2/2/03 10.30 a.m. Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
Ecclesiastes 31 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil - this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. 15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.
PRAY
What is the meaning of life?
An advertisement in the U.S.A. offers help; "Want to know the meaning of life? Just call Griswoldo, your friendly neighbourhood guru. Dial (818) 902-9544 for an appointment today. Master Charge, Visa and American Express accepted."
Someone said, "Every time I find out the meaning of life, they change it."
The meaning of life? That's easy. Be happy, try not to hurt other people, and hope you fall in love. - Justine Bateman, "Family Ties"
The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity. -- Leo Tolstoy, Russian author (1828-1910)
The book of Ecclesiastes sets out to answer this question and, at first appears very depressing. This book is often attributed to King Solomon. He was the second son of David and Bathsheba, the former wife of Uriah the Hittite. When he was born, the Lord loved him, so that the child was also called Jedidiah (2 Sam 12:24-25). As David's death drew near, he gave Solomon practical advice as to faithfulness to God, the building of the temple, and the stability of the dynasty. Early in Solomon's reign he loved the Lord. The Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him to request of him whatever he desired. Solomon chose understanding and discernment above all else. God was pleased with this choice, granted his request, and also gave him riches and honour.
Solomon was a wise and learned man; it was stated that his wisdom was greater than that of the wise men of the East and of Egypt. His fame was widespread, and people came from far to hear him. Women were a serious weakness of Solomon, his harem held a collection of some 700 wives and 300 concubines. He made many political alliances through marriage (1 Kings 11:1-4) and God had warned that such marriages would lead to unfaithful worship. Solomon built places of worship for the false gods to satisfy his heathen wives. The Lord was angered at Solomon's failure to keep his explicit commands and told him of the split in the kingdom that was to take place in the reign of his son.
In 1:13 it says, "I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven." This is the goal of Solomon. His, perhaps rather superficial, answer is featured in 2: 24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God. This is repeated in 3:13.
Multimillionaire John D. Rockefeller was asked once how much money it took to make a person happy. His answer was, "JUST A LITTLE MORE."
In the earlier Chapters Solomon had expressed a lack of satisfaction to the point of despair in pleasure and material possessions. If "Turn, turn, turn" by the Byrds was inspired by Chapter 3, you could argue that 'I can't get no satisfaction", by the Rolling Stones was inspired by the first two Chapters!
Ultimately, the things of this world, pleasure, possessions, even wisdom cannot provide a lasting, true satisfaction, and in turn answer the question, 'What is the meaning of life?' Only the revelation of God can provide the answer to this question that has troubled many great minds. The one word answer, 'God', is simple, yet so revolutionary and life transforming that many cannot respond to it. Solomon was so entrapped in his world of riches, success, popularity and women that, unlike his father David, he did not repent and was judged by God.
Let us look at this passage to see what it says about God and our response.
11 He ( God ) has made everything beautiful in its time.
We have a creator and creative God. We can look at a new-born baby, a lovely sunset, or an impressive landscape to witness this. When he had finished the work of creation Genesis 1: 31 says, God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
This contrasts with the works of humankind. We have spoiled the created order by sinning, following our own ways rather than God's. This has spoiled our relationship with Him, with one another and with the whole created order which we abuse and exploit. There is also a contrast between the created beauty of the universe with the things that we make.
When we see what God has created and how He provides for us we are to praise him.
Martin Luther said, "I have one preacher that I love better than any other on earth. It is my little tame robin which preaches to me daily. I put his crumbs on the window sill. He hops on the sill and takes as much as he needs. From there he always flies to a little tree close by, lifts up his voice to God, sings his song of praise and gratitude, tucks his head under his wing and goes to sleep, leaving tomorrow to look after itself. He is the best preacher I have on earth."
11b; He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
This has been described as the 'God shaped hole' that everyone has inside them. We were created to know and love God. People try to fill the God shaped hole with wealth, possessions, power, popularity, drugs, drink, sex, but these things do not bring long term satisfaction and joy. People try to understand God by intellect, new experiences, physical discipline or denial, yet these do not work. The gap between humankind and God is so great that no-one can bridge it on their own.
A king fell in love with a serving
girl. When asked, "How shall I declare my love?" his advisers
answered, "Your majesty has only to appear in all the glory of
your royal splendour before the maid's humble dwelling and she will
instantly fall at your feet and be yours."
But it was precisely that which troubled the king. In return for his
love he wanted hers, freely given without any thought of material gain.
It was then that the king realized love's truth: Freedom for the loved
one demanded equality with her. So late one night, after all the counsellors
of the palace had gone, he slipped out a side door and appeared before
the maid's cottage dressed as a fellow servant.
In this service we celebrate and proclaim what God has done for us in Jesus. Leaving the glory of heaven for the poverty of a manger, escaping to Egypt as a refugee, spurned and killed by his own people, rejected and separated from God the Father as he took upon himself the punishment for the sin of the world.
God made the first move in Jesus. He made the second move on the Holy Spirit who comes to convict people of sin and the need to turn to Jesus, then gives the power to live for Him.
God wants the best for us; 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil - this is the gift of God.
God gives us the gift of time. Every day has 86,400 seconds. As the first eight verses say, there is a time to do things. To plant, build, laugh, dance, gather in, embrace, search, mend and speak.
As Christians we are called to recognise the gift of life, time, talents and energy. To praise God and use them for his glory. I recently read the following, which challenged me about this;
"Do you have a job in this church
and this community . . . or do you have a ministry? There is a difference!
If you are doing it because no one else will, it's a job. If you're
doing it to serve the Lord, it's a ministry.
If you're doing it just well enough to get by, it's a job. If you're
doing it to the best of your ability, it's a ministry.
If you'll do it only so long as it doesn't interfere with other activities,
it's a job.
If you're committed to staying with
it even when it means letting go of other things, it's a ministry.
If you quit because no one praised you or thanked you, it was a job.
If you stay with it even though no one seems to notice, it's a ministry.
If you do it because someone else said that it needs to be done, it's
a job. If you are doing it because you are convinced it needs to be
done, it's a ministry.
It's hard to get excited about a job. It's almost impossible not to
get excited about a ministry.
If your concern is success, it's a job. If your concern is faithfulness,
it's a ministry.
People may say "well done" when you do your job. The Lord
will say "well done" when you complete your ministry.
An average church is filled with people doing jobs. A great church is
filled with fulfilling their ministries.
14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. 15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.
This is referring to the way that God has created things, something we looked at in verse 11. It is referring to the fact that God was in charge, is in charge and will be in charge of the created order for ever. The purpose of this is to reveal something of himself through the created order. We read of this in Romans 1 , 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
God has revealed himself more fully in the person and work of Jesus, but has revealed enough of himself through the created order for anyone to respond. The response that is required is to 'revere' Him, verse 14. This word has elements of being afraid, in awe of, and giving honour and respect to God.
Even if we do this, as we read in the first eight verses of today's passage, that does not mean that life will be easy and painless. There are also difficult times when things happen to us. Times to tear down, weep and mourn.
However, we shouldn't have the apparent fatalism of Solomon or Lord Beaconsfield, who wrote: "Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a regret."
We cannot hold the view that, since God is sovereign and has a plan for our lives that we have to be inactive. We are part of his purpose. As members of His body here on earth we are required to live and minister in the power of His Spirit. Yet we shouldn't go so far that we forget that He is in control.
It has been said that people are like tea bags. . . . . .you have to put them in hot water before you can find out just how strong they are. God will use the difficult times to strengthen our faith. Sometimes, especially when things are going well, we do not rely on Him, perhaps even forgetting Him. So He uses the hard times when we have no other option than to seek His help. It is only when we trust Him that He can show how powerful, loving and faithful He is.
We should also remember that he is not too remote that he will not help us when we are in the difficult times. Matthew 11: 28 ( Jesus said )"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
We have a God who is in control and who wants the best for us. He rules the created order and the seasons of our lives. He wants us to trust in Him and His perfect ways for us, whatever may happen.
When an eagle wants to teach its little ones to fly from the nest high upon a cliff, hundreds of feet up in the air, it prods one of the little eaglets and with its beak noses it out of the nest. The eaglet starts to fall, and the great eagle flies underneath, puts its wing out, catches the little one on its back and flies a mile into the air. When you can hardly see the eagle as a point in the sky, it turns sideways, and down falls the little eaglet, fluttering maybe a thousand feet. Meanwhile, the eagle circles around and underneath the eaglet; the eagle catches the eaglet on its wings and carries the eaglet up in the air again. After dishing the young one out again and letting it go, the eaglet comes down farther and farther-sometimes within a hundred feet of the ground. Again the great eagle catches the little one on its back and they go up another mile. The little eagle is at perfect rest, and little by little it will learn to fly. The eagle knows when the eaglet is tired; it spoons the eaglet into the nest, noses out the next one and starts off again.
God says, "That is the way I take care of you." But we may say, "I do not like to have my nest stirred up. I like everything cozy and tidy, and I just like to stay in my baby ways where I am." But God loves us. That is why He will not let us stay as babies; He wants us to learn to fly. Sometimes we have to be carried aloft, and we may have a horror of having to go on our own, but it must come if we are to grow and to know the freedom that only He can bring..
PRAY