THE PROBLEM OF TIME

ECCLESIASTES 3:1-15

INTRODUCTION

Life is like a coin, you can spend any way you want to but you can only spend it once. The preacher (Koheleth) begins with a parallel series of 14 opposites. The preacher contrasts to picture the total human experience we must realize that God, not man controls time.

Let us learn:-

I.   FIRST, RECOGNIZE GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY OVER TIME (3:1-8)

• “To everything, there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven”
• Ecclesiastes chapter 3, is the world’s most famous poem on the subject of time.

1. Time to be born and time to die (v.2)

• The boundaries of life “under the sun” is birth and death.
• Both birth and death are not accidents but are divine appointments because God is in control of both.
• Although we may foolishly hasten our death, we cannot prevent it when it comes.
• The Bible reminds us that our days are numbered (Psalm 139:16)
• Psalm 31:15- “My times are in your hands” Psalm 90:10-12, 37:18
• Even for Jesus Christ, there was a time to be born (Gal.4:4)

2. Time for planting and time for plucking (V.2)

• The successful farmer knows that nature works for him only when he works with nature.
• There is a natural time for planting and a natural time for harvesting.
• The secret to a successful life is to learn God’s principles and cooperate with them.

3. Time for killing and time for Healing (V.3)

“A time to kill and a time to heal”

• The term “Killing” here is not the same as “murdering” rather “Sickness and disease”
• People get ill and die, but sometimes God’s plan is to get ill and be healed.
• Sometimes God permits man to have a part in the healing (Doctors and medicine) but others times healing is entirely God’s doing.
• We do not understand why one is taken and another is left.

4. Time for tearing down and time for building (V.3)

• There is time for “urban renewal” old ways of doing things must give way to new ways.
• Old habits and attitudes must give way to Godly habits and attitudes.

5. Time for weeping and time for laughing (V.4)

• There is time for mourning and a time for rejoicing (I Thes.4:13)

6. Time to mourn and time to dance- time to mourn over our sins and time to dance in the presence of God. (I Sam.6:20)
7. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones”(v.5)

• The land of Palestine is very rocky indeed. Farmers had to clear their land before they could plough and plant.
• If you wanted to hurt your neighbour enemy you filled his field with rocks (2 Kings 3:19-25)

8. A time to speak and a time to keep silent (V.7)

• 27:14, James 1:26, Psalm 141:3

9. Time to love and time to hate (V.8)

• Hate the things God hates (Pro.6:17-19)

II.   SECOND: DRAWING CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING TIME (3:9-11)

• We may not understand His time and purpose now until we step out of our time (Under heaven) and into His purpose (Eternity)
• God’s timing is always best (v.11)
• “He has made everything beautiful in its time”
• God has put eternity in their hearts (v.11)
• God will never let the human heart be satisfied by that which is temporal. Eternity is in your heart.

III.  THIRD, PERCEPTIONS CONCERNING TIME, (3:12-15)

• What God gives (v.12-13)
• God gives us the ability to enjoy life, the ability to do good.
• God gives the ability to enjoy food and drink. “In the last few years of John D. Rockefeller- The richest man in the world. He could eat very little food, two bites and a sip of water per day. One day Rockefeller, on a New York city street sow a beggar eating a hot dog. He said ‘ I would give a million dollars to be able to eat that hot dog”
• What God does (v.14-15)
• God’s works are permanent (v.14) I Cor.15:58)
• God’s works are complete (v.14)

CONCLUSION

• Wait for God’s time.
• Live like you are dying (Heb.9:27)
• Use your time wisely today (Eph.5:16)
• Recognize God’s sovereignty over time.
• Are you saved? Just come to Jesus Today.