Bin There Done That Series

Ecclesiastes 3: 1 – 15

Bin There Done That

1 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away; 7 A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace. 9 What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? 10 I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. 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. 12 I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, 13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. 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. 15 That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been; and God requires an account of what is past.

The experiments of Professor Solomon are now over, yet he continues to think about all his research. As he reflects on his study he recognizes that various things occur repetitively, each in its own time. They come and they go but they are only temporary. He notices how everyone is involved in the same action and then counter actions such as being born - then you die.

1 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted;

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

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance;

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

6 A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away;

7 A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.

In these verses Solomon points out that man cannot control the events and circumstances of his life.

Solomon consolidates 28 activities that occur in our lives. The list is made up of 14 contrasting phrases and then gives the opposite action that our Holy God causes from these events.

You might say to yourselves, ‘Hey, I can think of more major actions that occur in one’s lifetime.’ Well, good for you. This means you are into God’s Word, and it is causing you also to ponder His Truth.

In Scripture the number 14 is intended to convey the idea of divine perfection. Numbers are significant. For example, the number 4 refers to worldly things created by God [ie. North, South, East, and West]. The number 5 refers to our Lord Grace. The number 6 is assigned to mankind [ie. 666]. The number 7 is perfection [7 days in creation] When you double a number it is designed to confirm the original statement. We read in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 19, “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.”

We need to learn from this lesson that our Holy God Is Love. He has a reason and purpose for everything that happens in our lives.

Have you ever said this to God, ‘Why did You do that Lord?’ or ‘ Why me?’ We need to recognize that God Is in total control of everything. He says to us in the book of Romans chapter 8 that “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”