ECCLESIASTES LESSON 3

     We will begin this lesson in Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To every [thing
there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:"

     This is saying, that God arranges even the smallest details of
our surroundings. Verse 1 is speaking of all the things collectively,
that he will detail in the next few verses. God's timetable for this
earth is perfect. Certain events are ordained from the foundation of
the earth. A very good example of this very thing, is the fact that
Abraham {the father of the faithful} was born 1948 years after Adam.
Then Israel became a nation in 1948 our time. Another time I believe
to be very significant, is the approximate 6000 years of work for the
people of the earth, then God will set up a thousand year day of
sabbath of rest. We are nearing the end of the 6-1000 year days of
work. Jesus will come back to the earth as King and reign in perfect
peace for 1-1000 year day of rest. Things, like when we are born and
when we die, are foreordained of God. The thing that is not already
destined to be, is what we do with Jesus. We, of our own free will,
accept Him, or reject Him.

     Ecclesiastes 3:2 "A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to
plant, and a time to pluck up [that which is] planted;"

     We see that we have no control of the day we are born. We have no
control of who we are born to. We have no control over our gender. We
have no control over the way we look, when we are born. All of these
things are destined of God. I could go on and on. We have no control
over whether we are born into a wealthy family, or a poverty stricken
family. All of these things are determined of God. We do not have
control of the time of our death either. Job 7:1 "[Is there] not an
appointed time to man upon earth? [are not] his days also like the
days of an hireling?" Isaac is a very good example of God having a
precise time for us to be born. Genesis 21:2 "For Sarah conceived, and
bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had
spoken to him."  Death is the same. God has set a time for each
person's death. Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to
die, but after this the judgment:"  The following Scripture tells us
the very best, what our life is. James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what
[shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a
vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

     After a hard winter, and spring just appears, we all get the urge
to make ready the field, and plant something. We watch it grow, till
it matures, and then, it is time to pluck it up. Jesus spoke of
planting and harvesting. As long as the earth exists, there will be a
time of planting, and a time of harvest. In the spiritual sense, the
time of the end is time of harvest.

     Ecclesiastes 3:3 "A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to
break down, and a time to build up;"

     The 6th commandment says, "Thou shalt not kill". Then how, can
this Scripture say a time to kill?  Thou shalt not kill, means thou
shalt not commit premeditated murder. It does not mean that you are
not to go to war to protect your family, or your country. A very good
example of a time to kill is shown by God killing the firstborn in
Egypt. Exodus 12:12 "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this
night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man
and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment:
I [am] the LORD."  Another instance when it was a time to kill, is
when David killed Goliath. You see, there is a time to kill, but it
must be a time that God has chosen for us to kill, not a time when we
kill for selfish reasons. It is nearly always the time to heal. Most
of Jesus' ministry here on the earth involved healing. Everyone who
had faith enough to receive his healing was healed by Him. I Peter
2:24 "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that
we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose
stripes ye were healed."  Our healing is spoken of as if it is already
done in this Scripture. For us to be healed, we must apply this
promise to our problem and believe. We must act upon the promise that
Jesus has willed us. John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and
greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
John 14:13 "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son."  John 14:14 "If ye shall
ask any thing in my name, I will do [it]."

     Why did God not allow David to build His temple?  We read in I
Kings 5:3 "Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an
house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about
him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his
feet." The very next verse tells when it was the right time for
Solomon to build it. I Kings 5:4 "But now the LORD my God hath given
me rest on every side, [so that there is] neither adversary nor evil
occurrent." I Kings 5:5 "And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto
the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father,
saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall
build an house unto my name."  Sometimes things have to be torn down
to the foundation, before they can build on the spot.

     Ecclesiastes 3:4 "A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to
mourn, and a time to dance;"

     The shortest sentence in the Bible is in John 11:35 "Jesus wept."
Jesus is our example in everything, so we know there are times for us
to weep. When we lose a loved one, it is a natural thing to weep. You
have heard the expression {laugh and the world laughs with you, cry
and you cry alone}. This is very true. Psalms 126:2 "Then was our
mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said
they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them."

     A story of contrast of mourning and a time to dance quickly
reminds us of David, when he danced before the Ark of the covenant.
Il Samuel 6:14 "And David danced before the LORD with all [his] might;
and David [was] girded with a linen ephod." II Samuel 6:15 "So David
and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with
shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet."   David's mourning came
at the loss of his firstborn child. David committed adultery with
Bathsheba, then he had her husband killed in battle, so he might marry
her. In punishment, God took their first child. II Samuel 12:14
"Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the
enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also [that is] born unto
thee shall surely die."

     Ecclesiastes 3:5 "A time to cast away stones, and a time to
gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from
embracing;"

     A very good example of a time to cast away stones, is when you
are clearing a field for cultivation. The time to gather stones, is
when you are building a stone house. Embracing is a way of showing
passion, or affection. When two friends meet, it is alright to embrace
in greeting. The negative side of this would be under the
classification of passion. It is not, however, a very nice thing for a
man and a woman to passionately embrace in public.

     Ecclesiastes 3:6 "A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to
keep, and a time to cast away;"

     Material things have been put on the earth for the use of
mankind. One of the most vivid Scriptures about getting and losing is
in Mark 10:29 "And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you,
There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or
father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and
the gospel's," Mark 10:30 "But he shall receive an hundredfold now in
this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and
children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come
eternal life." We see from this, if we give up our family to work for
God, we will get blessings abundant in this life, and will inherit
eternal life. The story of Job tells of a man who had received great
wealth and blessings from God. Satan caused Job to lose them. God gave
twice as many blessings back to Job, when he proved faithful.

     There are a number of things we are admonished to keep. The most
important of all, is keep the faith. We should cast our cares upon
Jesus. We must cast off our sins and idols of this world.

     Ecclesiastes 3:7 "A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to
keep silence, and a time to speak;"

     Rending of clothing is a sign of great mourning. The rending of
the veil from the top to the bottom at the crucifixion of Jesus opened
the way to the Father for all believers. Matthew 27:51 "And, behold,
the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom;
and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"  The sewing of this very
curtain had been ordained of God. This curtain was sown with thread of
beaten gold. No man could have rent it. It had to be Almighty God.

     The following Scriptures tell of times to be silent. Habakkuk
2:20 "But the LORD [is] in his holy temple: let all the earth keep
silence before him."  We see in the following Scriptures, that there
is a time to speak, also. Luke 19:40 "And he answered and said unto
them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones
would immediately cry out."  Luke 19:37 "And when he was come nigh,
even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of
the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for
all the mighty works that they had seen;" The most important time of
all to speak, is in the following Scriptures. Romans 10:9 "That if
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in
thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved." Romans 10:10 "For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

     Ecclesiastes 3:8 "A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of
war, and a time of peace."

     Hate is a word I do not like, but God says there is a time to
hate. Look, with me, at the following Scripture. Revelation 2:6 "But
this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I
also hate." Notice, He did not hate the Nicolaitans, He hated their
deeds. We are to hate the sin, and love the sinner. God wants us to
love everyone, even our enemies, as we read in the next verses.
Matthew 5:43  "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love
thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy." Matthew 5:44 "But I say unto
you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you;"  Jesus gave us two commandments that cover all. They
both have to do with love. Matthew 22:37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind." Matthew 22:38 "This is the first and great
commandment." Matthew 22:39 "And the second [is] like unto it, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Love is the greatest positive
emotion we can have. God is Love. John 3:16  "For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

     The condition of the world is, and has been, the fact of wars and
rumors of wars. This will not change, until Jesus {the King of Peace}
comes and sets up His thousand year reign of peace upon the earth. God
is not against war, when it is preserving the right. One of the most
interesting examples of God blessing in war is found in chapter 17 of
Exodus. Joshua fought while Moses lifted his arms in praise to God.
Aaron and Hur held up the arms of Moses, until the battle was over and
Joshua defeated Amalek. Exodus 17:12 "But Moses' hands [were] heavy;
and they took a stone, and put [it] under him, and he sat thereon; and
Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the
other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going
down of the sun." Exodus 17:13 "And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his
people with the edge of the sword."

     There is a day of peace coming when Jesus reigns. We read in
Micah 4:3  "And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong
nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
                       Ecclesiastes 3 Questions


1.  To everything there is a ________.
2.  What is a very good example of something in time, that God
    ordained?
3.  When will Jesus come back and set up His 1000 year day reign?
4.  What is not already decided for us?
5.  What are some things we have no control over pertaining to our
    birth?
6.  Quote Job chapter 7 verse 1.
7.  Who is a good example of someone being born at a precise time?
8.  Quote Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27.
9.  What is our life?
10. As long as the earth exists, there will be a time of _________ and
    ___________.
11. When is the time of harvesting, in the spiritual sense?
12. What is the 6th commandment?
13. What does that really mean?
14. What is a good example, in the Bible, of a time to kill?
15. When is it time to heal?
16. Quote 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 24.
17. Who can heal?
18. How can you do it?
19. What is the shortest verse in the Bible?
20. When is a good time to laugh?
21. Quote 2 Samuel chapter 6 verses 14 and 15.
22. Why did David's firstborn son with Bathsheba die?
23. When do you cast away stones?
24. When do you gather stones?
25. When is it alright to embrace?
26. When would it be wrong to embrace?
27. Quote Mark chapter 10 verses 29 and 30.
28. What was rending of clothing a sign of?
29. Quote Matthew chapter 27 verse 51.
30. What was the curtain in the temple sewn with?
31. The LORD is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep _________
    before Him.
32. Quote Luke chapter 19 verse 40.
33. What Scripture describes the most important time to speak?
34. Love the sinner, and hate the _______.
35. Who are all Christians to love?
36. Quote John chapter 3 verse 16.
37. When is God not against war?
38. What is a good example of God blessing in war?
39. They shall beat their swords into ____________.
40. Neither shall they learn _______ anymore.