Times and Seasons are In His hands
Ecclesiastes: 3:1
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the heaven.
God created light in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night for signs and for season and for days and for years. God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. God give light on the earth to rule over the day and night. He divided the light from darkness and saw that it was good. The day He give to men to tend and keep whatever he has been tasked with and the night He offered to the beast or nocturnal in the forest to creep about to seek their food from God. “The eyes of all look expectantly to you, and you give them their food in due season” (Psalm 145:15-17)
Times and Seasons are In His hands, as long as the earth remains there will be seed time and harvest time, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night, shall not cease, according to the manifold wisdom of God. God made covenant with day and night, so there will always be day and night in their season as He has ordained them. Let the wise steward their time, and walk circumspectly not as unwise, but wise redeeming the time, for the days are evil; may we walk in a way worthy of the Lord and please Him in everything. (Colossians 1:10)
Ecclesiastes: 3:2
A time to born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance, a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to gain and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate; a time of war and a time of peace.
There is a time of life ordained by God within the time and season on the earth. And the Lord said to Sarah: at the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life and Sarah will have a son. Conversely, in the dispensation of time, God send His son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoptions of sonship. For every purpose, God has determined man’s pre-appointed times and the boundaries in which they may dwell, so man would find him, even though He is not far from each of us. In the dispensation of the fullness of time, God will gather together all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, according to the counsel of His will.(Ephesian 1:10)
There is an appointed time of death for everyone by God in whose hands are the life of everything and the breath of all mankind. It is appointed once for a man to die and afterward judgment. God who holds the breath of life in His hands spoke through Daniel to Belshazzar and told him that His kingdom was number and finished, that very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. “Then will come a time, when Jesus will hand over the kingdom of God to the Father, after He destroy all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be defeated is death” (1 Corinthians 15:24-26)
Solomon observed life events occur in parallel or opposite.God created heaven and earth. From the heaven,He send light to the earth to create time. Then He created man and put him on the earth and appointed times and season for man to inhabit, fellowship with Him (God) and have dominion over the works of His hands. “He created the earth not to be empty, but to be inhabited, He is the Lord and besides Him there is no other”
God has appointed seed time and harvest time upon the earth, and during this time there will be planting of seeds and harvesting of seeds or plucking what was planted. Whatever a man sows he shall reap. If you sow to the flesh, corruption is produce and if you sow the Spirit everlasting will manifest. He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. “Now my He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 9:10)
Solomon also pointed out there is a time to kill – a time of war or judgment, which you may or may not have no control over. He acknowledged the aftermaths of war are healing of invisible wounds, emotional scars, fracture relations, societies or nations. “In the spring, at the time when kings went off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army to destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. “(2 Samuel 11:1)
Equally there is a time to breakdown and time to build up as exemplify through the leadership of Joshua; when the Lord worked through Joshua to break down the wall of Jericho and build up the faith of the Israelite “ The Lord kept every one of the promises that He had made to the people of Israel. “ (Joshua 21:45)
Solomon expressed 2 extremes of emotional times, a time to weep, influence by a range of emotions, from anger, anxiety, disappointments, empathy or joy and a time to laugh, trigger by many sensation and thoughts from moment of surprise, comedy, embarrassment, disbelief: Sarah who was called barren, must have had moment of weeping during her time of infertility; she laughed, when the Lord told her she would conceive a son at the appointed time of life and then later she declared God brought her laughter and all who hears her testimony will laugh with her . Similarly, Hannah- whose womb the Lord had closed – had moments of weeping when her rival provoked her to misery; however, in the process of time, the Lord heard Hannah’s petition in prayer, He opened her womb and she conceived a son and later rejoiced in the Lord. (1 Samuel 1:20)
Times and Seasons are In His hands, Solomon expounded on emotional times, trigger by death, change in relationships, health or health of loved ones. As Christian we do not mourn as the world mourn because we hope God will bring those who sleep in Christ with Him when He returns; equally, dance trigger by emotions reflects how a person feels, this evoke memories, awe, or sprout of joy, depending on how one respond to a dance.
David had moment of mourning during his tenure as a king, when his son by Bathsheba died. (2 Samuel 12:13-25). David also had merriment when the Ark of the Lord was returned to the city of David and he danced before the Lord with all his might wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of Joy and the blowing of the ram’s horn. (2 Samuel 6:14-22)
“Let them praise His Name with dance”
Times and Seasons are In His hands,Solomon perceived there is a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones, meaning a time for judgment and a time of mercy. May mercy triumph judgment in our decision-making .May we not judge by sight, nor decide by what we hear, but rather in righteousness and truth make conclusion on any given issue.
Jesus said: Judge not that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use it, it will be measured back to you.(Matthew 7:1)
God also ordains a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing under the heaven. In the Old Testament, women were deemed unclean during their menstrual cycle and embracing was not encouraged. It’s not the cleansing ritual of men that makes us clean but what’s in our heart determines if we are clean or not. Scripture commands husband and wife to not deprive one another from embracing only with consent for a time, that they may give themselves to fasting and prayer. May we not forbid marriage and abstinence from food which God created to be received with thanksgiving,our substance is Christ. (1 Timothy 4:1-5, Colossians 2:16-17)
“Jesus said: You are already clean because of the word, which I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3)
Jesus demonstrated a time to gain when he preached the gospel to everyone who believes- as heir (sons) in the kingdom of God. He lost some Jews by doing this but the gifting and calling of God is irrevocable – the Jews will be grafted to the Lord, for there is remnant according to the election of grace. Jesus also demonstrated the time to gain and the time to lose when He commanded the rich man to sell whatever he had and give to the poor to gain treasure in heaven; He told the rich man to take up his cross (die to self) and follow him; noting with man this is impossible but with God all things are possible.
Jesus said: whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever losses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? What shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:26) Times and Seasons are In His hands, Relatively, there is a time to keep and a time to throw away: a time to put off the old man and put on the new man. A time to put off former conduct, the old man growing corrupt according to deceitful lusts. Be renewed in the spirit of the mind by putting on the new man which is created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesian 4:22-24)
Equally, there is a time to tear and a time to sew. A time to tear alludes to a time of repentance. The Lord desires all men to turn to Him with all their heart with fasting, weeping and mourning, and tear their hearts (turn your heart away from sin) and not their garment: for our God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger and great in kindness, he does not relent from harm, He may turn, relent and leave a blessing behind us, when we return to Him.
Jesus said: the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news (Mark 1:15)
Jesus said, no one sews a piece of unshrunk clothes on old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old and the tear is made worse, meaning we should not couple law and grace. Jesus tore the veil in the temple to tear away the priesthood according to the order of Aaron then sew in the priesthood according to the order to Melchizedek to make a new and living way that opened for us through the curtain, that is His body, to enable us to enter into the Holy place by His blood.
The Lord our peace, tore down the middle wall of separation and abolished in His flesh the enmity that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, to sew in Him one new man from the two to make peace. So that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, by putting to death the hostility between the Jews and gentiles, He preached peace to those who were afar off and those who were near-Through Christ we have access by one Spirit to the Father. (Ephesian 2:17-19)
Solomon perceived there a time to keep silent and a time to speak. A time to keep silence is best when angry, the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God, so we should be slow to speak, swift to listen and slow to anger. May we seek to understand first and then be understood by others. Silence helps us avoid sin, in the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise. Silence makes us reflect inwardly and probably leads us to repentance, which enables us to bear fruits of repentance.
Similarly, there is a time to speak, scripture command us to: open our mouth for the speechless, open our mouth for those who cannot defend themselves, open our mouth and plead the cause of the poor and the needy. Jesus commands us to open our mouth and teach others to observe all that He has commanded us to do to the glory of God. (Matthew 28:19-20)
There is also a time to love and a time to hate. Jesus commands us to love one another by this men will know that we are His disciples. Let us not love only in words or in tongue but in deed and truth. Let us love one another for God is love; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. There is also a time to hate, may we hate what God hates:
- A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood
- A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil
- A false witness who speaks lies and one who sow discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16)
There is a time of war and a time of peace. There are 2 types of wars fought under the heavens- spiritual and physical. As believer, we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers that strive to deter the plan and purpose of God for our lives. Put on the full amour of God to stand against the wiles of the enemies -do not be ignorant of his devices. Fight the good fight of faith and stand in faith as you take the hamlet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God to disarm the enemy’s works through the leading of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesian 6:10-17)
Ecclesiastes 3:9-13
What profit has the worker from that in, which he labors? I have seen the God given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in his or her hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from the beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice and to good in their lives. And also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor –it is a gift of God.
Solomon questions benefit of labor? Labor is a heritage given to men from God. The gift of labor is given to all men to work to utilize their gifts as steward of duties– for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them. The Lord expects us to maintain good work, to meet urgent needs, to bring Him glory. Whatever, your hands finds to do, do it whole-heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.
The profit of work is earning, character; integrity, accountability and growth – growth in our relationship with the Lord as we abide in Him and He in us to empower us to bear fruits by which the Father would be glorify. Jesus said: “It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” The Lord ordains timing of life events in parallel or opposite, to fulfill His predetermined plan and purpose in our lives.
Our seed time and harvest time are in His hands – a master artist who paints a collage of our lives according to His time to make all things beautiful. The Lord place a void in every man heart to make him long for God, and this void can only be filled through the power of His Holy Spirit, after he get saved and become a born again believer. This endless void can be filled through a personal relationship with Christ through communion and fellowship with the Father in Spirit and in truth.
Jesus said: I am the bread of life, He who comes to me shall never hunger and He who believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:35), Do you believe this?
Jesus said: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness they shall be filled. Taking into account, God has appointed our times and season in predefined boundaries in which we may dwell, we should embrace life, and trust in His faithfulness to fulfilled all He purposes to do for His glory and our good. May we enjoy the fruit of our labor, a gift from God, serve in love to maintain good work, and meet immediate needs around us for His glory.
Ecclesiastes 3:14-15
I know that whatever God does it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it, that men shall fear Him that which is has already been, and what is to be has already been; and God requires an account of what is past.
The things of God are eternal, while the things on earth are temporary. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, the earth will grow old like a garment,but God is constant through all generation; He is the immutable and unchangeable God! Everything the Lord does is right, a trademark of His love: pure, precise and perfect to the minute detail. The works of the Lord are great, honorable, and glorious and they are done in wonder and in righteousness.
Since we cannot add to or remove from the things God created, we should trust in His sovereignty and have faith in His works. Since, God is impartial and reward each man according to His work, in our endeavors, may we lean not on our own understanding under the heaven but acknowledge Him in life pursuit and ask Him for wisdom along the way to do what is right and what is good in His sight for His glory. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy one is understanding “ (Proverbs 9:10)
May we continuously work out our salvation with fear and trembling before a Holy God.
To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen