Ecclesiastes 3
Last week I laid the foundation of the book, no doubt many thought I was a raving lunatic who said
everything must be miserable and only pessimistic curmudgeons have true faith. Alas, not my point.
My point is that the central theme of the book--all is vanity--is consistent with the rest of Scripture.
There’s always more though, the more does not cancel out the point, but it has a balancing effect.
Here’s some balance:
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to
refrain from embracing;
6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Life is cyclical. There is a time for some things and then a time for the opposite of those things. Each
phase passes, they are each temporal so don’t make a big to-do about one or the other. All creation is
subject to vanity, we take good and bad, both will come and go. Scripture teaches two extremes, it’s
not one or the other, there’s a place for each.
Ecclesiastes 3:9-11
9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11He 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.
God has made this situation for us, it was a result of God’s judgment on man’s initial sin--cursed to
eat from the sweat of thy brow. We are made subject to vanity. But all things have a place and there
is beauty in each phase.
“Set the world” is a poor translation. It better reads “he has set eternity in their heart.” Either way,
the context is the beginning and the end. He has put something in us that we cannot grab. Something
out there is bigger than us, we are not satisfied, it makes life vain, to live for something beyond us.
Ecclesiastes 3:12-14
12I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of
God.
14I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing
taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
God is behind all things, thus all things have a beauty, and this should allow us to receive this beauty
and pleasantness as a gift from God. If these things are beautiful and gifts from God they can
certainly lead to enjoyment.
Ecclesiastes 3:15-17
15That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that
which is past.
16And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the
place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17I 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.
Solomon has a larger view, not just life on earth, but on to the judgment. No matter how good and
beautiful God’s earthly gifts may be, they aren’t the real deal, they are merely a picture. We cannot
settle for them and lose sight of eternal things. We will all stand before God and this brings a weight
of responsibility
Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
18I 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.
19For 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.
20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward
to the earth?
22Wherefore 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?
Solomon has to conclude that although there is a difference between men and beasts when it comes
to eternity and judgment, there is no difference when it comes to death and the subjection of vanity in
life. We aren’t just beasts, we are more than that, capable of facing judgment and amending our
ways beforehand. We are like beasts in the futility of earthly endeavors.
Ecclesiastes gives you two points: 1) All is vanity; 2) God shows his beauty and pleasure through
what surrounds us. You must take both points. The way to keep them balanced is to consider
eternity and judgment, what separates us from animals. There is tremendous potential to do what
lasts for eternity even in a dying world. Animals don’t have this opportunity; we do!
1 Timothy 6:6-19
Our life on earth is constantly being pulled to live for earthly things. But we aren’t supposed to go for
them. Our job is to be content with such things as we have, not consumed by getting more. If you
have a lot, watch out, it could mean you are far from faith and eternal life. If you have a little but
constantly desire to have more, watch out it could mean you don’t have faith or eternal life. In the
end, God gives us all things to enjoy, that’s how you got it, From God. But don’t hold on to the
stuff; hold on to God, and lay hold on eternal life. The judgment is coming, you want a good stand
there, it comes by letting go of the temporal things of earth and grabbing on to the eternal things of
heaven.
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known unto God.
7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus.
Care for nothing but by everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving: nothing can mean
everything otherwise you worry and everything has a time and should be thanked as a gift from God.