Time:

All of our lives are based on it. Either we have to much time, or we don´t have enough.
Webster says time is "The measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues."
All of us have the same amount of time in each day.
Some waste time accomplishing absolutely nothing and others spend it wisely, say making an investment in someone´s life or in things that have eternal importance.
Some take time very seriously, recognizing that when a moment passes you can´t get it back it only happens once, time can´t be manipulated by speeding it up or slowing it down.
In some ways all take time for granted like we have so much of it.
And in other ways, we realize how little time we have left.
When you are young time is not an issue, except at Christmas it seems like an eternity before it gets here when we are young.
When you are older time seems to move so much faster, Christmas is gone and back so soon, seems like you just had it.
Just as time had a beginning it will have an end, the universe was set in motion as time began, time will stop, and eternity will begin.
In  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Solomon a very wise man gives us a vivid picture of our lives in these eight verses.

the good
the bad
the ugly.

It pretty much covers our lives from one extreme to another.

read  Ecclesiastes 3:2

The first part boils it down to basics, a birth and a death

This is life´s parameters, we can´t control either one, In God´s time, we are born and we die,  What happens in the middle largely depends on our choices and decisions we make.

The second part of verse 2 A time to plant and a time to uproot.

If a farmer wants to grow a crop he must plant at the right time and he must harvest at the right time or there will be no crop.
This also works with talking to people about salvation there is a time to plant the seed of salvation, you may not reap the reward of what you planted.
But in God´s time it will be harvested either with you or someone else.
In Ecclesiastes 3:3 shows we are in a life struggle between a battlefield and a first aid station.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

The second part of verse 3 A time to tear down and a time to build up.

An example of this would be urban renewal, first the demolition team comes in, then the construction crew that rebuilds what was torn down.

Blasting then rebuilding each appropriate in its own time.

In Ecclesiastes 3:4

A time to weep and a time to laugh although we tend to learn from the difficult times.

sadness
pain
sorrow

God also gives us times of joy!

Laughter He seems to bring people into our lives to bring us this much needed relief.
Second part of verse 4 A time to mourn and a time to dance
The death and loss of a loved one, compared to the joy of a wedding or the birth of a baby!
In Ecclesiastes 3:5

A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing

These sort of go together in that there is a time to show affection and support, when on the other hand there is a time not to show affection and support as this could be interpreted wrong. So choose your time to show affection and support.
In Ecclesiastes 3:6

A time to search and a time to give up as lost.

Pursuing a dream or a goal makes life exciting, but sometimes that dream or goal may not be in God´s will and we have to change our direction to follow God.
In Ecclesiastes 3:6-7

A time to keep, a time to throw away, a time to tear apart and a time to sew together.

In any normal way of life, keeping and throwing away is all part of living.
repairing the car, bicycle, lawn mower etc.
remodeling the house, garage.
throwing away stuff we no longer want or need, pictures of old girl/boy friends, old or outdated toys, you know the stuff I am referring to.
In Ecclesiastes 3:7

A time to be silent and a time to speak

When we are unsure of our facts, especially when someone´s life is at risk.
We should keep our mouths shut, but on the other hand we should be bold in our testimony and for what we believe in.
In Ecclesiastes 3:8

A time to love and a time to hate

Most of us don´t have a problem with love, but sometimes with hate it becomes awkward we are to hate.

sin
injustice
prejudice
The second part of verse 8 A time for war and a time for peace.
Without question most of us do not want war, but when the time comes we should stand and fight for what we believe to be right and just!
Read in Ecclesiastes 3:9-10

Solomon asks a question?

When we boil life down to the basics, what do we get from it?

Without God we get nothing it is empty!

In Ecclesiastes 3:11

Solomons message in this verse gives us the bottom line conclusions to live life

Regarding Life:

God makes all things beautiful in their time.
Our problem is not so much with what happens.
But how we perceive it after it happens.
When unhappy things happen in our lives, we tend to question the giver of those things.
We miss God´s timing and His ability to work things out His way.

Regarding Life:

God has placed eternity in our hearts.
God has put within all of our hearts curiosity about tomorrow and eternity.
When we get things settled about eternity, our life on earth takes on a whole new meaning.

Bible Studies Home

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 He 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.
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Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
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Ecclesiastes 3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
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Ecclesiastes 3:3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.
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Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
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Ecclesiastes 3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
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Ecclesiastes 3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
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Ecclesiastes 3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
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Ecclesiastes 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
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Ecclesiastes 3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
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Ecclesiastes 3:9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
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Ecclesiastes 3:11 He 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.
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Last updated on June 21, 2005