Daily Readings (April 24-30)
Mon. Psalm 34:1–8 The Lord Is Good
Tue. Ecclesiastes 7:15–22 Respect God’s Authority
Wed. Ecclesiastes 8:2–8 Everything has its Time
Thu. Ecclesiastes 9:1–12 Life Is in God’s Hands
Fri. Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 For Everything There is a Season
Sat. Ecclesiastes 3:9–15 Endures Forever
Sun. Ecclesiastes 3:16–22 Judgment Belongs to God
There is a Purpose
April 30, 2006
Lesson: Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
Key Verse: Ecclesiastes 3:1
Introduction
In Joshua 10:13 we read, "And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed,
until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written
in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted
not to go down about a whole day." The Lord had spoken to His servant
Isaiah that He had heard king Hezekiah’s prayer, saying, "behold, I will
heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. And I
will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I
will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David" (2 Kings
20:5-6). Hezekiah, who was "sick unto death, asked of Isaiah, "What
shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me?" Isaiah replied, "This
sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath
spoken; shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?"
Hezekiah answered, "It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten
degrees; nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees." God’s
prophet Isaiah cried unto the Lord, and the Lord "brought the shadow ten
degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz" (2 Kings
20:8-11). Thus, healing came to Hezekiah.
These divine interventions which made the sun not to rise for a whole day. In
other words, the earth ceased to revolve around the sun for twenty-four hours.
And in the case of Hezekiah, the earth moved backwards ten degrees. In one case
the sun stayed its course, in the other case, its shadow receded by ten degrees,
revealing the providential saving grace of the Lord in the life of His creation.
By "these miracles God declared that the sun does not rise and set by a
blind instinct of nature, but is governed by Him in its course, that He may
renew the remembrance of His paternal favour toward us. Nothing is more natural
than for spring, in its turns to succeed winter, summer spring, and autumn
summer; but in this series the variations are so great and so unequal as to make
it very apparent that every single year, month, and day, is regulated by a new
and special providence of God" (John Calvin, Institutes).
For Everything A Season 3:1-10
The Preacher teaches us that all things, that every day is in the
providential hand of God. We do not move and have our being without the guiding
hand of our Creator, that His purpose for His glory might be carried forward
without a shred of hindrance. "As the pure enjoyment stands not in the
power of man, much rather is a gift of God which He bestows or denies to man
according to His own will, so in general all happens when and how God wills,
according to a world-plan, comprehending all things which man can neither wholly
understand, nor in any respect change,—feeling himself in all things dependent
upon God, he ought to learn to fear Him" (Delitzsch).
The Lord God Almighty is not, in any way or in any time, dependent upon man.
For "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under
the heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to
pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and 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 together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time
to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 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." Knowing that all things are in the will and
purpose of our Creator and Lord, we are able to, on the one hand enjoy those
moments of love and joy, and on the other hand bear the burdens of sorrows and
mourning. If our Lord is not the Lord of all, He is the Lord of none. And we are
without hope, and all is vanity or emptiness. However, all is in the hands of
the Lord.
If the Lord is not carrying out His purpose in all things, then we would ask,
"What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen
the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in
it." However, we have hope in a resurrected life, because we know that
death has been dealt with by our Savior who holds all things in His hands.
Knowing that our lives are in the hands of our Lord who save us and gave us life
eternal, we testify with Paul, "I know both how to be abased, and I know
how to abound; every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and
to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:12-13).
Discussion: How does the knowledge that the Lord orders all things according
to His purpose, help us in living a life of faith in Him?
God Created All Things Beautiful 3:11-13
Solomon, the Preacher (the lecturer), teaches us of what the Spirit has
revealed to him about God: "He hath made everything 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." Man cannot, of his own
volition or searching, find the truth of the Mighty God and His Creation.
Therefore he is unable to find a purpose in what he sees, scrabbling for the
right words to tie all things together for the highest points. But he becomes
wanting. God has made all things beautiful, and has made hope a wonderful grace
to bring meaning into our lives.
Our Lord has set the beauty of His creation and the wonder of His saving
grace in our hearts. Paul writes to the church at Corinth, "as it is
written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart
of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath
revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea,
the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the
spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit
which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of
God" (1 Cor. 2:9-12). And in all things we must do what is good for us and
our neighbors that we may be beneficial to our families and friends.
Discussion: In what ways can we give thanks for the beauty of God’s
Creation?
All Things Are Complete 3:14-15
The Preacher testifies further the "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. That which is to be hath already been; and
God requireth that which is past." The past holds the covenant promises and
purposes which have come from the counsel of the Triune God. There is nothing
that can happen that will thwart the divine will and purpose of the Lord. Man
cannot add nor take away from that which God has commanded. "O the depth of
the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his
judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Rom. 11:33). The Westminster
Confession of Faith teaches us of the glory of the providential care of the
Almighty Creator: "God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct,
dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even
to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible
foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise
of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy" (Chapter 6
Of Providence). The purpose and will of the Lord is sure and we will praise Him,
"O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; the
earth is full of thy riches" (Ps. 104:24).
Discussion: Why is it that we can have full confidence in our Lord?
