{"id":28169,"date":"2023-10-05T22:00:30","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T05:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/ecclesiastes-2_17-26-copy\/"},"modified":"2023-09-12T14:28:55","modified_gmt":"2023-09-12T21:28:55","slug":"ecclesiastes-3_1-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/ecclesiastes-3_1-13\/","title":{"rendered":"He Makes Everything Beautiful In Its Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 \u00a0 Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

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Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

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Today\u2019s passage is Ecclesiastes 3:1-13.\u00a0 In case you\u2019re wondering, since I believe that Qohelet, known as the \u201cTeacher\u201d and the main speaker in Ecclesiastes, is best identified as Solomon, I will refer to him interchangeably as Qohelet or Solomon.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.<\/em><\/p>\n

Some of the most famous words from the book of Ecclesiastes can be found here.\u00a0 Verses 1-8 would become the basis for one of the most popular 1960s American folk and pop songs (just look up \u201cTurn! Turn! Turn!\u201d by The Byrds).\u00a0 Since there is a time for everything, may we have wisdom like Jesus to know what time it is, that is, to know what we are to do with each season and moment we are in (John 7:6).\u00a0 \u00a0Since there is a time for everything, may we wait patiently when the times we are looking forward to are not yet happening.<\/p>\n

Ecclesiastes 3:9-11 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0What does the worker gain from his toil?
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I have seen the burden God has laid on men.
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 9-11: \u00a0Earlier in Ecclesiastes 1 when Solomon questioned what a person gains from all their toil (1:3) and what a heavy burden God has laid on people (1:13), Solomon calls all of it meaningless (1:2, 14).\u00a0 \u00a0Now in Ecclesiastes 3:9-11, Solomon once again questions what people gain from their toil (v9) and the burden God lays on people (v10), but instead of calling it all meaningless Solomon offers a profound statement: \u201cHe has made everything beautiful in its time\u201d (v11).\u00a0 It\u2019s the idea that though we long to understand everything God does, we can\u2019t (v11b).\u00a0 Still, we can rest assured that one day God will make all things beautiful in their own time (v11a).<\/p>\n

When verse 11b says, \u201cHe has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end\u201d, this suggests that every human being has a curiosity, a longing for something eternal \u2013 a God-sized hole, if you will.\u00a0 As human beings we long to understand, connect with and relate to the divine, but we can\u2019t.\u00a0 We need God to do it for us.\u00a0 It\u2019s a God-sized hole only God can fill.<\/p>\n

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil–this is the gift of God.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 12-13:\u00a0 I believe we can say a wholehearted amen to both these verses.\u00a0 \u201cThat everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil \u2013 this is the gift of God.\u201d (v13) In other words, this is not something human being can manufacture for society.\u00a0 Happiness, provision and satisfaction in work \u2013 these can only truly come from God.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The first two chapters of Ecclesiastes we see Solomon spewing out complaints about life and work and making many questionable claims.\u00a0 Then starting in chapter 3 we see Solomon speaking with a markedly greater measure of profundity, peace and depth.\u00a0 What\u2019s going on?\u00a0 Could it be that the first two chapters were an act?\u00a0 Could it be that chapters 1-2 were meant to be the distressing lead up to the more peaceful and profound chapter 3?\u00a0 Could it be that in Ecclesiastes 1-2 Solomon is illustrating some of the biggest complaints, doubts and questions, which most certainly were exacerbated when he had turned from God\u2019s commands, but then in Ecclesiastes 3 he begins to share some of the insights that helped him resolve those complaints, doubts and questions?\u00a0\u00a0Whereas in Proverbs Solomon only shows us the finished product of his thoughts, could it be that in Ecclesiastes Solomon is not just sharing with us the finished product of his thoughts but his process as well, almost like a behind the scenes look at the sometimes messy and chaotic way a movie, a TV show or a song comes together?\u00a0\u00a0That way we can see that, even in Solomon\u2019s thoughts, God does make everything beautiful in its time.<\/p>\n

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Just as Ecclesiastes 1-3 may show the process Solomon went through, so you and I are in the midst of a process, a process by which God is refining our thoughts and transforming us by the renewing of our mind.\u00a0 The middle of the process may not be pretty, but the end result will be beautiful, profound, and deep, if we continue to walk with Him and not give up.<\/p>\n

Father, thank You that You who began a good work in me are faithful to complete it.\u00a0 To the extent that I\u2019m right now in the middle of that process, I surrender all my thoughts to You and thank You in advance for the finished product, which I believe will be glorious.\u00a0 Like Your Son Jesus, please give me wisdom to know what this current season I\u2019m in is for, that I would make the most of this season I\u2019m in.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2021 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Ecclesiastes 3:1-13.\u00a0 In case you\u2019re wondering, since I believe that Qohelet, known as the \u201cTeacher\u201d and the main speaker in Ecclesiastes, is best identified as Solomon, I will refer to him interchangeably as Qohelet or Solomon.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)
\n1\u00a0\u00a0There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
\n2\u00a0\u00a0a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
\n3\u00a0\u00a0a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
\n4\u00a0\u00a0a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
\n5\u00a0\u00a0a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
\n6\u00a0\u00a0a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
\n7\u00a0\u00a0a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
\n8\u00a0\u00a0a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
\n\u00a0
\nSome of the most famous words from the book of Ecclesiastes can be found here.\u00a0 Verses 1-8 would become the basis for one of the most popular 1960s American folk and pop songs (just look up \u201cTurn! Turn! Turn!\u201d by The Byrds).\u00a0 Since there is a time for everything, may we have wisdom like Jesus to know what time it is, that is, to know what we are to do with each season and moment we are in (John 7:6).\u00a0 \u00a0Since there is a time for everything, may we wait patiently when the times we are looking forward to are not yet happening.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28171,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28169"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28169\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28172,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28169\/revisions\/28172"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28171"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}