Book of Ecclesiastics Ch 3:1-8

Book of Ecclesiastics Ch 3:1-8

(An exploration of the meaning of life, reckoning with death, futility, and purpose).

Ecclesiastes teaches that life is random and uncontrollable, so how do we live well under these
circumstances? For the author of Ecclesiastes, any attempt to try and control our lives is
pointless. But life itself is not.

What is the main message of Ecclesiastes?

In Ecclesiastes, the Teacher explores the meaning of life and searches for lasting value in this
life. He considers wisdom, knowledge, pleasure, work, and time, but comes away from his
search with a cynical and unsettling view: life is meaningless.
The subjects of Ecclesiastes are the pain and frustration engendered by observing and meditating
on the distortions and inequities pervading the world, the uselessness of human ambition, and
the limitations of worldly wisdom and righteousness.
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A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven:
A time for being born-b and a time for dying,
A time for planting and a time for uprooting the planted;
A time for slaying and a time for healing,-c
A time for tearing down and a time for building up;
A time for weeping and a time for laughing,
A time for wailing and a time for dancing;
A time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones,
A time for embracing and a time for shunning embraces;
A time for seeking and a time for losing,
A time for keeping and a time for discarding;
A time for ripping and a time for sewing,
A time for silence and a time for speaking;
A time for loving and a time for hating;
 "For everything there is a season, and a time for
every purpose under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
Part of God’s great design to this earth is seasons. We experience wet and dry
seasons, the typical four seasons of winter, spring, summer, and fall, and there are
planting seasons and harvesting seasons. We see creation moving through seasons
each year, and we ourselves live through seasons, as well. In these seasons we learn
to depend on and come to expect things. So, too, we find in the Bible that our lives
go through seasons.
Seasons of sadness, loss, joy, newness, and growth. All of these life seasons are
intentional and God’s influence in them should be acknowledged and counted on.
We find this often quoted verse in the book of Ecclesiastes, which is believed to
have been written by Solomon, the son of King David.
When Scripture declares that for everything there is a season, this means that the
various circumstances we go through in life are not by coincident, but orchestrated
or allowed by God with great purpose and intentionality.
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 W
. hat Does The Bible Mean 'For Everything There Is a Season'?
Ecclesiastes :31 affirms two important reminders:
The things we go through in life are not in vain.
1.Our situations will not last forever. (And that too, shall pass!)
If you are in a certain season of life, you can be confident the season will
come to an end at some point. This verse serves as a reminder that our
circumstances will change and that is something we can come to expect in
life. Whatever God takes us through has purpose, perhaps to deepen our
faith or to help us achieve breakthrough in an area of life.
We will get over our sorrows. We will get out of the valley. We will go
through hardships. And whatever season of life we find ourselves in, it will
have a beginning and it will have an end. We will enter new seasons, too.
Ones that bring relief, hope, or a deeper sense of faith.
 .

"Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses". -
Good News Translation
"Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity
under heaven" - God's Word
"There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the
earth" - The Message, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every
activity under the heavens" -
 . Is the Context of This Verse and 'For Everything There Is a Season’?
What

As you read Ecclesiastes, you may get the impression that Solomon had somewhat of a
grave outlook on life. The book begins with Solomon’s declaration that everything is
meaningless (see verse 1:1). He had seen the ups and downs of life, yet could not quite
make sense of life. Why was there so much suffering? Where was God in the midst of
life? What is the meaning of the mundane days we live? In this book, Solomon
reflected on his understanding of God and how that fits with what he knew and the life
he was experiencing. Perhaps you have found yourself wondering or reflecting like
Solomon did.
In the third chapter, we find perhaps some clarity around the mysteries of life. When
nothing seems to make sense, if we find God’s presence in life, that’s when real
meaning and satisfaction will emerge. Life without God is hopeless, but a life lived for
God and in acknowledgement of his divine presence is one marked by fruitfulness and
significance.
In this chapter, Solomon affirmed the seasons of joys and the seasons of hardships, the
high and the low seasons, the valleys of despair and the peaks of honor. This is the ebb
and flow of life that we can anticipate, and when we keep God at the center, purpose
will emerge and refining of our hearts will take place.
 Why Is There a Time for Bad Things?
The reality is that life gets hard. As we know, bad things happen even to those
who follow God. Sinful nature has left nothing untouched. We know that we
will go through tough seasons just as much as we go through joyful seasons.

God reminds us that we will always have troubles, but we can still have
peace. The hope found in this Ecclesiastical passage is that these seasons of
suffering, hate, and death will end. God will bring us through to better days
marked by comfort, love, and new life. Through it all, we can rest in the
peace God has given us. Regardless of what we face, God remains in control
and is the author of our days.
 What Do We Learn from Ecclesiasties 3:1 about
Change and Timing?
What Do We Learn from Ecclesiasties 3:1 about Change and Timing?
Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, goes to great lengths to preach that
we must put our trust in God’s sovereignty which means he is in control
of all things. God is with us in the hardest battles. He guides our steps
from one season to the next. He sees what is coming ahead for us and will
provide what we need to get through. No matter what seasons lay behind
us or ahead of us, God is always present and always leading us through
each - for the purpose of His glory.
The greatest hope we have in seasons of trouble or change is that God will
never leave us nor forsake us . We may experience God’s timing as
difficult, or late, or hard to understand, or different than what we’d expect
or hope for. But truly, God’s timing is perfect and always comes to pass in
a way that will bring us goodness rather than hopelessness.
 How Can We Apply "For Everything There is a Season" to
Everyday Lives?
When we wake up, we can trust that whatever season we are in is not by accident, nor will
God allow it to unfold without bringing out a grander purpose and drawing us closer to
him. Every season is purposeful in leading us into a deeper relationship with God and
creating unshakeable faith.
We can hope that the Lord will give us seasons of joy, and know that he wants us to enjoy
life (see Ecclesiastes 3:12-13). We should savor the goodness of life and the ways God
has gifted us with his favor. Apply this verse to your life by trusting that God knows the
seasons in your life in which you will relish and endure, and he will be with you every
step of the way. Therefore, we should lean into God regardless of the situation because he
loves us and will journey with us each moment, each day, and each season. Like Solomon,
we can pause to reflect on our lives and how we see God’s presence and direction.
God is the author of our time and the seasons we go through. Though life does not always
make sense, or may even feel insignificant at times, rather than getting lost in despair, we
can find comfort and hope in God. God brings us to new seasons, changes our
circumstances, and adds fullness to our existence. God alone will make things beautiful in
due season and cause our lives to be abundant in meaning.
 Turn! Turn! Turn! By the Byrds
To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under Heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under Heaven
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
 .

To everything turn, turn, turn

There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under Heaven
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing
To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under Heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rain, a time of sow
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late