(b) …a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. Who doesn’t like a good hug? Something about the embrace of another does wonders for the spirit. But just as there is a time to embrace another, there is also a time not to embrace. When would that be? Well, in the case of unrepentant sin; The Prodigal Son in Luke 15 is a good example. There are also times in life when it’s best to be alone. Christ spent hours alone in prayer and meditation. He had his apostles and others close to him but there were also times when he needed to be alone and so do we.
Ecclesiastes 3:6(a) a time to search and a time to give up… Wouldn’t life be great if we always won? However, it is in our losses that we often experience our greatest gain. Hall of Fame Cowboys coach Tom Landry said that only through defeat is character built. How do you handle defeat? The best athletes learn from their defeats and come back stronger than ever. We will have wins but we will also have losses. Ecclesiastes 7:14 When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other.
Ecclesiastes 3:6(b) …a time to keep and a time to throw away. Too often we are too quick to throw away things we should keep. What would it be worth today if I had only held on to it? In our fast-paced world, there is a tendency to quickly evaluate things and discard them for the slightest reason. This primarily applies to material things but sadly also carries over into relationships. The breakdown of marriages and the rise in divorce is one example. Rather than keeping the covenant made before God the covenant is broken and the marriage discarded. Commitment and faithfulness seem to be lost values. However, just as there is a time to keep there is also a time to throw away. When we come to Christ we are told to throw away the old self: Ephesians 4:22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires… Sometimes this means discarding toxic relationships because as 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us: Do not be deceived: “bad company corrupts good morals.” (elaborate)
Ecclesiastes 3:7(a) a time to tear and a time to mend… Tearing and mending apply to cloth or a garment. When would you tear a garment? When it is no longer useful. Tear it into strips and use it for rags. It is no longer of value. On the other hand, mending implies saving or repairing a garment. Perhaps it has become ragged but, with the proper care, it can be salvaged and used a little longer. The trick is in knowing when to tear and when to mend. This applies to relationships as well. For example, is this person pulling you away from God? Matthew 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” If someone is consistently becoming a stumbling block perhaps you need to tear away.On the other hand, there are times when relationships must be mended. See the example of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15).
2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry (elaborate – Acts 15:37-40). There is a time to tear and a time to mend and this does not just apply to garments.
Ecclesiastes 3:7(b) …a time to be silent and a time to speak. Proverbs 17:28 reminds us that Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. We often get ourselves into trouble by speaking too soon, too often, and with too many words. Proverbs 10:19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. Ecclesiastes 5:2-3 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. 3 A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.
A wise person shows restraint and, when they speak, they choose their words carefully. What a good feeling when one controls their tongue. So much harm can be avoided and so much good can be accomplished when we are quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19). But, just as there is a time to keep silent, there is also a time to speak. When error is being taught, or God’s name is being profaned, or someone is being unjustly accused, then it is time to speak up. Romans 14:16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. This takes courage but God will provide the strength if we do our part and speak up. To not speak up is to tacitly provide consent and agreement.
Ecclesiastes 3:8(a) a time to love and a time to hate… Some would say that with a Christian there is neither time nor place for hate. God says otherwise. It is obvious to any student of the Bible that God hates sin. Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. Romans 12:9 Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. If we hated sin as much as God hates it, sin would no longer be a problem in our lives. We are to love as God loves and we are to hate as God hates.
Ecclesiastes 3:8(b) …a time for war and a time for peace. This can be a hard passage for some but every word of God is flawless (Proverbs 30:5). Sometimes peace can only come on the other side of a war. For example, if the leaders of England during the 1930’s had listened to Winston Churchill instead of Neville Chamberlin, World War II could have been avoided or at the least greatly shortened. No one besides Churchill seemed to recognize Hitler as a genocidal maniac determined to annihilate millions of innocent people. He had to be stopped. Ignoring the obvious and hoping things would work out was not the answer. There was a time for war and had those in charge recognized this Biblical truth early on it would have saved millions of lives. Ultimately people did realize this and the evil of the Axis powers was eventually challenged and defeated. War is a terrible thing but refusing to confront and fight evil will result in tragedy far worse than a war. This is true within organizations, families, yes, even the church. A few weeks ago we talked about not passing judgment on disputable matters (Romans 14:1) and how sometimes it is better to just be wronged (1 Corinthians 6:7).
For the sake of peace there are times when we just need to let things go. But there are other times, like in the book of Jude, when we must contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 3). Some things are disputable and not worth fighting over, other things are and we need to be asking for wisdom and discernment to know when to stand up and when to stand down.
These are just some observations on these amazing verses. Other more scholarly and thoughtful comparisons have been made so consider these as simple observations and add your own thoughts. As with all of His Word, God has given us marvelous truths to ponder. In these few verses we can see that there is a time and purpose for everything. There is order and purpose under the sun but not of man’s design. Timing is important. All the experiences listed in these verses are appropriate at times. The secret to peace with God is to discover, accept, and appreciate God’s perfect timing.