Ecclesiastes 3-4 - by Ray Viola

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4:16 by Ray Viola

Series: Ecclesiastes

ECCLESIASTES 3

1 ¶ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die;

“The clock of life is wound but once, And no man has the power.

To tell just when the hands will stop, At late or early hour.

To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed. To lose one’s health is more.

To lose one’s soul is such a loss, That no man can restore.”

39 people died while we just read that short poem!
Every hour 5,417 go to meet their Maker! Contrary to what Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones once sung, time is not on your side.

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up (harvest) that which 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 together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose (a time to search and a time to quit searching); a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend (tear), and a time to sew; a time to keep silence (be quiet), and a time to speak;

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

A time to every purpose. In verses 2-8 of this chapter, there is a remarkable listing of twenty-eight “times,” arranged in fourteen pairs of opposites (e.g., “a time to be born, and a time to die”). Every timed event has a “purpose” and every thing is “beautiful” in God’s time for it (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Time is in heaven’s control, not ours.

Acts 15.18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

The point that God wants us to understand here is this. Even though everything in the world is in a state of perpetual change from one thing to another, nothing in this life happens haphazardly. It is not chance or fate that governs the things that happen in the lives of people on earth, any more than chance or fate governs the repeated cycles of the wind, clouds, rain etc.
Time operates under God’s creative fiat. He ordained the sun, moon, and stars in their courses for the purpose of measuring off seasons, month, days, and years (Gen 1:14). The orderliness of time reflects the Creator’s orderliness. His order extends beyond the universe, the solar system, our planet, plants, animals, and mankind. It even applies to that which is normally invisible: gravity, the speed of light, photosynthesis, meiosis, emotions, thought processes.
Even though in our limited dimension of time and space we may never understand how a particular event can be either purposeful or beautiful, we can have faith that in God’s time, everything is working together for good. (Romans 8:28). Psalms 31:15 My times are in Thy hand.
It has been said that the promise with life is that it is so daily!

9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

Cynicism confuses Solomon—and it can do so to any believer whose sins have broken their fellowship with the Father. It has been rightly stated that cynicism “angers us emotionally. It numbs us spiritually. It leaves us scarred, bitter, disillusioned, and, for sure, feeling distant from God.” That aptly describes Solomon at this phase of his journey.

11 ¶ He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

He hath set the world (eternity) in their hearts.

This is a difficult phrase to interpret, for it can read that God has set the world in their hearts, but some translate it that God sets eternity in our hearts.

As Estes notes, “humans are bound by time, but they are wired for eternity. They intuitively know that there must be meaning somewhere, and that they were made for more than vain toil.”

· Since it is true that no man can find out the work that God makes, the text seems to be saying to us that instead of exercising ourselves in vain endeavors to comprehend what is incomprehensible, it is much better to simply submit ourselves and the work of our hands in faith and patience to the appointments of our heavenly Father.

Ro 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

“The key to contentment in this life comes from knowing and believing this that it is God Himself Who has given the ability to work and enjoy the fruits of those labors.
Don't be angry or bitter because of what you don't have, rejoice in what God has given you. Learn to be content. If you refuse, you will only become restless and unsatisfied as you try to fill yourself with things under the sun.
Our joy and satisfaction in the blessing of God in reality is what gives Him glory. God is most glorified when man is most satisfied…in Him. Man is most satisfied when God is most glorified. They are inextricably linked.

14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever:

Ps 33:11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Pr 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

What God does, cannot be changed. I am eternally grateful for the words of my Lord Jesus on the cross, it is finished!
God isGod. He bows to no one or nothing. The NLT of the end of verse 14 reads, God’s purpose is that people should fear Him. And the fact that He is the Almighty is cause for us to fear and reverence Him. That will be the conclusion of the whole matter.
Eccl.12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Rev 15.3 Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy.
John Wesley wrote, “Men should learn to trust in Him, to submit to Him, to fear to offend Him, and more carefully study to please Him.”

15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

A description of evil in the courtroom. In fact the NLT reads, “yes, even the courts of law are corrupt”
Solomon is still showing us that every thing in this world without the fear of God is vanity.

17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

· In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds. No one will escape the judgment of God.

· Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

· Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

People and animals share the same fate—both breatheand both must die.

· This statement is made from an earthly perspective only, not taking into account our eternal destination. The author is merely focusing upon the fact that God made us from the dust of the earth and after death our bodies decompose and return to dust again (Gen 3:19).

· Psalm 49:20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

When a person gets as far away from the Lord as Solomon did, he or she will turn their back on the clear truths of Scripture and ignore God’s revelation. The creation account in Genesis 1–3 plainly explains key differences between animals and human beings.
Due to his spiritual crisis and lack of discernment, however, Solomon experiences temporary Scripture amnesia and concludes that human beings are no better off than animals.

22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Since no man can foresee what shall be after him, he should with a cheerful spirit enjoy the present gifts of God's providence.

ECCLESIASTES 4

1 ¶ So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

He writes about the tears of victims of oppression, with no one to comfort them. No one to afford relief to their souls or bodies.
How grateful we can be tonight for The Comforter, God The Holy Ghost Who has been sent to come along side of those who mourn or are oppressed.

2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.

3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Someone who hasn’t been born yet is better off than the dead or the living. That’s because he hasn’t seen the evil things that are done on earth

4 ¶ Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

In other words, most people are motivated to succeed because they envy their neighbor and what they have. The true power of the gospel can alone root out this ungodly principle.
Who has not been tempted by the spirit of envy or jealousy? Proverbs tells us that envy rots the bones. The ugly fruit of envy is sorrow and discontentment.

5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

The fool is sits back and takes it easy. He eats his own flesh means that his sloth is a slow suicide. Once again we are reminded in the Proverbs of the many warnings and consequences that await the sluggard or idle souls.
The Christian life is to be marked by diligence and hard work. Grace not only enables us to labor, but teaches us to labor as well.

6 Better is an handful with quietness (rest from striving), than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

On one end, you have the lazy person, and on the other end you have the tragedy of being a “workaholic.” The tragedy of being driven, simply to have more stuff. Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind. Godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 ¶ Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

8 There is one alone (who has none but himself to care for), and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour (he lives in perpetual restlessness and toil); neither is his eye satisfied with riches;

His hard work never ended. But he wasn’t happy with what he had.

neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

Suppose someone falls down. Then his friend can help him up. But suppose the man who falls down doesn’t have anyone to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Verse 9-12 are passages that are often used in wedding ceremonies, the reference being to a rope made of three pieces of hemp wound together. If two pieces were used, under stress and strain they would unravel and split apart—like many marriages today. But if the rope-maker wanted to make a lasting rope, he would wind a third cord in the middle to strengthen the two outer cords. The center cord, of course, is to be the Lord Jesus. And it’s a wonderful thought.
A marriage that is centered in Christ will not be broken by the destroyer, Satan. I think one of the reasons marriages are struggling, that is Christian marriages, is because they are trying to make it without Christ, and that is very difficult to do. A threefold cord is more than three times as strong as three separate cords, and with Christ as the binding force, it will not be broken.
The context of these verses is stressing the importance of companionship and friendship. God created us to be social beings. The doctrine of the Trinity is proof that fellowship with one another is a vital part of being made in the image of God.

13 ¶ Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished (refuses to take advice).

The folly of power when in the hands of a fool. It is better to be a poor, wise child than a king who hath neither the wisdom to govern himself, nor to receive the counsels of wiser men.

14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

For he-The poor and wise child is often advanced to the highest dignity. Whereas-That old king is deprived of his kingdom.

15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

I have seen all the living under the sun gather to the side of the boy who becomes king in his place. There was no end to all the people. He ruled over all of them. Yet those who come later will not be happy with him. New Life Translation
Solomon himself had experienced the fickleness of man. The smile of one today, may be replaced by the frown of tomorrow.

Beloved, even as Christians, we can relate to what Solomon is writing here. Scripture says that we see through a glass darkly. The older that we get, we become increasingly aware of the fact that life is not always a straight line form home plate to first base. It is woven with multiple mysteries. The people of God hurting, while the children of the world live in prosperity and health. I call this the Psalm 73 syndrome.

Psalm 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. 3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

He would be brought to a place of despair, until he got alone with God, and saw things from the heavenly perspective.

Psalm 73:6 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

By the grace of God’s Spirit, Asaph receives this revelation that should be written upon each and every one of our hearts tonight:

Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

The only thing that makes sense in this senseless world is the truth and the hope in the gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ. Though we see not the complete beauty of Providence, yet we shall see it, and a glorious sight it will be, when the mystery of God shall be finished.

May we live our live by faith, and not by sight. Trusting in The Lord with all of our heart, and leaning not unto our own understanding. May our contentment and completeness be in Christ.