Ecclesiastes 3-5:7 By Lance Terry Lesson for July 27-28 Introduction All good things must come to an end. The phrase had probably become a cliché to you over the years. It s something you ve said or heard plenty of times and either nodded in solemn agreement or scoffed at in bitterness. The reality is that the phrase does seem to be true. We achieve something great and find that the satisfaction fades and the achievement depreciates in value. We build relationships with people who eventually move away, grow cold, or even pass away. We find ourselves constantly striving for a goal that will satisfy, only to find that it doesn t satisfy. As joyful and full as life can be, we find that all things are coming to an end at one point or another. We find that happiness can turn into sadness. Days that begin with hope can end in despair. This is a reality that the author of Ecclesiastes tackles head on. In chapters three thru five the teacher examines this reality and what he believes to be the efforts man should give himself to in light of it. 3:1-11 The Unsolvable Problem The author here provides a descriptive look at how the world works. Please not that it is not prescriptive. He is not saying that man should seek to find time to kill or heal or weep or laugh. Some of the things listed in this passage aren t even in man s control (birth and death for example). What the author is doing here is describing that God has set life in such a way that there will be a season for everything. Many of the seasons listed are self-explanatory but we should stop to understand the more difficult ones. One cryptic phrase is seen in verse 5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones. During this time land that was to be cultivated would need all of the stones on it removed. Someone s enemy in an effort to cause trouble on their land may throw stones onto the land to make cultivating it more difficult. This brings the phrase in line with the rest of verse 5 to communicate that there will be times in life where people get along and are close and other times where people will be distant and even become enemies. Yet another cryptic phrase is found in verse seven where the author says there is a time to tear apart and a time to sew together. Most likely this is a reference to a time for mourning (tearing of the clothes) and a time for ending that mourning (sewing them back together). In general verses 1-8 describe almost every season in life as observed by the author. While some may find this encouraging, he goes on to communicate his frustration with the state of things in 9-11. Since there is a season for everything, the author finds himself dissatisfied with the way man spends his life. He sees in verse 9 the man works all the time and finds very little profit in it. The reason perhaps for his dissatisfaction comes in verse 11 when he states that God has set eternity in their heart. While, on the surface, this
statement seems to be a positive one the tone turns negative as he says that man will not be able to find out the work God has done from beginning to end. Here we find the unsolvable problem. Man finds himself dissatisfied with his work because he knows in his heart that there is something beyond this life. He is at the same time always unable to really understand what God is accomplishing beyond this life and is therefore frustrated with his state. It is at this point in the passage that the author will begin to identify actions that can and should be taken by man in light of the fact that life is so frustrating. 3 actions in particular are found in the remainder of the passage. 1) Find joy in today (3:12-15) In light of the previous conclusions the author states that man should rejoice and do good in one s lifetime and that every man who and eats and drinks sees good in all his labor. There is a tone of resignation in this as it is not what man really desires (knowing God s eternal plan). It is however good advice in that it directs man to what he can control finding joy in his present condition. The idea here is that man should enjoy each day and do good. In this fallen world ultimate meaning and ultimate peace cannot be obtained. It is wise therefore for man to do as much good as he can and find as much enjoyment as he can in his normal life. All of life seems to be about the next step rather than the present one. In grade school I looked forward to the excitement that would come with being in junior high and not being treated like a child. In junior high I looked forward to the respect and enjoyment that would come with being in high school. In high school I looked forward to the freedom that would come with moving out and going to college. In college I looked forward to the respect and enjoyment I would find in getting a job and making a decent salary. What happened when I finally arrived there? I longed for the stress free days of no work and no financial responsibility! If we re not careful, we can become so consumed with what s next that we never enjoy where we re at. This passage is a warning that we won t find ultimate meaning at the next step. We should therefore find joy and happiness in the current one. 2) Live life in Community (4:7-12) The second action one should take in this life is to become a part of a community. The author tells a story of man who had no dependants, yet he still overworked himself for wealth that would go to no one. The story is an illustration of the importance of relationships. The passage identifies three benefits to relationship (friendship, marriage, relatives, etc.). First, relationships provide
someone to help in time of need (verse 10). Second, relationships provide an opportunity for mutual support (verse 11). Finally, relationships serve to strengthen us when we face adversity (verse 12). The three stranded cord serves as a picture of the strength gained through additional human relationships. While it is tempting to read Christ into the verse, we must recognize that the author s intent was to focus on the benefits of community. While Christ most certainly strengthens our relationships, the value of relationships with one another is what is in mind here. Why do we go to church? If becoming a Christian is about accepting Jesus as our personal savior and living for him why not live out that faith on our own? The reason is that God has designed us each with gifts that only fully work in the community. 1 Corinthians 12:14-18 says this: For the body is not one member but many. If the foot says, Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body, it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. And if the ear says Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body, it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body as he desired. The emphasis there is that God desired it this way. He gave us each different gifts to serve His body. The implication is that we must be in Christian community to see these gifts used to their fullest. We can take comfort in knowing that God desired it to be this way. The author of Ecclesiastes has observed the futility of doing life alone. Over time he has come to understand the benefits of friendship and community. 3) Watch your attitude before God (5:1-7) One thing that becomes clear as you read Ecclesiastes is the author s belief that God should be feared. This can be reverence or awe, but in Ecclesiastes the word also included basic fear of danger in light of God s power and judgment on the world. This comes through in the final instruction we look at. The author says that man should guard his steps when approaching the house of God and let his words be few when he enters. The motive for this attitude is identified in verse two as the vast difference between God and man (he is in heaven and you are on earth). He also instructs them to be careful about what they vow and to fulfill those vows that have been made. Once again the motivation is the fear of God. In verse three and seven the author uses dreams as an analogy to speaking too much before God. Commentators are somewhat unsure about the meaning of this analogy, but the general opinion is that just as many dreams (unreal) are the result of too much effort (verse 3) so many words before God are the result of too much effort that also lead to nothing. The analogy unfortunately doesn t come through as well in English but this seems to be a satisfactory explanation of the passage. The overall theme
here is the futility of improper worship. Whether it is a hasty attitude, too much talking, or unreliable in making vows, the author encourages man to instead fear God in all his dealings with Him. One of the areas we could all use some growth in is in our knowledge of God. We tend to take bits and pieces from scripture (usually the ones that make us feel good) and use those to build our own theology. The problem with this is that we often ignore large aspects of God s character. For example, how often to we forget that we pray to and worship the same God that brought the plagues on Egypt, even killing everyone s first born? How often do we forget that we serve the same God who would literally kill anyone who handled the Ark of the Covenant incorrectly? We absolutely serve a loving God and one that has shown more grace than we ever deserved, but He is also a powerful and just God and we would do well to keep that in mind as we pray and worship. Conclusion The reality of Ecclesiastes 3 is tough to take in at times. The fact that there will be a time for everything and all things on earth must come to an end is saddening. Our options are to give up in despair or follow the author s advice to fear God, to be in community, and to find joy in the present. The fact that God has set eternity on our hearts means we will experience frustration in this life, but it also comes with the promise that there is an eternity. Even though all things here will come to an end, we can find comfort in knowing that this is not all there is.
Resources Used for this Lesson The Book of Ecclesiastes by Tremper Longman III (New International Commentary on the New Testament) An Introduction to the Old Testament poetic books by C. Hassell Bullock Bible.org-Aaron Sturgill s articles on Ecclesiastes