A Time for Everything (Part Two)

Introduction. (Eccl. 3:1-8). Note: (vs. 1) “To everything there is a season,

a time for every purpose under heaven.” Last week we began to look at this powerful text and consider two categories of these pairs of contrasts: beginnings and endings; and destruction and reconstruction. Tonight we will finish this by looking at four final categories of pairs of contrasts.

 

III. Sorrow and Joy. Two pairs of contrasts consider the times of joy in contrast to times of sorrow.

A. A time to weep, and a time to laugh (vs. 4a).

1. Weeping. Being a Christian doesn’t remove us from hardship but it does guarantee that we have people who are there, whose duty it is to care about our struggles.

a. Romans 12:15 - “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep”

b. In Ecclesiastes the word for “weep” has a broad meaning. “Weep” bakah – “In Hebrew it means 'to weep by reason of joy or sorrow, the latter including lament, complaint, remorse or repentance.' The root is commonly paralleled with dama 'to shed tears' and with sapad ‘to mourn.’ But, whereas tears are associated with the eyes, weeping is associated with the voice; Semites do not weep quietly, but aloud." (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament 1.107).

c. Often when there is a failure to “weep with those who weep” it may be because we don’t know the struggles that others are going through. We can’tforce ourselves on each other, nor can we read each other’s minds.

d. Perhaps we should be more inclined to ask each other for help. In doing so we do two things:

i. We give brethren a chance to do good.

ii. We encourage them to do what they should.

e. If we are willing to do this we share together the “time to weep.”

2. Laughing. We rejoice with those who rejoice as well as weep with those who weep. A Christian should laugh, but not as the world does.

a. We must not take joy in what is sinful, coarse, or immoral.

b. We must not laugh at others making fun of their looks, or their mannerisms failing to see them as souls in need of salvation (Eph. 5:3-4).

c. Christians laugh over the joys of life—our own mistakes, or forgetfulness.

d. If we can laugh at these kind of things there are many times to laugh.

B. A time to mourn, and a time to dance (vs. 4b).

1. Mourning. You might notice that there are two words used in this verse that are very similar. In the Hebrew the word translated “mourn” is a word generally associated with death rituals (i.e. being there in the time of death), while the word translated “weep” refers to the wailing out loud that was a characteristic of many of the people’s of the east either in sadness or in joy (TWOT 1.107; 2.630).

a. If these distinctions are correct think for a moment about the times that are the most painful in life.

i. Death is probably the most difficult and painful point of human life—not only for the one who dies but also for the living who face loss. It is stepping into the unknown. It is a confrontation with our own mortality.

b. Ecclesiastes 7:2 teaches that is is better to go to the “house of mourning” than to the house of weeping because “the living can take it to heart”.

c. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that “it is appointed for man to die once and after that the judgment”

i. Death is a part of life in this age. The wise will meditate upon this before the point of death is imminent.

ii. This prepares us for this time of mourning.

2. Dancing. There was a movie out a few years ago called Footloose. The movie focused on a small town that didn’t allow dances at the local high school. When a boy from a big city stirred up the students to insist on having a dance a meeting of the school council finally met to consider the question. At the meeting the boy appealed to this verse as a defense of dancing.

a. There is a difference between the dances of joy practiced by the people of the east and the kind of dancing that is practiced in our country.

b. Modern dance is characterized by: sensuality, immodesty (either of dress or behavior) and embracing that promotes lust and promiscuity.

c. Christians must conduct themselves differently (1 Thess. 4:3-6).

d. There was a tract written by the Puritan leader Increase Matther back in 1684 on the matter of dances with men and women together. (I may have read some of this to you in the past.) He wrote:

i. “A Christian should do nothing wherein he cannot exercise grace or put a respect of obedience to God on what he does. This in lawful recreations may be done... But who can seriously pray to the Holy God to be with him when he is going to a promiscuous dance?” (Annals of America. 1.272, “An Arrow Against Profane and Promiscuous Dancing”).

IV. Possession and Surrender. There are three pairs of contrasts that speak of things that we must either hold on to or surrender.

A. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones (vs. 5a).

1. Casting away stones. There might be a number of things to which this could refer.

á         Casting stones as punishment.

á         Casting stones in clearing a garden.

Commentators Jamison, Faucett and Brown take the latter view, pointing out Isaiah 5:2 where Israel is compared to a vineyard that God had planted after first clearing away the stones.

a. If the word of God is truly to take root in our lives we must be willing to reject and uproot some things.

i. Those things that are the very closest to us sometimes may be the very things we must either throw away or view in the right perspective (Luke 14:27-33).

ii. In one sense this admonition will scare off the insincere, but it also serves to prepare the true convert for what lies ahead.

2. Gathering Stones. As we have already seen, in order to build upon truth we must first clear away error. But when we have done so we become “living stones” used of God to build His spiritual house (1 Pet. 2:4-5).

a. We should do all we can to gather other stones that God may use them in building this spiritual house.

B. A time to gain, and a time to lose (vs. 6a).

1. Gaining. What can anyone really gain in this life?

á         Happiness? It will eventually be lost due to hardship.

á         Wealth? It may be stolen, lost, or left to another.

á         Intelligence? It will diminish as time wears on and the body grows old.

a. All that can really ever be gained and permanently sustained has to do with our soul.

2. Losing. How do we gain when it comes to spiritual things?

a. By losing material things. Jesus teaches us that those who would save their souls must lose themselves in the things of the Lord (Matt. 16:25-27).

b. Note: Lose life/ Gain Life—Gain World / Lose soul—Gain Christ / Gain Reward!

C. A time to keep, and a time to throw away (vs. 6b).

1. Keeping. Is there nothing then that one can keep in coming to the Lord?

a. The Christian can keep hope—Hebrews 6:19 calls the hope of the Christian the “anchor of the soul.”

i. The world is drowned in hopelessness, yet the Christian can find meaning.

b. The Christian can keep peace of mind.

c. The Christian can keep the assurance of a home in heaven with God.

2. Throwing Away. Yet as we have seen all those who would come to Jesus must forsake all that they have if they wish to follow Him. That is quite a challenge.

a. We have to be willing to throw away: bad habits, pet sins, hobbies, activities, friends, false ideas—if they violate what it means to be a Christian.

b. In Luke 9:62 Jesus describes the one who would come to Him and yet look back as one who puts his hand to the plow then looks back.

i. What will happen? He won’t plow a straight row.

ii. If we do that spiritually we won’t follow the straight path. Jesus says such a one is not “fit for the kingdom of God.”

V. Action and Restraint. Two contrasts deal with times to act and times when it is inappropriate to act.

A. A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing (vs. 5b).

1. Embracing. I don’t know where the idea ever developed that Christians were the kind of people who are cold and unfeeling. The Bible teaches that there are displays of affection and warmth that are appropriate and commanded.

a. Husband and wife must give such to one another.

i. 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 teaches not to deprive one another.

b. Parents and children must give appropriate affection.

i. In Titus 2:4 mothers are told to “love their children” (one word in the Greek). Literally they are to be “lovers of the children”.

c. Christians are to give the “holy kiss” to one another, which seems to be simply the exchanging of appropriate displays of affection. A handshake, a pat on the back, or the occasional embrace.

i. This must not be not suggestive or sensual but wholesome (Romans 16:16).

2. Refraining. Christians must also, however, recognize that there are times to refrain from and restrain our affections.

a. Those married must limit marital affection to their mate.

i. Corinthians 6:9-10 teach us that the adulterer will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

ii. In Matthew 5:28 Jesus tells us that the one who looks at another to lust after her has already committed adultery in his heart.

iii. Christians must refrain from that which could encourage this type of lustful thought.

b. Those unmarried must not engage in the kind of affection reserved for the married.

i. Genesis 34:7 speaks of sexual relations prior to marriage as “a disgraceful thing...which ought not to be done.”

c. Those of the same sex must restrict their affection to that which is in accord with God’s laws.

i. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 tell us that sodomites, and homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God.

d. Clearly there is a time to “refrain from embracing”

B. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak (vs. 7b).

1. Silence. Christians in imitation of Christ’s nature are to be a quiet people.

a. Mark 15:3 Tells us that when Jesus was being falsely accused by the Jews “he answered nothing.”

b. In our daily life we are to live a quiet life. In our conversation we are to be reserved.

i. James 1:19 tells us to be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

ii. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 teaches that Christians should aspire to lead a quiet life.

iii. 1 Timothy 2:2 teaches that we should pray for the civil authorities that we may be able to lead a quiet life.

2. Speaking. Like Christ, however, Christians must realize that there is a time in which silence is not even an option.

a. When we see that which is wrong we must speak out.

b. When we see the lost we must tell them the way of life.

i. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 teaches Christians to “warn those who are unruly.”

ii. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2 to “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season...”

c. When told not to teach about Jesus Peter and John replied, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

d. We should strive to have the same spirit always looking for that time to speak.

VI. Conflict and Harmony. The final two contrasts concern the times when things are at peace and harmony and times when there must be hatred and conflict.

A. A time to love, and a time to hate (vs. 8a).

1. Loving. Christians must be like our Father and our Savior—people of love (1 John 4:7-11).

a. We must love our God, our families, our brethren and our enemies.

b. We must love the lost and even those who hate us.

i. Remember Jesus’ words “But I say to you love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

c. In one sense it is always the “time to love”.

2. Hating. Yet there is something that God calls upon us to hate—Christians must hate evil.

a. Romans 12:9 “Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good”.

i. The word used here for “abhor” is the Greek word apostugeo used only in Romans 12:9.

ii. The more common word used in Scripture for “hate” is miseo. The distinction between the two according to Vincent is that the word used here is hatred expressed. He writes, “The original distinction between miseo and stegeo is that the former denotes concealed and cherished hatred, and the latter hatred expressed. ...An intense sentiment is meant: loathing” (Vincent, 3.158).

b. We have gotten away from our disgust for what God hates. We must hate sin and the harm it does to lost sinners.

i. In this sense there is always a time for hate for the Christian.

B. A time of war, and a time of peace (vs. 8b).

1. Fighting. We are in a spiritual war.

a. Christians are on the winning side (1 John 3:24-4:6).

b. Yet in our personal battles we must win in order to be on this winning side (2 Tim. 4:6-8).

2. Being at peace. One of the problems with the movement which developed in the 1800’s known as the “social gospel” was the false concept that if enough of the world would simply implement the principles taught by Jesus there would be world peace.

a. Jesus said in John 16:33 “In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

b. True spiritual peace is only found in Christ.

i. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22).

c. Ultimate peace will come in the age to come.

i. Romans 2:10 promises “glory, honor and peace” to the righteous.

d. We cannot rest now with a sense of false peace.

i. We must fight the fight of faith until we can rest in the the age to come.

Conclusion. We have considered what the Lord teaches us under the New Covenant in relation to these beautiful words from the book of Ecclesiastes. Let’s end by thinking about this last contrast between war and peace. If you have not obeyed the gospel you are in a state of war with God Himself. You will lose, unless you surrender and grasp hold of the peace that is only found in Christ.