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Texts -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 (NET)

Context
A Time for All Events in Life
3:1 For everything there is an appointed time , and an appropriate time for every activity on earth : 3:2 A time to be born , and a time to die ; a time to plant , and a time to uproot what was planted ; 3:3 A time to kill , and a time to heal ; a time to break down , and a time to build up ; 3:4 A time to weep , and a time to laugh ; a time to mourn , and a time to dance . 3:5 A time to throw away stones , and a time to gather stones ; a time to embrace , and a time to refrain from embracing ; 3:6 A time to search , and a time to give something up as lost ; a time to keep , and a time to throw away ; 3:7 A time to rip , and a time to sew ; a time to keep silent , and a time to speak . 3:8 A time to love , and a time to hate ; a time for war , and a time for peace .
Man is Ignorant of God’s Timing
3:9 What benefit can a worker gain from his toil ? 3:10 I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied . 3:11 God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time , but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained , from the beginning to the end of their lives.
Enjoy Life in the Present
3:12 I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live , 3:13 and also that everyone should eat and drink , and find enjoyment in all his toil , for these things are a gift from God .
God’s Sovereignty
3:14 I also know that whatever God does will endure forever ; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it. God has made it this way, so that men will fear him. 3:15 Whatever exists now has already been , and whatever will be has already been ; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past .
The Problem of Injustice and Oppression
3:16 I saw something else on earth : In the place of justice , there was wickedness , and in the place of fairness , there was wickedness . 3:17 I thought to myself , “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked ; for there is an appropriate time for every activity , and there is a time of judgment for every deed . 3:18 I also thought to myself , “It is for the sake of people , so God can clearly show them that they are like animals . 3:19 For the fate of humans and the fate of animals are the same : As one dies , so dies the other ; both have the same breath . There is no advantage for humans over animals , for both are fleeting . 3:20 Both go to the same place , both come from the dust , and to dust both return . 3:21 Who really knows if the human spirit ascends upward , and the animal’s spirit descends into the earth ? 3:22 So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work , because that is their reward ; for who can show them what the future holds ?

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Life

    [isbe] LIFE - lif (chayyim, nephesh, ruach, chayah; zoe, psuche, bios, pneuma): I. THE TERMS II. THE OLD TESTAMENT TEACHING 1. Popular Use of the Term 2. Complexity of the Idea III. IN THE APOCRYPHA IV. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 1. In t...
    [nave] LIFE. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Brevity and Uncertainty of; Everlasting; From God; Long; Spiritual. Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics Breath of, Gen. 2:7. Called Spirit of God, Job 27:3. Tree of,...

  • Philosophy

    [nave] PHILOSOPHY The nature of things, Eccl. 1-7. A philosophical inquiry on wisdom, Job. 28. Philosophical inductions and deductions relating to God and his providence, Job 5:8-20; 9; 10:2-21; 12:6-24; 33:12-30; 37. Reveals th...

  • Instruction

    [nave] INSTRUCTION From nature, Prov. 24:30-34; Eccl. 1:13-18; 3; 4:1; Matt. 6:25-30. See: Parables. From the study of human nature, Eccl. 3-12. By Object Lessons: The pot of maa, Ex. 16:32. The pillar of twelve stones at the f...

  • PROVIDENCE, 1

    [isbe] PROVIDENCE, 1 - prov'-i-dens: I. PROVIDENCE DEFINED II. DIFFERENT SPHERES OF PROVIDENTIAL ACTIVITY DISTINGUISHED III. BIBLICAL PRESENTATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF PROVIDENCE 1. Divine Providence in the Old Testament Scriptures (...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Death

    [isbe] DEATH - (maweth; thanatos): PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW The word "Death" is used in the sense of (1) the process of dying (Gen 21:16); (2) the period of decease (Gen 27:7); (3) as a possible synonym for poison (2 Ki 4:...
    [nave] DEATH. Called in some versions &ld;Giving Up the Ghost,&rd; Gen. 25:8; 35:29; Lam. 1:19; Acts 5:10. King of Terrors Job 18:14. A Change Job 14:14. Going to your Fathers Gen. 15:15; 25:8; 35:29. Putting Off This Tabe...

  • Animals

    [nave] ANIMALS Creation of, Gen. 1:24, 25; 2:19; Jer. 27:5. Food of, Gen. 1:30. Named, Gen. 2:20. Ordained as food for mankind, Gen. 9:2, 3; Lev. 11:3, 9, 21, 22; Deut. 14:4-6, 9, 11, 20. God's care of, Gen. 9:9, 10; Deut. 25:4...

  • Happiness

    [nave] HAPPINESS. Of the Wicked Limited to this life, Psa. 17:14; Luke 16:25; short, Job 20:5; uncertain, Luke 12:20; vain, Eccl. 2:1; 7:6. Is derived from their wealth, Job 21:13; Psa. 52:7; their power, Job 21:7; Psa. 37:35; t...

  • PSALMS, BOOK OF

    [isbe] PSALMS, BOOK OF - samz, (tehillim, "praises," cepher tehillim, "book of praises"; Psalmoi, Psalterion): I. INTRODUCTORY TOPICS 1. Title 2. Place in the Canon 3. Number of Psalms 4. Titles in the Hebrew Text II. AUTHORSHIP AN...

  • Contentment

    [nave] CONTENTMENT. Psa. 16:6; Psa. 37:7, 16; Prov. 14:14 v. 10.; Prov. 15:13, 15, 30; Prov. 16:8; Prov. 17:1, 22; Prov. 30:8; Eccl. 2:24 Eccl. 3:12, 13; 8:15. Eccl. 4:6; Eccl. 5:12; Eccl. 6:9 vs. 7,8.; Eccl. 9:7-9; Luke 3:14; 1 C...

  • DANCE

    [ebd] found in Judg. 21:21, 23; Ps. 30:11; 149:3; 150:4; Jer. 31:4, 13, etc., as the translation of hul, which points to the whirling motion of Oriental sacred dances. It is the rendering of a word (rakad') which means to skip or ...
    [smith] The dance is spoken of in Holy Scripture universally as symbolical of some rejoicing, and is often coupled for the sake of contrast with mourning, as in (Ecclesiastes 3:4) comp. Psal 30:11; Matt 11:17 In the earlier period it...

  • Laughter

    [isbe] LAUGHTER - laf'-ter (chaq, tsachaq, "to laugh," sechoq, "laughter"; gelao, katagelao): (1) Laughter as the expression of gladness, pleasurable surprise, is the translation of tsachaq (Gen 17:17; 18:12,13,15; 21:6), which, ho...
    [nave] LAUGHTER A time for, Eccl. 3:4. Attributed to God, Psa. 37:13; 59:8; Prov. 1:26. See: Happiness; Joy.

  • Justice

    [nave] JUSTICE. Ex. 23:1-3, 6-8; Lev. 19:13-15; Deut. 16:18-20; Deut. 25:1-4; Ezra 7:26; Psa. 72:1, 2; Psa. 82:2-4; Prov. 17:15, 26; Prov. 18:5, 17; Prov. 20:8; Prov. 22:27; Prov. 24:23; Prov. 28:21; Prov. 29:26; Eccl. 3:16, 17; E...

  • Dust

    [isbe] DUST - dust (`aphar; koniortos, chous): Small particles of earth. The word has several figurative and symbolic meanings: (1) Dust being the material out of which God is said to have formed man (Gen 2:7), it became a symbol o...
    [nave] DUST Man made from, Gen. 2:7; 3:19, 23; Eccl. 3:20. Casting of, in anger, 2 Sam. 16:13. Shaking from feet, Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51. Put on the head in mourning, Josh. 7:6; 1 Sam. 4:12; 2 Sam. 1:2; 15:30; Job 2:12; 42:6. ...

  • Mankind

    [nave] MANKIND. Index of Sub-topics Created; Created in the Image of God; Design of the Creation of; Dominion of; Duty of; Equality of; Ignorance of; Immortal; Insignificance of; Little Lower than the Angels; Mortal; Spirit; Stat...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Fear of God

    [nave] FEAR OF GOD. Reverence Gen. 35:5; Ex. 18:21; Ex. 20:18-20; Lev. 22:32; Deut. 4:10; Deut. 5:29; Deut. 6:2; Deut. 10:12, 20, 21 Deut. 6:13; 13:4; 14:23. Deut. 28:49, 58; Josh. 4:24; Josh. 24:14; 1 Sam. 2:30; 1 Sam. 12:14, 24...

  • Dancing

    [nave] DANCING. Ex. 15:20; Ex. 32:19; Judg. 11:34; Judg. 21:19-21; 1 Sam. 18:6; 1 Sam. 21:11; 1 Sam. 30:16; 2 Sam. 6:14-16; Job 21:11; Psa. 30:11; Psa. 149:3; Psa. 150:4; Eccl. 3:4; Jer. 31:4, 13; Lam. 5:15; Matt. 11:17; Luke 15:2...

  • Destruction

    [nave] DESTRUCTION Physical Decomposition Lev. 22:25. After death, Gen. 3:19; Job 17:14; 21:26; 34:15; Psa. 16:10; 49:9; 104:29; Eccl. 3:20; 12:7; Jonah 2:6; Acts 2:27, 31; 13:34-37; 1 Cor. 15:42, 50. Figurative Of sin, Isa. 38...

  • Gifts from God

    [nave] GIFTS FROM GOD See: Spiritual Gifts. Spiritual: Christ, the Savior, Isa. 42:6; 55:4; John 3:16; 4:10; 6:32, 33. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, See: Holy Spirit. Grace, Jas. 4:6. Wisdom, Prov. 2:6; Jas. 1:5. Repentance,...
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Arts

Questions

  • In the light of the teaching of Scripture, heaven is the place of God's abode where we also find the good angels and human beings because they were created in the image of God with a soul and spirit. Animals were not created ...

Sermon Illustrations

What Was the Curse God Put on Creation?; A Time to Keep Silence; General

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • This book helps the reader develop a God-centered worldview and recognize the dangers of a self-centered worldview. It does not describe the life of faith or teach what the responsibilities of faith in God are. It also prescr...
  • I believe that the message of Ecclesiastes is essentially a positive one. This may seem strange since the vanity of various human endeavors is such a major theme of this book. Nevertheless the total statement that Solomon mad...
  • I. The introductory affirmation 1:1-11A. Title and theme 1:1-21. The title 1:12. The theme 1:2B. The futility of all human endeavor 1:3-111. The vanity of work 1:32. The illustrations from life 1:4-11II. The futility of work ...
  • "Vanity"(Heb. hebel) means "meaningless."11As Solomon used this word in Ecclesiastes he meant lacking real substance, value, permanence, or significance. "All"in the context of what he proceeded to describe refers to all huma...
  • Rather than saying, "All work is vanity,"Solomon made the same point by asking this rhetorical question that expects a negative response. He used this literary device often throughout the book (cf. 2:2; 3:9; 6:8, 11-12; et al...
  • Solomon had unique resources for investigating life. He was the king of Israel (v. 12), and he possessed superlative wisdom (v. 13; cf. v. 16; 1 Kings 4:26-34). He says he made a comprehensive study of all kinds of human acti...
  • To conduct his investigation of human achievements Solomon had employed the tool of wisdom.27However, he discovered it inadequate to turn up any meaningful activity. Consequently wisdom was in this respect no better than "mad...
  • Thus far Solomon had reflected on the futility of all human endeavor generally (1:3-11) and the futility of human achievement (1:12-15) and his own achievements in particular (2:1-17). Next he turned to an evaluation of labor...
  • In 2:18-26 the emphasis is on what happens to the fruits of labor that one accumulates over a lifetime of toil. These fruits include money and all it can buy, fame, and happiness.2:18-21 Solomon viewed all his labor during hi...
  • In this section Solomon expressed his conviction that in view of God's incomprehensible workings all human toil is without permanent profit.3:1-8 As is customary in Ecclesiastes the writer began this section by stating a thes...
  • "The sacrifice of fools"in view (v. 1) is a rash vow, as is clear from what follows. Verse 3 seems to compare the verbosity of a fool in making a rash vow to God and the endless dreams one often experiences after a very busy ...
  • Again Solomon urged the enjoyment of life (v. 18; cf. 2:24-26; 3:12-13, 22), but he warned of some obstacles to that enjoyment. Solomon was not advocating hedonism but the simple enjoyment of life day by day (v. 18). In other...
  • In 6:10-12, Solomon returned to his theme of the immutability and inscrutability of divine providence (i.e., why God allows things to happen as they do; cf. 1:15, 19; 3:11, 14, 22). "Named"(v. 10) refers to the practice of ex...
  • Wisdom can enable a person to avoid the king's wrath (vv. 2-9), but it cannot enable him or her to understand fully why God deals with people as He does (vv. 10-17).8:10-14 There are two apparent inequities in verse 10. First...
  • 9:1 "All this"refers to the general pattern of God's inconsistent retribution that Solomon had discussed. Even though he could not predict whether a given person would experience prosperity or adversity, he believed all peopl...
  • In 1:12-6:9, Solomon demonstrated that all work is ultimately futile for two reasons. It does not yield anything really permanent under the sun. Moreover we can never be sure we will enjoy the fruits of our labor before we di...
  • Solomon had already advocated the enjoyment of life and responsible living in several of the preceding sections (2:24-26; 3:12-13, 22; 5:18-19; 8:15; 9:7-10). Now he stressed these points....
  • In conclusion Solomon repeated his original thesis (v. 8; cf. 1:2) and his counsel in view of life's realities (vv. 13-14). In between these statements he set forth his source of authority for writing what we have in Ecclesia...
  • Archer, Gleason L., Jr. "The Linguistic Evidence for the Date of Ecclesiastes'."Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society12:3 (Summer 1969):167-81.Barton, G. A. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Ecclesi...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • A time to plant.'--Eccles. 3:2.The writer enumerates in this context a number of opposite courses of conduct arranged in pairs, each of which is right at the right time. The view thus presented seems to him to be depressing, ...
  • He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also He hath set the world in their heart.'--Eccles. 3:11.THERE is considerable difficulty in understanding what precise meaning is to be attached to these words, and what preci...
  • Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2. While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not dark...
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